Not every shut eye is asleep, and not every pinhead in a suit in the state Capitol is pushing voucher money. Astute folks in Jeff. City had smelled a fed before the Kansas City Star reported last week that the FBI had opened an investigation into lobbying practices in the capital – or before Catherine Hannaway, U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Missouri, paid a research visit to the Missouri Ethics Commission.
The EYE is reminded of the “comical” spirit that Hoskins and Hubbard found in the EYE’s item about all the money from school-choice lobbyists that has landed into their campaign accounts. Not that the federal investigation has shown interest in either of these brothers, as far as we know. But only a fool or a saint would be laughing now.
Just ask former Illinois Governor George Ryan what’s so funny. Ryan – who famously did the right thing by Illinois’ death row inmates on his way out of office – now faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 for a racketing conspiracy charge. That’s a lot of pimp suits, bowler hats and White Castles.
Oh, yeah. It’s time for state legislators to smell deep into the pile of their dirty laundry. If it stinks too bad, the staff at the big house might be doing their laundry in the future.