Tuesday, Jul. 27, 2010
Political sound bites
John Beaudoin, Journal Publisher
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The gloves finally came off Monday night at the Eighth District State Senate Forum at Delta Woods Middle School in Lee’s Summit.
I suppose $70,000 will bring that out of a few people.
After a question from the moderators revealed that candidate Bryan Pratt – a state representative from Blue Springs and one of three Republicans in the race for Matt Bartle’s Eighth District Senate seat – had been given a $70,000 campaign contribution from a political action committee, one of Pratt’s opponents went on the offensive.
“Jefferson City is a lot like Washington D.C., it’s a pay-to-play place,” fellow Blue Springs representative Gary Dusenberg said, adding that no candidate should take that amount of money.
Fellow contender Will Kraus jumped on the opportunity, too.
“A $70,000 check comes in the mail, don’t think there’s no strings attached,” he said.
Pratt did make it sound like the check appeared from the Missouri Club for Growth as if from nowhere a few weeks ago.
But the candidates had to make some sort of pitch for their endorsement. At least that’s what Pratt implied. After Kraus got his digs in, Pratt waited patiently for the next time the microphone was passed to him.
“What Will forgot to tell you is that he tried to get the Club for Growth endorsement,” Pratt said. “He filled out the application and everything.”
Kraus did not argue that claim.
Pratt fiercely defended himself against allegations that the Club for Growth may not have the best interests of education in mind that taking their money might sully his reputation with the school districts.
“I stand up for schools,” Pratt declared, urging people to get on the Club for Growth website to learn more about the group.
Kraus may have protested against Pratt’s $70K a bit too much and made too many connections between him taking the money and being beholden to do their bidding, which left Pratt with a golden opening that he wasn’t going to miss.
“Will just took $10,000 from the trial attorneys,” Pratt claimed. “Does he believe in everything they stand for?”
We also learned that Pratt and Kraus have both taken money from payday loan companies for their campaign, although both voiced concern over the industry and its practices.
That drew the ire of Dusenberg, saying the payday loan trade “preys on people at the worst times in their life.”
Campaign funds weren’t the only areas where things got contentious during the forum.
After Pratt proudly announced that his two colleagues had supported him in leadership roles in Jefferson City, Dusenberg refuted that claim.
“I didn’t vote for Mr. Pratt,” he said.
Kraus made the same claim. The common factor was both of them assert they had to vote on partisan levels for Pratt when it came down to it.
We found out Monday night that Pratt has opposing feelings to the other candidates on teacher tenure in Missouri, too.
“If you have a bad teacher in the classroom, should we just allow them to hide behind tenure?” he asked. And what would a hearty political discussion be without a “hogwash” reference?
When the candidates discussed the ethics reform bill, Dusenberg had plenty to say.
“You sat on the House floor and said it was the best bill in the universe,” Dusenberg told Pratt. “That bill was hogwash from the beginning.”
Kraus served up a great line at one point during discussion on possible toll roads in Missouri.
Instead of weighing in, he simply stated, “I’m going to listen to the people in the Eighth,” on the matter.
Good call. Let’s hope all of them do leading up to the Aug. 3 primary.
John Beaudoin is publisher of the Blue Springs Journal. To respond to today’s commentary, call 816-282-7001 or e-mail jbeaudoin@bluespringsjournal.com.
