Senate President Resigns to Join Sinquefield Lobby Shop
The effort to enact ethics reform last session was downright pathetic. It wasn't prioritized and when meager reforms were passed the House and Senate couldn't come to an agreement on lobbyist gift limits so the bills were stalled. It's hardly shocking another politician has gone through the revolving door from elected official to private lobbyist.
Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles) just last Friday resigned his elected position, and this week started work at a Clayton-based lobbying firm called Gate Way Group. It just so happens, Rex Sinquefield, a large donor to Dempsey in the past, is their premier client.
And, the lobbying arm of @rexsinquefield hires recently resigned #moleg Senate president pro tem Tom Dempsey. Who coulda seen that coming?
— Tony Messenger (@tonymess) August 12, 2015Various arms of Rex Inc. gave @ThomasDDempsey more than $50,000 in 2014. In 2015 he quit to go work for them. This is democracy in #MO.
— Tony Messenger (@tonymess) August 12, 2015
Elected officials shouldn't be able to become lobbyists immediately after resigning. It has become the norm in #moleg and must be addressed.
— Jason Kander (@JasonKander) August 12, 2015
And just for fun, the news broke today that the Senate has hired a former Sinquefield associate as communications director.
A former spokeswoman for various causes backed by conservative donor Rex Sinquefield has been hired as the communications director for the Missouri Senate.
Anne Marie Moy said Thursday that her new Senate position is to start Aug. 24.
-AP
Who used to work for @rexsinquefield-backed group #moleg https://t.co/Q8MqO5po6s
— Alex Stuckey (@alexdstuckey) August 13, 2015
Missouri Senate hires @anne_marie_moy as its new communications director. @AP: http://t.co/noKhGrKiLP #moleg
— David Lieb (@DavidALieb) August 13, 2015
We need ethics reforms and we need them now.
