Ethics Compliant Filed Against Claire McCaskill

Claire McCaskill’s failure to disclose to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics the sources, value, liabilities and actual income of her family’s multi-million-dollar fortune has been detailed in a formal complaint by the Missouri Republican Party with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics in Washington.

On March 3, 2006, Claire McCaskill plainly lied to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch when she said her household coffers had received no Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) benefit since 2001. In a complaint filed with the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee on Wednesday, the Missouri Republican Party provided direct, documented evidence that McCaskill’s spouse obtained publicly-funded MHDC benefit as late as 2004. At this point, McCaskill is pegging the total fortune at between $13 million and $30 million.

Rather than hiding behind lawyers and spokesmen, Claire McCaskill should release detailed financial information as required by federal law so Missourians can see how their hard-earned dollars helped build her family fortune. Releasing such information would also further expose the conflict of interest between McCaskill’s current audit of the Missouri Housing and Development Commission which has built her family fortune.

Click here to see the complete ethics complaint.

Gov. Blunt Takes Swift Action to Assist Storm-Ravaged Areas

Last Wednesday massive storms ripped through St. Louis City and the surrounding counties, leaving hundreds of thousands without power in over 100 degree heat. In the wake of these devastating storms, Gov. Matt Blunt took swift action to aid residents in affected areas. Blunt called on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Missouri National Guard to provide assistance to the region. Under Gov. Blunt’s leadership, more than 50 cooling centers were set up to assist those in need of relief. Gov. Blunt has also requested and received an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration from President Bush that will speed up federal assistance available to Eastern Missouri.

Senator Talent’s Work to Reopen American Beef Market in Japan Sees Results

Thursday it was announced that the Japanese market will again be open to American beef products after diligent efforts by Senator Jim Talent and other members of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Japanese markets have halted the sale of American beef products for far too long. Standing up for cattlemen across the United States, especially in Missouri where beef production ranks second in the nation, Senator Talent introduced bipartisan legislation that would impose stringent retaliatory tariffs on Japanese exports if Japan did not reopen its domestic market to U.S.-produced beef by the end of August 2006. Brent Bryant, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President said, “Senator Talent has been very active and vocal in his support of our Missouri cattle producers, and we thank him for his leadership on this issue.”

U.S. beef accounts for nearly 20 cents of every agriculture dollar in our country. Senator Talent is a champion for family farms and the agriculture community in our state. His support of biodiesel and ethanol will allow Missourians to use our most abundant resource, agriculture, to reduce our dangerous dependence on Middle Eastern oil while reducing our cost at the pumps.

Speaking about the agreement to reopen U.S. beef markets in Japan, Senator Talent said, “The Japanese should have made this decision at least a year ago. That is why I was part of a bipartisan group of senators who recently introduced legislation calling for retaliatory tariffs if the border wasn’t opened by the end of August. We must continue to be vigilant and aggressive in trade negotiations on behalf of our producers so we can maintain current markets and open new ones for our agricultural products.”

Governor Blunt Gives Funding Boost for First-Time Homebuyers

Governor Blunt announced this week that a program that assists first-time home buyers in Missouri will receive an additional $50 million in funds. The “First Place Loans” program offers interest-rates often below market value and assistance with down payments for first time homebuyers. The total funding for this program in 2006 is currently $260 million.

Many Missourians recognize the benefits of homeownership and have utilized the “First Place Loans” program to realize the dream of owning their own home. As Governor Blunt and our Republican leaders in the Missouri General Assembly work to enact responsible legislation and continue to move Missouri forward, more families will recognize the positive turn our state has taken and choose Missouri as a place to live, work and raise a family.

Talent’s Efforts Raise National Profile of Negro Leagues Museum

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will now be known as America’s National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum after a strong bipartisan effort from Senator Jim Talent. The name change will heighten the museum’s profile and ease the burden of securing artifacts and federal grants.

Founded in 1990, the museum welcomes over 60,000 visitors each year. Senator Talent, who led the name-change effort in the U.S. Senate said, “The museum is a national destination for anyone seeking to enrich their understanding of this period in America’s history. Whether you are a baseball fan or not, you will be moved by what you see there.”

 

 

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