Tarwater Vulnerable? - Day 85 of the Jackson County Ethics Blackout
It has been 15 years since Dan Tarwater was first elected to the Jackson County legislature. I remember the election well - it was my first exposure to how slimy Jackson County politics can be. Tarwater cruised to a victory over a young lawyer named Matt Davis, partially by recruiting a woman named Mary Davis to appear on the ballot as M. Davis. Tarwater was part of the Bill Waris operation, and Matt Davis was like that brave student in Tiananmen Square, only the tank didn't even slow down.Since that time, Tarwater hasn't faced a serious opponent. According to Missouri Ethics Commission reports, it's been well over a decade since Dan Tarwater has raised more than $500 to support a campaign. Even in 2008, when other unchallenged politicians were raising money for their more embattled friends, Tarwater sat on the sidelines and only made token contributions to a couple organizations.
While Tarwater was a tank in 1994, 15 years can gather a whole lot of rust. Since that time, he has gathered bad publicity in the form of a brawl with another legislator, on-again-off-again bribery issues asserted by former Chair Katheryn Shields concerning COMBAT funds (he's the only one on the Anti-Drug Committee who hasn't been convicted for criminal financial behavior), and he's given his aide lavish bonuses from county funds. Et cetera.
Now that Tarwater has come out aggressively against Ethical Home Rule, he has made himself an attractive target for a spirited campaign in 2010. I've heard rumblings that some budding politicos in the south Ward Parkway corridor are talking to friends about running on a pro-Ethical Home Rule platform.
Here's a map of the district. Take a second and think about all the good people in that district, who could really bring something fresh and positive to the Jackson County legislature . . .Labels: 2010 Elections, COMBAT, Dan Tarwater, Jackson County Ethics Blackout, jackson county Ethics Crisis
posted by Dan at 3/03/2009 06:08:00 AM
12 Comments:
Diana Kander is the candidate against Tarwater. I propose starting and online, DRAFT DIANA movement.
Unlike Tarwater she is pro-Gay rights and pro-choice. As such she represents the district far better than the old machine driven Dan Tarwater
I see Diana is posting on the BLOGs these days. She is a legend in her own mind.
While my predictions are frighteningly accurate, I won't even call this a prediction - it is a guarantee. Diana Kander will not run for County Legislature in 2010. That was not her promoting a Draft Diana movement.
Dan,
Maybe you could talk her into it. I don't know Diana Kander from Adam, but just about anybody could run on this basic campaign strategy;
"I can't do any worse"
Diana has the education and intensity that is missing on the County Legislature, besides that she would bug the hell out of Mike Sanders, which is always a good thing!
Dan I cannot for the life of me see why you would oppose Diana. Is it because she is Jewish? I know Catholics were generally taught to hat Jews but you really should let go of that Dan.
I assume that you are joking, Draft. I'm not opposing Diana - but she's not running.
And Catholics are not taught to hat Jews. I've never hatted a Jewish person, and I doubt I ever will.
Guess what viewers at home? Has anybody asked these three questions:
(1) Does she live in the district?
(2) who would want to represent Grandview in the first place?
(3) if she's managing Sly's campaign, we have two further questions:
(a) if she's managing his campaign, how would she have time to run herself; and
(b) if she's running his campaign and has not forced him to change his name to anything other than "Sly" she shouldn't be in politics.
Will the Coffman people never give up? The sister must be hitting the vino again.
Dan come on Catholics have always been taught to hate the "Christ Killers."
After looking at the map, I just learned I live one block inside the district. I never new I had anything in common with Grandview.
Maybe I should run. What does the job pay?
Anonymous - yeah, it is a strange district, but I hope you're serious about running. Oddly enough, I don't know the salary off the top of my head, but I will find out and post it in these comments.
Draft Diana - Your understanding of the Catholic teaching I received could scarcely be more mistaken. That said, I'm not going to host any Catholic-bashing or lies on my site, so please focus on the topic - who (besides Diana, who I agree would be great, but won't run) should take Tarwater's seat?
Dan if you talked to her I really think Diana would run. Steve Bough can find another hack to run Sly James' doomed mayor's campaign (or what I call the Return of the Developers Tour).
We need Diana in office and she represents the district far better than Dan Tarwater, who is nothing more than a henchnam for a dead crook named Waris.
Someone, anyone needs to challange Tarwarter. He has been in that office for far too long. He no longer represents the best interest of his district. He only represents his best interest. I hope that someone will step to the plate and offers a real challange on the stage of ideas or his lack of them.
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