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The Kansas Meadowlark |
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The Kansas Meadowlark |
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July 17, 2004 |
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Shane Jones for Senate campaign liquidates |
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In 2001 Shane Jones established a State Senate committee in the hope that redistricting (i.e., gerrymandering) from the 2000 census might result in a State Senate district for him. He filed a campaign report in January 2002 with the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission: |
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Jones' 2002 report was a bit of a "who's who" of Johnson County moderates and liberals, with notable contributors such as Steve Cloud, Dick Bond, Robert Regnier, Jan Meyers, Audrey Langworthy, Craig Denny, Peggy Dunn, Steve Baru, George Kandt, Rob McKnight, Mark Parkinson, Irene French, William Franklin, Larry Winn, III, Thomas Manning, Cynthia Sheahan, Harry Wigner, Bob Bibb. [Many on the 2004 Steering Committee of Johnson County Republicans for Education are on this list of early Jones' contributors.) Redistricting failed to create the district that Jones hoped for, so he had a Senate campaign account but not a district -- unless he chose to run against fellow GOP Club member, State Senator John Vratil. In January 2003, Jones reported only about $600 in contributions. Jones failed to file a report with the JoCo Election Office in January 2004, but apparently did file one with the Kansas Secretary of State's office. On May 7, 2004 Shane Jones sent the following letter to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to close his Senate campaign. |
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What is known about the 501c(3) non-profit that received the political money from Shane Jones for Senate campaign? The Alliance for Community Educators IRS 990 from 2002 provides this information: Shane Jones for Senate at 7932 Sante Fe in Overland Park was giving to the Alliance of Community Educators at 7932 Sante Fe in Overland Park! The same address! [Remember the "back door" at this address is 7933 Foster.] |
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And who is in charge of the Alliance of Community Educators? The IRS 990 from 2002 provides the list of the board of directors: |
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People associated with The Alliance for Community Educators had strong JoCo Republican ties, which isn't surprising since Shane Jones was the Third District Republican Chair. Bob Bibb, who is shown above on the board of directors, was the JoCo Republican Chair in 2000. The Vice Chair from 2000 was Catherine Deever, who according to the IRS 990 for 2000 was the Executive Director of the Alliance for Community Educators and was paid $26,090 for a 40-hr/week position. Shane Jones liquidated his Senate Campaign political funds and gave the funds to himself at the same address! [This is similar to what the Bistate Arts and Sports Corporation, a non-profit group controlled by Greater Kansas City Chamber directors, did when they initially told the IRS their assets would go to the American Stroke Foundation and then changed their articles of incorporation to give the money to themselves.] The final page from Jones' Jan 10, 2002 report to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission has one very curious entry: |
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Note the contributions on 12/31/2001: Ace Personnel, 7932 Sante Fe, OP, $500 (Jones'
Company) Jones had given to himself twice the legal amount through the various legal entities that he had established. But the most unusual contribution was from the Historic Ford Building: Historic Ford Building, 13122 Hadley, OP, 66213, $500. Who signed that check? How can a building with two known business addresses (front door, 7932 Sante Fe and back door, 7933 Foster) have a "home address"? Who lives at 13122 Hadley in Overland Park? The voter registration database from the Johnson County Election Office shows that this is the address of Shane Jones, and his wife, Theresa. The Kansas Secretary of State shows no legal entity called "Historic Ford Building" as a Kansas Corporation. How can the $500 contribution by the Historic Ford Building be allowed? Why would anyone try so hard to hide who was giving this $500? Is this legal? efg |
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K a n s a s M e a d o w l a r k @ e f g 2 . c o m |