MEMORANDUM

TO: The Hard-working People of Missouri
FR: Missouri Democratic Party
RE: The Blunt Assessment

"That’s just an example of Governor Blunt’s youth and immaturity on full display."

- Rep. Kenny Wilk, a Kansas Republican

MO Supreme Court Strikes Down Blunt's "No Millionaire Left Behind" Campaign Finance System

While this ruling probably won't stop Blunt from selling government to the highest bidder, it may slow him down a little.

Now it's up to the Supreme Court to do the right thing and require candidates -- both Democrats and Republicans -- to return all funds raised above the previous legal limits.

After all, it wouldn't be fair if incumbents and candidates who declared early were allowed to keep hundreds and thousands of dollars that their would-be challengers will not have an opportunity to raise. We encourage the Court to level the playing field. A decision is expected in the next couple weeks.

Our leaders have an opportunity to send an important message to you -- the people of Missouri: your voices matter in these elections just as much as the wealthy CEOs and special interest lobbyists.

Matt Blunt has not taken a position on whether candidates should return the money they've raised above the limits. Instead, he's hiding behind his cronies as they attack Jay Nixon's character with baseless conspiracy theories.  Blunt will say ANYTHING to justify keeping the millions he's taken from wealthy corporations, special interest lobbyists, and big developers.

Watergate Style Abuse of Power: Blunt's Staff Plays Politics with State Highway Patrol

The people of Missouri depend on the Highway Patrol to be above politics -- and to conduct criminal investigations free from political pressure. That's why last week's Kansas City Star article was so disturbing.  It catalogued a series of emails that clearly show Blunt's staff instructed the state's Highway Patrol to attack Jay Nixon... putting politics ahead of public safety. 

This amounts to a Watergate-style abuse of government power. 

Blunt has taken no responsibility for the action of his staff. In fact, it appears that they think they've done nothing wrong. 

Governor Blunt owes the people of Missouri an explanation and an apology. 

Read more: "Inappropriate interference from Missouri governor’s office", Kansas City Star

Ironically, New York Gov. Elliot Spitzer's staff was also caught politicizing their state police this week. The difference: Spitzer showed leadership and took immediate action, firing the staff members responsible. Matt Blunt has shown no leadership. He has been silent.

On Issue After Issue... Blunt Continues to Take Missouri Backwards:

In the past couple weeks, we've seen new troubling statistics that show us just how far backwards Matt Blunt's misguided policies have taken our state.

• Missouri Ranks 47th in higher education spending: The Springfield News-Leader reported that "Missouri ranks an abysmal 47th in fiscal year per capita higher education spending according to the Center for the Study of Education Policy. Our border states all rank significantly higher."
  
• Missouri is near nation's bottom in job growth: The Kansas City Star reported, "Missouri had one of the largest employment decreases, losing about 6,600 establishment jobs, a 0.2 percent decline, since May, the bureau said." (Kansas City Star)
  
• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that under Matt Blunt, Missouri continues to miss economic opportunities that could help reverse these discouraging job numbers. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Missouri is a great state that's suffering from poor leadership. It's time for a change.

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