By Antonio D. French
Filed Tuesday, August 07, 2007 at 8:00 AM
PubDef.net's request for a copy of the surveillance tape from the Booneville casino where State Senator Jeff Smith was cited for using another legislator's ID card to make bets has been denied. Labels: Crime, Jeff_Smith
According to a Gaming Commission official responding to our request, the requested video tape was "seized as evidence by the Missouri Highway Patrol pursuant to a criminal investigation and is part of an investigative report. Therefore, pursuant to Section 610.100.1(5)RSMo, these records are presently closed records and not open for inspection or duplication."
We have amended our request to include a copy of the report from the Commission's own investigation.
Meanwhile, the Turner Reports reveals that Smith, a member of the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, has received quite a bit of cash from the gaming industry.An examination of Missouri Ethics Commission records shows Smith received $2,600 which can be directly traced to casinos during 2006, as well as $5,400 from casino lobbyists or their clients.
Jake Wagman, of the Post-Dispatch, also reports that Lynne M. Schlosser, the lobbyist for the Isle of Capri casino who supposedly gave Smith another legislator's players card to keep him in the game, may not have been fired as previously reported. But no comment from her or the casino makes it hard to find out for sure.
Another $4,800 appears to have come from Ameristar Casinos after being legally laundered through a Democratic party committee. On Aug. 12, 2006, the 94th House District Democratic Committee received a $5,000 contribution from Ameristar Casinos. Three days later, the committee gave $4,800 to Smith. Oddly, Smith's own committee disclosure form says the 94th Committee contribution came Aug. 11...the day before the committee received the Ameristar Casinos contribution.
Other casino or casino-related contributions for Smith include:
UPDATE: Nope, she was fired.
29 Comments:
Antonio, you needs to site the KRCG Supreme Court case to get that video.
8/07/2007 10:43 AM
Excellent investigation indeed. Hopefully, the video will be handed over.
8/07/2007 10:51 AM
LET IT GO, GUYS. Antonio, why is this such a big deal? Oh I know, IT'S NOT!
8/07/2007 11:28 AM
Criminal investigation? Hmm... is Jeff Smith gonna do some jail time?
8/07/2007 12:31 PM
The Post-Dispatch reports that Jeff Smith received a substantial amount of cash from the Pinnacle Casino after being elected.
The rumor goes that Jeff Smith was close with the top lobbyist for Pinnacle and then negotiated a job paying $92,000.00 for former State Representative Yaphett El-Amin. Strange because this was his chief opponent in the Senate race.
Antonio, do you know if former State Representative Yaphett El-Amin works in any capacity for Pinnacle Casino, or is this just a nasty rumor?
8/07/2007 12:58 PM
Let's get over it. Senator Smith did something wrong. He admitted it -- and said it would not happen again. Is there nothing else to report in the St. Louis media these days than a minor (about the same as a traffic ticket) incident and attempt to blow it up to Watergate proportions in both television and the print media. Funny that I haven't seen word one regarding the more than 1000 people who attended Senator Smith's recent 3 on 3 basketball tournament, which included booths offering many important community services as well as free back to school supplies. The Senator was wrong to use another ID. But let's not castigate him forever for this lapse in judgement. He's a quick learner--and this should be a lesson he will not forget
8/07/2007 3:32 PM
Get over it my ass if he were yaphett's husband it would have been all over the news. No if it is a whit man then it is okay. Wake up St. Louis.
No he will not do jail time but we should not feel sorry for him. Look it what they did to Yaphett's husband. How many dead beat white dads do we have??
8/07/2007 8:24 PM
I'm white. Jeff Smith has a lot to answer for. White's don't support other whites based on color; they support or not support based on issues.
Get over the race issue.
8/07/2007 9:48 PM
Antonio, can you answer the question about the rumor that former State Representative Yaphett El-Amin received a job with the Pinnacle Casino through a backdoor contract immmediately after the Senatorial race that Jeff Smith won.
The Post is reporting that the Pinnacle gave Jeff Smith a lot of campaign money after the primary, and it is rumored that Jeff Smith influenced the lobbyist to hire Yaphett El-Amin at $92,000 per year.
Antonio, is this rumor true or just a lousy rumor!
8/07/2007 10:19 PM
Antonio is attempting to coerce Smith into signing on as a client of French by continuosly running this BS story aren't you Antonio?
8/07/2007 11:47 PM
SMITH SHOULD RESIGN!!!!
8/07/2007 11:48 PM
Antonio, can you answer the question about the rumor that former State Representative Yaphett El-Amin received a job with the Pinnacle Casino through a backdoor contract immmediately after the Senatorial race that Jeff Smith won.
The Post is reporting that the Pinnacle gave Jeff Smith a lot of campaign money after the primary, and it is rumored that Jeff Smith influenced the lobbyist to hire Yaphett El-Amin at $92,000 per year.
Antonio, is this rumor true or just a lousy rumor!
8/08/2007 6:58 AM
I believe Yaphett is working in some capacity with Pinnacle, but I have no idea who "got her the job."
Considering she was a state legislator for many years, a committeewoman, and her father is active in the cause of minority inclusion in area construction projects, I doubt she would have been dependent on any one legislator, especially a freshman legislator, for a job.
8/08/2007 7:54 AM
Bull
8/08/2007 8:26 AM
^ That last comment is the perfect example of how brevity is the soul of wit!
8/08/2007 8:54 AM
I thought gambling was prohibited in Islam. How can Yaphett be working for a casino?
8/08/2007 9:15 AM
the spinster is online today. Jeff, don't you have anything else to do?
8/08/2007 9:47 AM
And don't Jews look down on lying?
8/08/2007 9:49 AM
Anonymous said...
Antonio is attempting to coerce Smith into signing on as a client of French by continuosly running this BS story aren't you Antonio?
8/07/2007 11:47 PM
Leave Antonio alone!!! Do not distract him from his task of picking a winner in the caption contest!!
8/08/2007 12:11 PM
Democrats eating their own, unbeleivable. Big friggin' deal, he gambled with someone elses ID, he was of legal age, he didn't steal any money, he probably didn't even win.
Jealousy among other democrats is driving this crusade to slaughter him over this and it is ridiculous.
QUIT EATING YOUR OWN! There are no excuses for it. If you don't like something he did in session, handle it like a mature adult and make sure he knows how you feel about it and why. Do not act like a sniveling, whining, baby who didn't get his or her way!
8/08/2007 1:30 PM
If I had a false ID in a casino, what would be my fate?
8/08/2007 1:55 PM
Probably exactly the same fate as Mr. Smith, except without the public scrutiny and ridicule. He didn't get off the hook, he got arrested and probably hired a lawyer to handle it, which is exactly what I, and many others would do under the circumstances. What would you like him to do? Not use the judicial system as intended?
8/08/2007 2:18 PM
did he get arrested? Thought he got off.
8/08/2007 3:39 PM
He is a public figure and will be scrutinized if he breaks the law.
8/08/2007 5:18 PM
By who? The pub def ?
8/08/2007 11:27 PM
By staying on the board of Confluence schools, Smith is making it more difficult for teachers to maintain classroom discipline. The students see that Jeff Smith doesn't obey the rules. He should resign from the Confluence board. Have any of the media reports on this included his Confluence board position?
8/10/2007 9:44 AM
Oh my goodness, get over it. Why can't you admit the real issues you have with Mr. Smith? This venom has nothing to do with the casino incident. First he should resign from the senate, and then the Confluence Board? Totally ridiculous, he should have his day in court like anyone else. He is a great progressive voice in Missouri and I hope he stays right where he is.
8/10/2007 10:54 AM
Progressive my democratic ass - I mean donkey. Didn't Jeff's Confluence Academy get a $23 Million bond issue through the Mayor just before he tried to move a bill to give Slay "Charter School
Authority." And what was he doing
operating a "wireless device" while playing Texas hold 'em?
Fake ID and cheating - this Mr. Smith ain't goin' to Washington anytime soon.
8/10/2007 5:04 PM
To all you Jeff Smith Haters,
. . . wow this is not a crime it is a misdemeanor. If Senator Smith is convicted he can only receive a maximum of 6 months in jail and a $500 fine. Unless he is convicted of two counts. He deserves his day in court and I sincerely hope and believe he gets a very light sentence - say 14 days in jail and a $250 fine.
8/10/2007 5:31 PM
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