More Democratic Corruption in the Senate and House:

AP sources: FBI investigating whether Mo. lawmakers traded committee posts for campaign cash

DAVID A. LIEB | Associated Press Writer
8:24 PM CDT, March 31, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The FBI is questioning Missouri lawmakers about allegations that legislative leaders demanded campaign contributions in exchange for prestigious committee posts, legislative sources told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Three lawmakers said they specifically were asked about House Minority Leader Paul LeVota, a Democrat from Independence. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing probe and because they didn't want colleagues to know they had spoken with federal investigators.

In an interview with the AP, LeVota said he has not been contacted by the FBI. He denied any wrongdoing and suggested the accusations stem from a disgruntled political rival.

The Kansas City Star first reported Sunday, citing anonymous sources, that the FBI is investigating alleged pay-for-play scenarios at the Missouri Capitol.

Bridget Patton, a spokesman for the FBI office in Kansas City whose jurisdiction includes Jefferson City, said Tuesday that she could neither confirm nor deny a public corruption investigation at the Missouri Capitol.

The investigation into alleged political favors dates at least to 2008, when House Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, was in charge of the chamber. Jetton, who did not seek re-election last year because of term limits, said he had not been contacted by the FBI and had "absolutely not" asked any lawmakers to make campaign donations to get committee assignments or to have their bills heard.

One of the lawmakers who spoke on condition of anonymity told the AP he had been contacted by the FBI multiple times in 2008 and 2009 with questions about pay-for-play scenarios in the Capitol, including whether House committee assignments were offered in exchange for lawmakers contributing money to campaign committees. The lawmaker said the FBI's questions focused on LeVota and others in legislative leadership positions.

Another lawmaker said he met with the FBI four times at the Capitol, beginning in early 2008 when he was asked whether Jetton and other House leaders had promoted legislation or granted committee spots in exchange for campaign contributions. The lawmaker also said the FBI questioned him about LeVota.

A third lawmaker told the AP about an interview with the FBI that occurred several weeks ago in the Capitol. That lawmaker also said the FBI asked specifically about whether LeVota had made committee assignments contingent upon lawmakers contributing money to Democratic campaign committees.

Two of the lawmakers also said the FBI asked about an e-mail sent last year by LeVota on the letterhead of the Missouri House Democratic Campaign Committee.

The Sept. 22 letter, obtained by the AP, asks for donations of between $50 and $250 to help Democratic candidates. But instead of listing the address for the committee, which helps all Democratic House candidates, the bottom of the letter directed donations to LeVota's personal campaign committee in Independence.

LeVota told the AP that he "never asked anyone to give an amount for a committee spot whatsoever."

He said his personal campaign address was listed because it was sent under his mass e-mail account.

"Hindsight tells me I should have took it off for that request," said LeVota, who later added: "It was my intent to try to raise money for the HDCC."

LeVota's campaign committee contributed $35,000 for the 2008 elections to the House Democratic Campaign Committee, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

LeVota said he believed the FBI's apparent questions were prompted by a "political rival who's trying to throw me under the bus."

Current House Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, who took over in January, said he has not been interviewed by the FBI and was not aware of anyone who had been. None of the lawmakers who said they were interviewed by the FBI described any questions specifically focused on Richard.

One lawmaker said the FBI had asked about a bill in 2008 advocated by Bearden, the former House Speaker Pro Tem Carl Bearden, R-St. Charles, who resigned in July 2007 and now is a lobbyist. He said Tuesday that Republicans who were given prime committee spots were expected to help raise money for the caucus and said he has had no contact with the FBI.

"What people were told is if you want to be chair, you need to be out working for the team, raising money," Bearden said. But he added: "There was never a deal 'if you want to keep that committee chairmanship, or if you want that committee chairmanship, here's the dollar amount.'"

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