The KRA Blog

Channel 49 Topeka aired a story Monday about a recent campaign ad from the Roberts camp. The story was an attempt to sort out the “truth” in the ad, something that has become somewhat of a pass time with the Kansas media.

Just a little selective editing

The story begins with a review of a YouTube video of Senator Roberts pledging to campaign for the office rather than against his opponent.

Channel 49 fails to include the end of the video, where Senator Roberts also “reserves the right to set the record straight.” Why would KTKA fail to include this part of the video in their story? Wouldn’t it have been prudent to include this as part of the story? Isn’t it a valid claim of the Roberts campaign that they have the right to inform the public of Slattery’s record as a paid lobbyist?

Apparently not, according to Channel 49.

To attack or not to attack, that is the question

The story continues with this statement:

He actually goes after Democrat Jim Slattery even though Slattery hasn’t won the party nomination yet.

Why was this included in the story? Does Roberts not have the right to set the record straight until after the primary election? Does Roberts not have the right to respond to attacks from Slattery until after Slattery’s won the primary? Does that also mean that Slattery doesn’t have the right to attack Roberts until after August 5th? Is the reporter, Liz Zamura, aware that Gov. Sebelius has made an endorsement of Slattery, “even though Slattery hasn’t won the party nomination yet?”

Doing lobbying work…but not a lobbyist

The story continues by analyzing this statement from the Roberts campaign:

“His opponent, Jim Slattery, for the past fourteen years, he was a Washington lobbyist,”

Here’s how Channel 49 goes about “investigating” to find the “truth”:

Slattery Press Secretary Abbie Hodgson says the part about Slattery being a lobbyist is a bit of a stretch. “Yes, he did do some lobbying. We’ve disclosed a list of all of his clients and the work that he’s done,” she said. “But his primary occupation was as an international trade lawyer.” We did some checking on our own and found out that Slattery was employed by a Washington DC law and lobbying firm working on some heavy duty cases as a lawyer and not as a lobbyist.

Not as a lobbyist? Now, am I crazy, or did Slattery’s Press Secretary just say, “Yes, he did do some lobbying.” What kind of checking did Channel 49 do to conclude that he didn’t do lobbying work when the Slattery campaign told them he did?

Perhaps a quick google search by 49 would have revealed a list of 40 different clients Jim Slattery admits to lobbying for. Forty clients…yea, that doesn’t sound like a real lobbyist…you need at least 45 to be called that!

49’s conclusion of the statement: half-truth!

Unfortunately for 49, Channel 12 in Wichita also did a story analyzing the Roberts ad and came to a very different conclusion.

Channel 12 had this to say about the Roberts claim of Slattery being a lobbyist for 14 years:

Fact. Slattery served six terms in Congress and lost a bid for Kansas governor before returning to the private sector 14 years ago. He was a partner in a Washington D.C. law firm and a registered lobbyist.

Wow! I guess they didn’t check the same sources as 49. Isn’t it funny how the truth in Wichita isn’t the truth in Topeka?

Slattery paid $4 million…but not paid millions

Now let’s see how 49 does with this statement:

“Slattery worked for special interests. He was paid millions, over $4 million in one year.” “That was his salary,” says Slattery’s Press Secretary.

49’s conclusion: True!

But wait! What about Channel 12? What did their “Fact Finder 12” story decide?

Misleading. Slattery did make over 4 million dollars in 2006.

Wow! The truth monster strikes again…only this time what’s true in Topeka isn’t true in Wichita.

Channel 49 surprised Roberts won’t talk to them

Liz Zamora and Channel 49 seem surprised in this follow up story on Roberts reaction to their piece and his refusal to do an interview with them.

Tonight, we’d hoped to bring you reaction from the Roberts campaign. They declined our request for an on-camera interview. But Roberts’ Communications Director Molly Haas sent us a written response. “If Slattery was only a lawyer and not a lobbyist, he would not have to file OFFICIAL lobbying disclosure forms with the U.S. Congress. Slattery’s camp is misleading you. If he was just a lawyer, he would not have to file those official federal forms.” We will continue to ask for an interview from Roberts’ campaign.

Why would Channel 49 be surprised that Roberts didn’t want to do an interview with them after deciding Slattery’s work as a lobbyist didn’t make him a lobbyist? Why would Roberts want to talk with a reporter who “did some checking” on her own and concluded that filing as a registered lobbyist with the US Congress doesn’t make him a lobbyist? What could Roberts possibly say to a reporter like Zamora that would change the lies she’s already decided to put on the air?

Links and information:

Channel 49’s original story
Channel 49’s follow up story
Liz Zamora’s contact information: 785-215-8524 or email here
Channel 12’s original story
A list of Slattery’s clients as a lobbyist
Donate to Robert’s campaign

A former Executive Director of the Kansas Democratic Party was indicted today in Pennsylvania on numerous charges, most significant being using millions of taxpayer dollars for campaigning and running a political campaign out of official offices.

Brett W. Cott, 36, a top aide to Mr. Veon, who is accused of widespread corruption, including conspiracy in the bonus scandal and running an ongoing political operation out of Mr. Veon’s state office. “Brett Cott’s title on Veon’s staff was policy analyst, but according to numerous witnesses he was hired because of his campaign skills and was one of the lead promoters of the culture of using taxpayer funds for campaign purposes,” the grand jury said.

Mr. Cott was also heavily involved in keeping Ralph Nader off of the Presidential ballot in Pennsylvania in 2004, attempting to give John Kerry a better chance to carry the state, all the time using the people’s money to accomplish his goals.

The grand jury identified 36 state employees who were involved in the Nader ballot challenge, 29 of whom received state bonuses for 2004. Two years later, the same tactic was used to keep Carl Romanelli, a Green Party candidate, off the ballot for U.S. Senate. “Brett Cott assumed the laboring oar in organizing and orchestrating the operation,” the grand jury wrote.

The only break on this story in Kansas so far is a three line blurb from Kansas Public Radio.

According to the grand jury, Cott was not only involved in the scandal, but was a key player, orchestrating several efforts to keep thrid party candidates off the ballot and used taxpayer money to provide bonuses to campaign workers who never spent time doing anything productive for the people of Pennsylvania.

Not surprisingly, here’s what a friend had to say about Cott getting busted.

“He’s not the type of person who’s going to do something that’s wrong on purpose,” she said. “The guy goes to church every week. He’s a very strong, practicing Catholic, a God-fearing guy.“

Now, who does that remind me of??? Oh, right, our good gov, Chatty Kathy. But she doesn’t use taxpayer dollars to further campaign interests, like giving away dinners at the governors mansion and not reimbursing the state until forced to do so. Sounds like Cott should have taken a few pointers from the gov…

A couple of weeks ago, a state legislator told me that the cost to complete Statehouse renovations is being projected to go as high as $320 million and, of course, it’s way behind schedule. We’ve already crossed the $285 million threshold and are well on our way to the $320 million figure.

The original budget was supposed to be $80 - $120 million which is a huge sum in and of itself. But I started thinking about the new figure: $320,000,000. That’s almost 1/3 of a billion dollars - an astronomical amount of money to spend on renovating one building. I started researching it further and here are just a few things I’ve come up with so far.

1. $320 million divided by 2.6 million Kansans means that every man, woman and child in the state is being stuck with a bill for $123.00 for this one project alone. A family of four will have to pick up a tab of almost $500 just to renovate the Statehouse.

2. Divided equally between each state legislator, that’s just shy of $2 million per legislator in capitol renovations. That ought to make for some pretty plush offices. If I did my math right, that’s approximately $1,000 per square foot to remodel the Statehouse (an existing building), compared to current construction costs for nice, new, modern homes which I believe are running around $100 - $150 per square foot.

3. The Statehouse took 37 years (between 1866 and 1903) to build at a total cost of $3,200,588.92. Adjusted for inflation, that would be $75,748,308. 90 in today’s dollars. Yes, I said $75 million.

4. With the same money that we are spending on remodeling the Statehouse, the men who initially constructed the building could have demolished and REBUILT the Kansas Statehouse FOUR TIMES.

5. As another point of reference, the Empire State Building (completed in 1931) in New York City cost $24,718,000 to build. Adjusted for inflation, that would be $295,469,214 today - $25 million LESS than what we’re spending just to remodel an existing building - the Kansas Statehouse.

6. Kauffman (Royals) Stadium, which seats almost 41,000 people, was completed in 1973 at a cost of $70 million. Adjusted for inflation, that’s $343,368,827 today or just barely more than we’re spending to remodel the Statehouse, again, an existing building.

7. $320,000,000 is enough to run the Kansas Highway Patrol for three years with almost $50 million left over. It’s enough to give every soldier serving in Iraq a bonus of at least $2,000.

8. $320,000,000 is enough to give every one of the roughly 440,000 kids in Kansas public schools $725 in back-to-school spending money.

WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE MINDING THE STORE ON THIS?

When this much money starts getting thrown around, it creates a HUGE opportunity for corruption. Somebody with subpoena power really needs to look into this. When you start bringing these numbers down out of the stratosphere and start actually establishing some points of reference, it’s shocking to realize how much we’re spending.

My question is, why doesn’t anyone with any authority in state government raise these questions? Rep. Peggy Mast (R-Emporia) tried to blow the whistle on the soaring costs related to the Statehouse renovation project last year. Legislative leadership just sort of yawned. There was an amendment introduced in the Kansas Senate in 2007 to cap spending on Statehouse renovations. Unbelievably, IT FAILED. Should we be surprised then when the cost continues to soar with no end in sight? That vote signaled to those who would pillage the taxpayer’s money that the register is standing open. The Senate as much as said to the contractors, consultants, architects and various other individuals who get a hook into projects like this, “Help yourself! Take what you want!”

The Kansas press is worthless when it comes to exposing waste and corruption in Kansas. At this point, the only thing that can be done is to raise the alarm with the people who can get the attention of those in authority…the voters.

———

Written and researched by Kris Van Meteren, a Kansas taxpayer…

Further evidence was sent this afternoon that Jim Slattery is in trouble in his Senate bid. After falling four points in his own internal polling, the campaign sent an official plea for cash from none other than Kathleen Sebelius herself.

The email raises further questions as to how the Slattery campaign has acquired certain email addresses. By Sebelius sending an email with an official Slattery campaign account, the governor joins with Slattery in ignoring basic email etiquette…don’t email me if I didn’t ask you to. It also raises the probability that Sebelius acquired the KDP email list and then passed it along to Slattery’s campaign.

The email also clearly marks the Democratic choice to challenge Pat Roberts…even though a fellow Democrat, Lee Jones, is still in the running. In fact, Jones has been a life long resident of Kansas and has thrown his hat into previous Senate races. Never mind that, says Sebelius. Apparently Democrats think primaries are for weenies.

Most importantly, the email shows the weakness of the Slattery campaign…how to raise money against a strong incumbent when you’ve already dropped four points in the polls by doing nothing more than declaring your intent to run for office.

Sebelius’ email also raises question about her proofreading ability.

“We can help him reach his goal today, and when we send him to Washington in November, he’ll help us realize our dreams for our great country”

Don’t you mean when we send him BACK to Washington???

As the Tuesday filing deadline approaches and Sebelius reaches for her Tiller PAC money to finance a troubled Slattery campaign, why don’t you make a contribution to Pat Roberts? As a Washington insider since ‘85, Slattery knows all the tricks to buying an election…it’s time we stand with Senator Roberts and let him know we won’t allow Sebelius/Tiller/Slattery to buy a Senate seat with Washington money.

And while you’re at it, why not send the governor an email and ask that, if she’s going to join in sending unsolicited spam, that she at least tell the truth…”Help me elect Jim Slattery, professional Washington lobbyist since 1995, hopeful Washington carpetbagger in ‘08…”

The AP is reporting today that the Wisconsin Democratic Party is attempting to remove Debra Bartoshevich as a national delegate to the DNC convention after she said she’d rather vote for McCain than Obama if he received his party’s nomination.

The complaint sent to Bartoshevich from the Wisconsin DP stated that she had violated Party rules by endorsing the opposing party’s candidate and that she failed to honor a pledge of intent to vote for the party’s presidential ticket in the fall. The resolution was passed by the state’s party at their convention to cheers from state delegates.

How very interesting that the Wisconsin DP is performing the exact same functions the KRP did when trying to rid itself of leadership that would rather see Sebelius reelected than the Republican.

Nothing from the KDP blog yet on what they think of the situation and I’m sure there won’t be any comment from any Kansas Democrat. Democrats like to call themselves the ‘big tent’ party but when it comes right down to it, they’ll throw you under a bus if it means getting a few extra votes. Just ask Joe Lieberman. Just ask Lee Jones. You’d better do what the socialist wing of the party says to do…or else.

They’re big tent as long as you’re a part of the circus, but don’t plan on spending the night with the clowns if you don’t feel like walking the tight rope they’ve set before you.