Campaign Finance: a candidate of the people

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Sarcasm. In case you needed the confirmation.

Brandon Phelps (r) [2025 file photo].

From the third quarter 2026 campaign finance report for Brandon Phelps (r), the incumbent in the 54th Legislative District, filed on October 11, 2026:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION
CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL
Committee to Elect Phelps 10/11/2026
[….]

MAFP Political Action Committee
722 West High Street
Jefferson City MO 65101
9/14/2026
$500.00

Bayer PAC
800 N. Lindbergh BLVD
St Louis MO 63167
9/14/2026
$1,000.00

[….]

Missouri Cattlemen’s Association PAC
2306 Bluff Creek Dr.
Columbia MO 65201
9/28/2026
$500.00

ASA Midwest PAC
4851 Chapel Hill Rd.
St Louis MO 63128
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

FCA PAC
PO Box 105
Chesterfield MO 63006
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

The Madison PAC
PO Box 344
Clinton MO 64735
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

Missouri Corn Growers Association State PAC
3118 Emerald Lane
Jefferson City MO 65109
9/28/2026
$500.00

CN-MO PAC
235 East High Street
Jefferson City MO 65101
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

AMECPAC
2722 East McCarty Street
Jefferson City MO 65101
9/28/2026
$2,000.00

KBS PAC
PO Box 10066
Columbia MO 65205
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

Missouri Medical Political Action Committee
PO Box 1402
Jefferson City MO 65102
9/28/2026
$500.00

GM PAC
221 Bolivar Street
Jefferson City MO 65102
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

NET PAC Missouri
PO Box 638
Columbia MO 65205
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

RQC PAC
412 County Road 398
New Bloomfield MO 65063
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association PAC
PO Box 104855
Jefferson City MO 65109
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

Charter Communication, Inc. MO PAC
12405 Powerscourt Drive
Saint Louis MO 63131
9/28/2026
$2,000.00

Hahn Deboef PAC
131 West High Street
Jefferson City MO 65101
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

Missouri Restaurant Association Inc. PAC
600 E. 103rd Street
Kansas City MO 64131
9/28/2026
$500.00

Shelter Insurance Missouri PAC
1817 West Broadway
Columbia MO 65218
9/28/2026
$1,500.00

Cheyenne International, LLC
701 S. Battleground Ave.
Grover NC 28073
9/28/2026
$1,000.00

[emphasis added]

What about looking after constituents when it comes their concerns about gas and diesel costs, food costs, access to affordable health care, and affordable housing? Just asking.

“…But I do listen, I do research, and I do understand that we will not agree one hundred percent of the time on one hundred percent of the issues. It’s not possible…”

Listen to who?

Brandon Phelps (r): …Just on a, just on a side note, just something, uh, that was mentioned, and actually, I’ve said this before, maybe it gets mentioned quite often. Um, and, and I can’t speak for the senator, but I imagine that I am. We as legislators listen to you significantly more than you can possibly imagine. The problem is, and I told this to a group a while back, that just because maybe we have voted in a manner that you don’t agree with doesn’t mean that we didn’t understand the legislation. It doesn’t mean that we didn’t listen to constituents. It doesn’t mean that, uh, perhaps, if we haven’t met with you, it doesn’t mean that we’ve met with nobody. Um, and, uh, I discussed this with a group a while back that they just, I think they loved probably ninety-five percent of the things that I voted on and the way that I voted, but there were a few things they just simply didn’t like. And they asked me on those things they didn’t like, they said, well, why didn’t you listen to the people? Why didn’t you read the legislation? How come you didn’t, how come you didn’t understand and educate yourself on the legislation? And I said, so, wait a minute, let me get this clear. So on all the things that I voted in the manner that you like, you assumed I did educate myself. You assumed I did speak to the people. You assumed I did listen to the constituency. But on the three that you didn’t like, you assumed I didn’t read those bills. You assumed that I didn’t listen to constituency, and so I want you all to understand that believe it or not, while we are together right here, and for many of you this is the first opportunity, but for many of you it is not. These events, for me at least, I don’t know about for the senator, um, and so everybody knows, and I, I’m a first year legislator. I will tell you that I was actually just stunned that when session ended how many of these events started getting put on my calendar. I will tell you it’s almost daily. Uh, and when the superintendent told you that we spoke, um, a week and a half ago, we did, for two hours. We, we’ve had an opportunity to speak multiple times. During session he came to my office and we had a long conversations. But, that is that way with everybody. I just would ask people, number one, I want you to understand me. I’m gonna listen to you. I’m gonna hear you. I am going to research. But I would also ask that you don’t make the assumption that if I have not agreed with you on a hundred percent of the issues a hundred percent of the time that I just don’t listen. Because that’s not fair. Because we have thousands, tens of thousands of phone calls and emails. And I actually would tell people that’s one of the things I actually, I, I, I think, I think I told the mayor this, um, I know I told [….] this. That’s one of the things I love most about the job. I’m getting a free education when people come in and share their thoughts and concerns with me. They don’t always agree with me and I don’t always agree with them. But I do listen, I do research, and I do understand that we will not agree one hundred percent of the time on one hundred percent of the issues. It’s not possible. Uh, many of these events I go to, the people in the room, some of them in the room contacted my office or contacted me personally with one opinion, while other people in the room contacted me with another. I actually think that’s what makes us great. I actually believe that you are not supposed to agree with me on everything. And I am not supposed to agree with you on everything. I actually believe that that is what we want to see. Because your competing ideas with my competing ideas make us all better people. I can learn from you. And you can learn from me. But I would only say that that is possible when we have enough open mind to assume that the legislator making the vote didn’t just do it willy-nilly. Perhaps the legislator was listening and did have the info. And at the end of the day we’ve got to vote yes or we’ve got to vote no or we could take the coward’s way out and we could just go for a walk down the Capitol and not be there. I’m always there, I’ve always voted. My door in my office, uh, there are some that are open all day, there are some that are closed during the day. Mine’s never been closed. Uh, and I will tell you, these events, like I say, I, I bet I’ve been to a hundred now since the session ended in May. So we’re listening and I want you to know we’re listening and if you call me I will listen. And if you want to meet, I will meet and we will talk. Because I value it, I really do. I, I just really think that we need to share ideas and I am willing to accept the fact that you’re idea may be better than mine. My idea may be better than yours. But when I vote please don’t make the assumption that I only voted based on my ideas and I did it without any other input….

Rick Brattin (r) and Brandon Phelps (r) – Chamber of Commerce “Coffee & Concerns” – Warrensburg, Missouri – October 9, 2025 (October 9, 2025)

“…Because your competing ideas with my competing ideas make us all better people. I can learn from you. And you can learn from me…”

Previously:

Hey, Brandon Phelps (r), are you going to vote for this gerrymandered bullshit? (August 30, 2025)

Hey Brandon Phelps (r), we hear you’re afraid of church ladies (September 18, 2025)

HB 2075: Who checks? (March 6, 2026)

What a friend we have in Donald (r), and Betsy, and… (June 10, 2026)

Joined at the hip (June 11, 2026)

A lack of imagination… (August 26, 2026)

Campaign Finance: something in the wind

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Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C253378 10/12/2026 Senate Democratic Campaign Committee Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Missouri-Kansas Area Political Action Committee 1401 Hampton Ave St Louis MO 63139 10/12/2026 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

Vote.

“If you’ve ever wondered what you would have done had you lived in Germany in the 1930s, you’re doing it now.”

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Today, three weeks before a national election:

Federal agents search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s DC home, DOJ says it approved the warrant
October 12, 2026 1:17 PM ET
[….]

Federal agents searched the Washington, D.C. home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Monday morning.

The Department of Justice said in a statement to NPR that agents with Homeland Security Investigations “executed a judicially authorized search warrant.”

The warrant was approved by the DOJ and is part of an “ongoing federal investigation.” Federal authorities did not give further details on the reason for the probe.

[….]

This morning:

Ilhan Omar @ilhanmn.bsky.social

I’m ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation.

I will not be silenced.

11:01 AM · Oct 12, 2026

Some of the responses to Representative Ilhan Omar (D):

This is fascism!

Its BEEN fascism for a long time

I think him, like you and many other white men, have just figured out that the rest of us weren’t using hyperbole when we were calling people Nazis 15+ yrs ago

From a white man, I’ve been warning people about Trump since the Central Park Five. Gender and race have nothing to do with calling out fascism when it’s obvious

I’ve watched Trump since 1973. He’s always been scum.

Hello from UK where a Somalian has just been elected to Parliament. They can do what they want with their temporary powers, try to control the narrative and do some pretty awful shit like they are to you, but they can’t stop voters from supporting brilliant women. They won’t win.

If the executive branch of Govt can do this to an equal branch of Govt, this is no longer a democracy and the American system of 3 equal branches is broken.
This is tyranny.

First they come for you. Then they’ll come for the rest of us. Unless if we can stop it.

Deutschland 1939.

nevertheless, she persisted. we are with you.

I’m sick of this Racist, Fascist bullshit!

Glad you’re safe.
A search 22 days before an election breaks a norm the Justice Department has kept for decades. Trump himself invoked that same norm in 2024.
If there were a real case, it could have waited until after November 3. That it didn’t says a lot.

The anti-Somalia stuff is bonkers, but it’s getting dangerous now.

The Trump Regime is proving how mean it is again — but on the positive side, it’s made Trump look even worse, going into the midterms. He’s flailing.

I think there were many Trump voters who were receptive to the “white supremacy” message — but didn’t really understand what it meant.

This is how Trump targets his political opponents.

One of you is a patriot and fighting to make the world a better place. The other is a convicted felon.

You are a remarkable human, righteous and honorable… Exactly what this racist, Nazi regime fears the most. Your sacrifice for our nation will be remembered long after the putrid, traitorous regime is buried. Thank you!

We all have to demand accountability for this sort of thing. No justice, no peace.

And everyone with half a brain knows it. I’m so sorry this has happened to you, Ilhan. I know it doesn’t help to hear but a LOT of people are VERY angry about it.

Take care of yourself and PLEASE be safe.

It’s too late. They’ve set it. We now have all the precedence we need for Nuremberg 2.0. We need trials in 2028 for everyone Trump has used to commit his crimes, even if they’re lawmakers.

“Only You Can Prevent Fascist Liars”
(2025)
Posterboard. Permanent marker, acrylic. 22 x 28.

Make it stop. Vote.

Johnson County Democrats – Burg Fest – Warrensburg, Missouri – October 10, 2026

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On Friday and Saturday Burg Fest, an annual Fall festival, took over downtown Warrensburg streets with booths, vendors, food trucks, carnival rides, entertainment, and a car show. Johnson County Democrats and Democratic Party candidates staffed a booth with informational flyers, campaign buttons, bumper stickers, and yard signs. Candidates engaged in conversations with passersby and volunteers passed out flyers.

Taigan Plummer (D), a candidate in the 54th Legislative District, speaking with voters:

Volunteers:

The republican tents/booths on West Market Street:

No apparent attention to detail:

The Democratic Party booth/tent on North Holden Street:

There was a lot of foot traffic on North Holden, not so much on West Market. Must be the brand.

Campaign Finance: “NO” on Proposition A

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Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for the group fighting mid-decade congressional right wingnut initiated gerrymandering on the November ballot:

C253606 10/10/2026 People Not Politicians The Fairness Project 2300 18th St NW Washington DC 20009 10/9/2026 $985,000.00

C253606 10/10/2026 People Not Politicians The Fairness Project 2300 18th St NW Washington DC 20009 10/9/2026 $1,250,000.00

[emphasis added]

Vote “NO” on Proposition A.

“Gerrymander This”

Previously:

HB 1: Gerrymander this (September 9, 2025)

Can play with AI, can’t be bothered to certify petition signatures (June 7, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) is a pre-eminent legal scholar and final arbiter of the Missouri Constitution, said no one ever… (August 4, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Favorite whine (September 3, 2026)

Gov. Mike Kehoe (r) thinks we’re all ignorant and stupid (September 3, 2026)

What the Missouri Supreme Court said (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court slaps down Denny Hoskins (r)….again (September 4, 2026)

Tears in the rain (September 4, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r): “…unclean hands…” (September 7, 2026)

Justice Brett Kavanaugh – SCOTUS: “Yeah, no.” (September 8, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court order to Denny Hoskins (r): “…show cause…” (September 9, 2026)

Missed it by that much (September 9, 2026)

Salus populi suprema lex esto (September 10, 2026)

Stupid is as stupid does (September 10, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (September 10, 2026)

So sad (September 10, 2026)

Judicial contempt has a way of making one focus (September 11, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and friends whiff at the U.S. Supreme Court (September 25, 2026)

A paragraph for Missouri history (September 25, 2026)

Being obtusely wrong still makes you wrong, Denny

Denny’s Dirty Ball (September 28, 2026)

What color is the sky in Denny’s (r) world? (0ctober 3, 2026)

We Get Mail – “NO” on Proposition A (October 5, 2026)

Donald Trump’s (r) Russian Diesel

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“Make America Great Again” – in Russian.

Jason Kander @jasonkander.bsky.social

Buying diesel from Russia instead of ending the war with Iran as a way to lower prices here is like taking a payday loan to pay off the credit card you used to buy a house you can’t afford … as a way of lowering your credit score.

3:54 PM · Oct 9, 2026

And you’re under water on your truck loan.

Jason Kander (D) [2016 file photo].

Campaign Finance: “…It’s the only way to be sure.”

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Vote “NO” on Amendment 3.

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for the campaign to preserve access to women’s health care:

C253512 10/09/2026 Stop the Ban Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action 4251 Forest Park Ave St Louis MO 63108 10/7/2026 $600,000.00

C253512 10/09/2026 Stop the Ban Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action 4401 W. 109th St Overland Park KS 66211 10/8/2026 $25,000.00

C253512 10/09/2026 Stop the Ban The Fairness Project P.O. Box 21337 Washington DC 20009 10/7/2026 $2,645,000.00

[emphasis added]

Dayam.

Vote “NO” on Amendment 3.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Next (August 3, 2026)

Campaign Finance: bring a nuke to the fight (September 4, 2026)

Campaign Finance: there’s plenty more (September 24, 2022)

Campaign Finance: even more (September 28, 2026)

Campaign Finance: be under no illusion (September 30, 2026)

Campaign Finance: an emphatic “NO” (October 2, 2026)

Campaign Finance: “…and they shall sow the public right of way and all the empty lots across the land with their yard signs…” (October 4, 2026)

Campaign Finance: that about sums it up (October 5, 2026)

Campaign Finance: keep it coming in (October 7, 2026)

Campaign Finance: all that right wingnut money, just to vilify a tiny minority (October 9, 2026)

“Bans off our bodies”

Vote “NO” on Amendment 3.

Campaign Finance: all that right wingnut money, just to vilify a tiny minority

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Despicable. Morally and ethically bankrupt. Ballot Candy.

You shall know them by their words.

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for the anti-choice, anti-trans bigots, anti-women’s health care PAC pushing Amendment 3 on the November ballot:

C253648 10/09/2026 Her Health, Her Future PAC Bootheel Values PAC PO Box 52 Jefferson City MO 65102 10/8/2026 $10,000.00

C253648 10/09/2026 Her Health, Her Future PAC Her Health Her Future Missouri 1254 Devonworth Drive Town Country MO 63017 10/9/2026 $900,000.00

[emphasis added]

The anti-choice, anti-trans bigots aren’t going to stop, neither should the advocates for women’s health care access.

Vote “NO” on Amendment 3.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Next (August 3, 2026)

Campaign Finance: bring a nuke to the fight (September 4, 2026)

Campaign Finance: there’s plenty more (September 24, 2022)

Campaign Finance: even more (September 28, 2026)

Campaign Finance: be under no illusion (September 30, 2026)

Campaign Finance: an emphatic “NO” (October 2, 2026)

Campaign Finance: “…and they shall sow the public right of way and all the empty lots across the land with their yard signs…” (October 4, 2026)

Campaign Finance: that about sums it up (October 5, 2026)

Campaign Finance: keep it coming in (October 7, 2026)

“Trans Liberation Now”

Campaign Finance: shifting into high gear

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“YES” on 6, “NO” on the rest.

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission in support of the initiative to preserve and expand Missouri voters’ voices:

C264382 10/09/2026 Vote Yes on Amendment 6 The Fairness Project 2300 18th St. NW, #21337, Washington DC 20009 10/8/2026 $250,000.00

C264382 10/09/2026 Vote Yes on Amendment 6 Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local Union No. 36 General Fund 2319 Chouteau Ave St Louis MO 63103 10/9/2026 $50,000.00

C264382 10/09/2026 Vote Yes on Amendment 6 SMART Political Education League 1750 New York Ave NW Washington DC 20006 10/9/2026 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

On the November ballot:

Amendment 6

[….]

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

– expand the initiative and referendum petition process by making it a fundamental right;
– allow courts to revise ballot summaries through lawsuits;
– prohibit the legislature from weakening initiative or referendum powers;
– prohibit the legislature from changing or repealing laws enacted through the initiative process, or passing laws similar to those rejected by referendum, – without approval from at least 80% of both chambers; and
– preserve existing majority vote and signature requirements for initiative and referendum petitions?

State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.

Fair Ballot Language:

A “yes” vote will prohibit the people’s elected representatives from directly amending or changing any law enacted through the initiative process; require that any modifications to laws enacted through the initiative process be referred to the people by a vote of at least 80% of each chamber of the General Assembly; restrict the legislature from passing laws that limit the ability to pursue initiatives and referenda; maintain the current signature requirements of five percent of the individual legal voters in each of two-thirds of Missouri’s congressional districts for proposing a law; maintain the current signature requirement of eight percent of individual legal voters in each of two-thirds of Missouri’s congressional districts for proposing a constitutional amendment; and maintain the current requirement that a simple statewide majority of votes cast on a measure by individual legal voters is sufficient to enact any law or constitutional amendment.

[….]

It is a plan.

Vote ‘Yes’ on Amendment 6.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: off to the races (September 12, 2026)

Campaign Finance: off to the races – part 2 (September 14, 2026)

Campaign Finance: off to the races – part 3 (September 15, 2026)

Campaign Finance: off to the races – part 4 (September 17, 2026)

Campaign Finance: off to the races – part 5 (September 18, 2026)

Campaign Finance: off to the races – part 6 (September 18, 2026)

“Yes” on 6, “No” on the rest (October 2, 2026)

Campaign Finance: they’re not @&^%$* around (October 8, 2026)

Bribery

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Donald Trump (r) thinks he can buy my vote in the midterm election for $90.00.

In an email today:

A message from President Trump

Dear [………],

Congress provided 2 Billion Dollars to make improvements to the Medicare program for Americans enrolled in traditional Medicare. I believe the best way to do that is to put healthcare dollars back where they belong—directly in the hands of the American People.

As a result, you are receiving a One-Time Payment of $90 to offset some of the cost of your October Medicare premium. This will ensure these funds benefit YOU and your individual healthcare needs.

Healthcare Dollars should benefit Patients, not Insurance Companies or Government Bureaucrats. Since returning to office, I have fought to lower Healthcare Costs, increase Accountability, and Put Patients First. As a result, I am proud to be the First President in History to bring down Americans’ prescription drug prices. Through TrumpRx, we are delivering massive discounts on Household Prescription Drugs, and my Most-Favored-Nation Pricing Agreements have already saved Americans more than 1 Billion Dollars on much-needed Medications. We also secured an unprecedented 50 Billion Dollar investment to transform Rural Healthcare, expanded access to Health Saving Accounts for millions of people on Obamacare, and restored Price Transparency, all while rooting out the Waste, Fraud, and Abuse across our Healthcare System.

I will never stop fighting to put the American People FIRST, restore Affordability, protect your hard-earned money, and lower the Cost of Healthcare.

May God bless you, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.

Sincerely,

President Trump /s
DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

What a putz.