Rowden Changes Mind Again About Accepting Lobbyist Gifts
Rep. Caleb Rowden's stance on lobbyist gifts is as unclear as it's ever been. As a freshman lawmaker he led the way in gift taking, but as his 2014 re-election race approached, Rowden back-tracked, promising to be better and support a ban on gifts. Low and behold this year he's back to his old ways.
As a freshman Rowden was the #1 recipient of lobbyist gifts in Boone County
Rowden personally has accepted more lobbyist gifts in his first term than any other member of the Boone County delegation — $2,496.67, including St. Louis Cardinals tickets and hotel accommodations worth $586 in May [2014].
Rowden promised in January 2014 to stop taking free sports tickets from lobbyists
He tells Rudi Keller of the Tribune that “he has stopped accepting tickets and has instead purchased season tickets for the sports he enjoys.”
... but he didn't stop attending games on lobbyists' dime
That winter he and his wife accepted free Mizzou basketball tickets from a lobbyist for Rex Sinquefield. Then in July, a Comcast lobbyist paid for Rowden's ticket to a Springfield Cardinals game. Not to mention in May, sitting in $250 seats at Busch Stadium with his wife, fellow Rep. Caleb Jones, and Jones’ wife, Rowden tweeted out pictures of himself enjoying the great seats they were given.
Before the 2014 election Rowden promised support for a total ban on lobbyist gifts
At a candidate forum Rowden "shifted his position to favor a complete ban [on lobbyist gifts]."
... but Rowden is still taking gifts
Caleb Rowden: Saying one thing and doing another.
