Friday, November 8, 2013
Lobbyists’ Expenses
NPR created a new website which tracks lobbyists’ reports of gifts, meals and entertainment. See it here. From that website you can download the data into an excel file. It’s about 88,000 items of information. Go crazy, folks.
I sliced it down to this year, and then just looked at some of the bigger lobbyist firms to give you this list of the biggest spenders…
Year to Date
Gamble & Schlemeier - $78,214
Bardgett Assoc - $40,893
Burton, Liese et al - $24,151
Gallagher Consultants - $18,505
Britton & Assoc- $17,621
Hemphill & Assoc - $15,419
Flotron McIntosh - $13,590
Scherr Winter - $12,711
Moody & Assoc - $10,085
Stinson - $9,487
Winton-Penman - $9,461
Polsinelli - $9,017
Andy Blunt - $6,253
Pelopidas - $5,355
Carroll & Assoc - $5,240
Scott Marrs - $4,454
Denton - $3,334
Grote & Assoc - $2,565
Giddens Group - $2,422
But what’s more important, of course, for those of us whose stomachs start to growl, is who the biggest spenders are during session. See my exel file here.
During Session
Gamble & Schlemeier - $61,003
Bardgett Assoc - $37,819
Burton Liese et al - $22,976
Gallagher Consultants - $17,437
Britton Assoc - $16,563
Hemphill & Assoc - $14,362
Scherr Winter - $12,684
Flotron McIntosh - $11,265
Moody& Assoc - $9,301
Winton-Penman - $9,029
Polsinelli - $8,746
Stinson - $6,735
Andy Blunt - $5,806
Pelopidas - $5,120
Scott Marrs - $4,366
Carroll - $3,239
Denton - $2,782
Grote & Assoc - $2,427
Giddens Group - $2,125
Webb Doesn’t Resign
Rep. Steve Webb has apparently changed his mind and decided he won’t resign yet after all. It’s said that he’s using this “as leverage” to help with a plea bargain down the road. See his interview here. We’ll see…
Firefighters Strike Back
They enlist Eliot Davis to go all You Paid For It on the Monarch District directors. This is war, folks! See it here.
Beauty and Brains
Who’s that #2 under “beauty and brains?” Why it’s Jenny Page, wife of former state representative Sam Page. See it here. The former NFL cheerleader is now a doctor.
$5K+Contributions
Midwest Region Laborers’ Political League Education Fund - $6,272 from Laborers’ Supplemental Dues Fund.
Citizens for Steve Stenger - $5,001 from Eastern Missouri Laborers’ Educational and Benevolent Fund.
Lewis & Clark Ozarks Mountain Forum - $15,000 from Harry Cooper.
Notes on Money
For the fourth day in a row, Steve Stenger puts up a large check, this time on more from labor.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to former Reps. Catherine Hanaway (the big 5-0) and Tony George (37), and Ellie Glenn.
Sunday: Chris Schappe (43).