KC Buzz Blog

McInerney says nope to prosecutor gig and other Torch tidbits

   Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat McInerney was the early front-runner to be the next Jackson County prosecutor to replace Mike Sanders, who is expected beat in November less-financed foes. McInerney had the backing of important folks on the courthouse's second floor and even had the endorsement of at least one district court judge. He had the necessary telegenic presence, the experience and the Democratic connections. The Buzz was that Chief Deputy Jim Kanatzar would get the consolation gig of county counselor, where he could ably continue keeping Sanders out of hot water. Now, Kanatzar is the No. 1 possibility with a bullet.

   Torch Dinner hostest-with-the-mostest Beth Gottstein saw fit to place KC Buzz Blog next to McInerney. And the obvious question had to be asked. And the Blackwell Sanders partner forthrightly admitted without any Hillary Clinton puss-footing around that he was content at his current gig (read: ka-ching!) and has no interesting in moving his shingle to the courthouse again. So McInerney is out as a prosecutor candidate, but like most everyone else he wonders who will wind up on the blue-ribbon selection committee.

  Buzz Blog even moseyed over to the Sanders table to try and get a scoop from Women's Caucus VP Georgia Sanders while her hubby was off kibitzing with KC Councilman Terry Riley and others. She swore no decision on the prosector has been made (Mike would die if he knew what she did confide!).

  But other decisions were made last night before, after and during the Westin gathering. Expect to see Congressman Emanuel Cleaver politicking on behalf of Missouri House candidate Chris Moreno in his race against Republican incumbent Will Kraus.

   Cleaver got stuck in DC but sent his ever gracious and lovely wife Dianne to speak in person on his behalf. (He also sent taped comments that talked about the influence in his life of strong women and a precocious granddaughter as well as funny comments about how mean his three sisters were to him as a child.)

   Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill got the first standing ovation last night. A late-arriving from Wichita Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius also was well received, particularly when she offered up as an unexpected auction item dinner for six with her and the First Dude at the Governor's Mansion. Speaking of auction items, this is what happens when former Jackson County employee/former KC school board member Sandy Mayer allows hubby Bob to go to the Torch Dinner by himself. He successfully bid $1,000 for lunch with Her Honor, Mayor Kay Barnes.

   Barnes was wearing a lovely cream and apricot jacket (sans flower! and she wasn't one of the many people wearing stickers promoting the stem-cell initiative). The outgoing mayor (in perhaps her swan song?) spoke about past leaders, future leaders and being assured that the future is in good hands. Which all in all could have been the theme of a night where progressives partied like it was 1999 and certainly hope it will be again come the morning of Nov. 8.

Posted by DeAnn Smith   

A Gem of a night: Part deux

    A political chasm in the African-American community was on full display during Attorney General Jay Nixon's second meeting on the future of the Black Archives of Mid-America Inc. Forget the previous subtext between KC Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver and likely challenger, retiring state Rep. Sharon Sanders Brooks.

    It was an out and out obvious storyline last night that included heated words from supporters of the two women and the two elected officials themselves that led to Nixon grabbing the microphone and using his best deep soothing lawyer voice to get the blow torches put away.

  The festivities really got going when McFadden-Weaver took to the front of the room, microphone in hand to "tell the truth," a.k.a. calling out Brooks. The councilwoman said "if we had talked to each other first, talked to people who look like us," instead of going out and creating "a legal escapade," then the future of the archives could have been resolved without acrimony.

  Brooks gritted her teeth and maintained her control but insisted, "The truth has to come out" when she demanded that Nixon let her also take the front of the room to respond. She went through a detailed explanation of 18 months of (unsuccessful) efforts to get the archives' board and staff to work with civic leaders. She said when this did not occur, she brought the archives' woes to Nixon's attention because she said she wanted the archives to get its financial house in order so that it could apply for federal and other grants.

   Three lessons from last night: 1) Despite talk of coming together as a family and the archives being more important than any one person, don't think that's the final skirmish between the two women. 2) They like each other about as well as Dynasty's Alexis and Krystal Carrington did, and 3) Nixon had to be wondering what he had gotten himself in the middle of.

  Moving on, two Jackson County officials did check out the meeting last night. Outgoing Legislator Eugene Standifer and county employee Theresa Garza, who is unopposed for an at-large legislative seat in November, took in part of the forum. Both county and city officials are talking about funding the archives once Nixon gets the board reconstituted.

  Perhaps the most intriguing moment of the night was when attorney Clinton Adams (does the bellicose and brilliant Adams really need an explanation on a KC political blog?) chatted up City Manager Wayne Cauthen in the back of the  room then the two exited to yammer more outside. The talk was joined by school board member Marilyn Simmons and Marie Young, head of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City Inc. Oh, to have been a mosquito buzzing around that conversation!

   A slimmer looking Adams said he was there on behalf of his absent sister, Gwen Grant of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, who Adams said expects to serve on the reconstituted board.

   For those not in the know, go here for an application to serve on the board.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Property propriety

   A KC Buzz Blog commenter recently proclaimed that Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes has an ownership interest in at least seven downtown properties. Madam Mayor says that’s absolutely not true. Barnes, who lives in Briarcliff West just north of the Missouri River, adds she has no ownership in any downtown properties.

    But Barnes did have to send a letter to the Missouri Ethics Commission last week amending her Personal Financial Disclosure reports for 2000 through 2005, regarding her real property holdings in Missouri. For those years, Barnes neglected to report that she owned a residential property at the Lake of the Ozarks from 2000 to 2003. She sold that property and purchased a condo at the lake, which she still owns but which is on the market for sale.

    She amended her disclosure form after she was asked about those properties by The Star.

Posted by Lynn Horsley 

Katheryn goes all doughy for her Charlie

   Third-party madness nears the stroke of midnight and this time Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields is officially joining the festivities.

   Before winging her way East for a conference, Shields lightened up her coffers for her expected mayoral bid. Shields and hubby and fav Darla Jaye caller, Phil Cardarella, have lent a fav third-party committee, Committee for a Safer City, a total of $15,000, according to a campaign report.

   In between calling Jaye, Cardarella tells KC Buzz Blog that Shields and he believe "The Doc" (Charles Wheeler, for those who missed the reference) has the experience and integrity to suceed Shields. Do note on the campaign report that this is a LOAN, which means after the election Wheeler or his third-party committee can help fatten Shields' campaign coffers back up. In addition, Wheeler graciously donated $5,000 to Safer City.

    And what the Safer City do with that $20,000 from Shields, Carderella and The Doc?

   Cardarella himself wasn't completely sure. "There are so many damned third parties floating around," he said in the most honest comment KC Buzz Blog has received today.

   Ah, but a big (and adorable) birdie chirped in our ear and we located the funds over at the Good Government folks' report. And Tweeties on both sides say these funds will pay for a mailer you will find in your mail box tonight or tomorrow. That mailing will feature former judge and prosecutor Albert Riederer attacking Mike Sanders for trying so few cases and misrepresenting the records of former prosecutors Bob Beaird and Claire McCaskill in an interview with The Star.

   Riederer, of course, was going to run for the County Legislature against Henry Rizzo until Rizzo threatened to blow up the stadium vote mere days ahead of the election.

  With a wink and a nod, Sanders' campaign manager Calvin Williford this afternoon noted that Rierderer was nominated for the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority this week and doesn't think this sudden attack is a concidence.

   And will staunch Wheeler supporters who are GOPers be calling on their fellow Republican, Gov. Matt Blunt, to pick Riederer?

   And since Wheeler's campaign committee gave money to a third-party committee that in turn gave money to a third-party committee for an attack mailing on Sanders' record does that mean Wheeler has officially gone negative?

Posted by DeAnn who can't wait for Wednesday Smith

Mayor Barnes' letter endorsing Wheeler

    KC Buzz Blog has received Mayor Kay Barnes' letter endorsing Charles Wheeler in the Jaco exec's race.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Sanders on KMBZ chat and third-party committees

   KMBZ will be re-airing the chat with three of the four Jackson County executive candidates. Plus interviewer Darla Jaye said a podcast would go up soon on the KMBZ website. (Neither the 80-year-old-next-week Charles Wheeler or the 39-year-old Mike Sanders knew exactly what a podcast was but props to Sanders for at least knowing it had something to do with an iPod.)

   In an interview with The Star, Wheeler said he would be blogging here on Sanders' declaration he would advocate pulling the Citizens for Responsible Spending's anti-Wheeler ad if there were anything inaccurate in it.

   Sanders noted that Wheeler took no factual objection to the ad, primarily complaining that it made him look like Ebenezer Scrooge.

   "He wasn't able to point out anything that was inaccurate," Sanders said in an interview this afternoon.

  Sanders reiterated that he had no knowledge of the recently created LLC paying for a chunk of the ad. (insert cackles of Wheelies' and Darla's scoffing here).

  "I have no idea. I've never heard of them," he said.

   He said he expects soon negative attacks to be launched against him by the third-party Jackson County Good Government Committee, which was formed earlier this month. The committee's report shows that the committee has raised $30,000 from Wheeler supporters Tom McDonnell, Hallmark Cards and H&R Block. (A Sanders supporter says the Good Government folks paid for a Kansas City mailer that features a smiling Kay Barnes with Sen./Dr. Wheeler. The mailer includes the mayor's endorsement of Wheeler.)

   Sanders wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole the $5,000 contribution from Good Government to Freedom Inc. and whether that had anything to do with Freedom's controversial endorsement of Wheeler (insert Sandees cackling that's-not-money-for-GOTV-but-is-payoff money).

Posted by DeAnn Smith

It's my third party and I'll cry if I want to

  Eight-day-before-election spending reports are in and, as always, they're fun to examine.

  Freedom, Inc. -- which, by the way, missed its July 15th report filing deadline -- reports $5000 from the Better Government Committee, headquartered at 41st and Baltimore:  that would be Pat Gray's place.

  Better Government's report, though, shows two $5000 payments to Freedom in late July, a $10,000 total.  They'll sort that out, eventually.  Are the donations payback for the Freedom endorsement of Wheeler?  Nope, Wheeler's folks say:  it's for help on the Kansas City charter, which Pat Gray/Steve Glorioso are also working.

    But -- Freedom also took $5000 from something called the Jackson County Good Government Committee.  Donors to that committee?  H & R Block, Hallmark, and Thomas McDonnell -- he of DST.  That money is connected with Wheeler:  part goes to Freedom, the rest for an expected mail piece in which Kay Barnes endorses Wheeler.

   Meanwhile, we're looking at another third party: Citizens for Responsible Spending, which bought the attack ad against Wheeler.  One of its donors (at $15,000):  a company called GCM Investments, LLC.   It isn't clear who it is.

   Missouri corporate records show a Kansas address, and a Michael Book as the organizer.

Posted by Dave Helling 

Sanders supporters finally go negative

   A company run by Prosecutor Mike Sanders' media consultant, Pat O'Neill, has placed ads for a third-party committee roasting Charles Wheeler for having the worst attendance record in the state Senate this year. His age is not directly mentioned, but is depicted with an image.

   And needless to say, Wheeler's supporters are hotter than today's scorching temperature. The campaign plans to have their attorneys explore the issue of O'Neill's apparent involvement.

   The ads began airing around 7:20 a.m. this morning on KMBC's morning show and eventually will spread to the CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates.  The ad includes a Wheeler silhouette which slowly changes into an unflattering picture of the 79-year-old Wheeler, complete with his liver spots.  The piece refers to Wheeler's worst in-the-Senate voting record and his crack about Harry Wiggins.  It says Wheeler skipped 133 roll call votes, more than Wiggins did in his entire tenure. But the piece does not mention that Wheeler also missed 129 final votes on bills, which is how he obtained the worst record, bringing his total for 2006 to at least 262 missed votes.

    The ad suggests Wheeler is unfit to serve as county executive because, it claims, Wheeler slept during sessions of the Missouri General Assembly.

    It closes by urging a vote for Sanders. The last image is for Sanders as county executive.

    Wheeler volunteer Steve Glorioso, also a part-time adviser and consultant to Mayor Kay Barnes, provided us documents from KMBC showing that an O'Neill Communications employee placed ads on behalf of Citizens for Responsible Spending,  the ad's sponsor. The ads will air until the day before the Aug. 8 election.

   According to the Missouri Ethics Commission web site, Responsible Spending was formed Sept. 10, 2001, and has been largely dormant. However, the commitee was active in 2003 when almost $33,000 was raised and spent. The only contributors in 2003 to Responsible Spending were Heavy Constructors Association and James B. Nutter & Co.

        Real estate tycoon Nutter was involved in discussions that convinced Sanders to run for county executive and is a contributor.    All of Responsible Spending's expenses in 2003 were paid to O'Neill Communications. Glorioso says Responsible Spending was anti-light rail.

   Responsible Spending remained dark again until this month. A campaign report filed four days past the July 15 filing deadline shows no activity in 2006. Obviously, the Buzz Blog will be closely watching for the 8-day report due on Monday.

   Responsible Spending's listed treasurer is Michelle Rebman. The Buzz Blog finds no past Star clips on Rebman. (See UPDATE above.) But her husband, Larry, is an attorney who has done defense work on some high-profile cases. The home number listed in the July report for Responsible Spending was disconnected Saturday evening. But the work number listed rang at the Rebman home this evening. Larry Rebman said his wife wasn't at home and as far as the committee, "I have nothing to do with it."

   O'Neill did not return messages Saturday evening on his cell phone.

  Wheeler and his staff watched the ads a couple of dozen times Saturday and campaign manager  Maureen Galey is ticked off especially at the "ugly picture" of Wheeler, calling the ad "ridiculous." She says Sanders has broken his pledge to run "a clean campaign,"  while claiming her candidate's jibs and jabs at Sanders don't constitute negative campaigning.

   "I don't understand how Sanders media consultant can buy ads for his campaign and for a third-party committee," she said. "I didn't think a candidate campaign could control a third party."

   She says she knows of no upcoming third-party ads by campaign volunteers on Wheeler's behalf, saying, "I would think I would know about it if that were the case."

       State law describes a continuing commitee as one "which is not formed, controlled or directed by a candidate and is a committee other than a candidate committee or campaign committee."

  Sanders said Friday night that he purposefully was not involved in the committee in any way and denied directing it. He referred all questions about the ad, including when it would air, to O'Neill.

   More developments as they become available. 

  Posted by DeAnn Smith

Kay to Troy Schulte: Nix that idea

   Reaction came fast and furious to Dave Helling's post that the city may take money now going to the stadiums and use it to tear down dilapidated houses. Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields quickly called back to say the idea is broached all the time but never happens because the city knows how important the teams are to Kansas City.

  While, yes, voters did approve zillions, er, I mean, almost a billion dollars to overhaul Kauffman and Arrowhead, the money won't cover ongoing maintenance. Which is, after all, the problem the county was facing before the April election. The teams demanded -- and the county and voters agreed -- that the city, county and state would continue to contribute $8.5 million to cover upkeep. After all, the recently approved work won't do anything to the "bowls" of the stadiums, which obviously need regular painting work and repairs to the seats. (I'll let you fine bloggers debate the merits of whether the teams should be paying for that upkeep or not).

   So back to the idea of Kansas City budget director Troy Schulte:

  Royals VP Mark Gorris said this is really an issue for the county, as long as the $8.5 million obligation is met every year. So whether the county has to cover the city's portion is a problem for the county.

  Chiefs vice chairman Jack Steadman was more emphatic: "The funds are needed and it would be a default on the leases if it was diverted."

  But the ultimate kiss o' death came from Mayor Kay Barnes. No, she didn't say "drop dead" to Troy but she quickly and strongly made clear to him, the press and anyone else that she was not amused and that the city would be maintaining its $2 million commitment for the next 25 years. I'll let you read tomorrow's paper to read her Mayorness' exact comment. But Troy might want to lay low for the next few weeks or he might get the Funkhouser treatment....

  Posted  by DeAnn Smith

The new boss lady of stadium construction

  Today's Star includes a profile of Gayle Holliday who has been tasked with ensuring that women and minorities get their fair share of construction work at the Truman Sports Complex.

   Just how beloved and respected is Holliday? When I called Emanuel Cleaver's office for a canned statement about Holliday, I didn't get one. Within a few hours, Cleaver himself rang me up to laud his boss and friend. (She's head of the church's HR committee that supervises Cleaver and the church's staff. So that makes her his boss.) And when Steve Glorioso got wind of my story, he made sure I got a comment from Mayor Kay Barnes.

   Speaking of Cleaver, he and his wife, Dianne, must be beaming with pride today. Aaron Barnhart tells you why here.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

A rose by any other name...

   A big event like the State of the City address apparently calls for a big flower. A big winter white silk flower.

    Mayor Kay Barnes pulled out of her closet a white pantsuit with gold buttons for Thursday's State of the City. And perched on her left shoulder was an enormous silk flower. For even a woman known for her flower decorations this was huge. Like can't stop staring at it huge. But per usual, Barnes pulled it off.

       Also striking was which council members intently listened to Barnes' 45-minute address (Becky Nace, Chuck Eddy) and which ones briefly chatted to a nearby colleague (Troy Nash, Saundra McFadden-Weaver, Terry Riley, Alvin Brooks, Bonnie Sue Cooper and Bill Skaggs) and which ones had their attention diverted (Deb Hermann seemingly spent half the time examining her fingernails, Jim Glover gazed around the chamber regularly and City Manager Wayne Cauthen even caught up on some paperwork). Guess neither the speech nor the flower was totally riveting to some....here's hoping next year Barnes tosses in some quips and one liners for her last State of the City to keep everyone hanging onto her every word.

To see the flower, check out Dave Helling's video. 

Posted by DeAnn Smith at 3:35 p.m.

Term limits or not, Barnes is done

   The Kansas City Council is still debating as I type what to take to voters about term limits, but Mayor Kay Barnes was adamant after her State of the City speech about her future. No Hillary Clinton or John McCain dance for her.

    "Even if a third term were an option, I have no plans to run for re-election," she said. She said her position is clear and absolute.

    Besides focusing on her last 11 months as mayor, Barnes is already entertaining offers for her future. She said she wants to teach at the university level, give speeches and serve on some corporations' board of directors (which could net her $$$).

Barnes said she's talked to specific schools and heard from some corporations, but declined to tip her hand.

   Returning to the Council Chambers, more soon.

Posted by DeAnn Smith at 3:30 p.m.

Wow! Are we good or what?

   Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes delivered her "State of the City Address" today. City Hall has just put up the text.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski 2:50 p.m.