BREAKING: Funkhouser Charging Groups for Speaking Engagements As Mayor

He's at it again. This time the failed Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser is charging organizations and businesses throughout Kansas City and the world, according to his website, a minimum of $5000 to $7500 plus travel expenses in order to hear him speak.

The contract on his website also charges a flat fee of $500 for meals and lodging.

A lot of questions should now be asked of the Mayor. Is he also charging the city for these travel expenses? Are taxpayer paid for employees used to staff the Mayor on these paid speaking engagements? How many organizations in the Greater KC Metro Area have been charged to hear the Kansas City Mayor speak?

We are calling on the area bloggers and press to demand that the Mayor answer these questions immediately.

MRA: Blunt's Moral Compass Is The True Compass Of Missouri Republicans

The Springfield News-Leader has a great story that all Democrats should be using this election season.

The Missouri Republican Assembly, which bills itself as the "Republican wing of the Republican Party" has endorsed D.C. resident and lobbyist candidate Roy Blunt saying "his moral compass points true north".

We at the KC Blue Blog wonder if the other seven candidates running against Blunt would agree that he has a moral compass that is the true direction of the Republican Party?

Afterall, Congressman Blunt's moral purity even earned him the honor of being named "One of the 13 Most Corrupt Members of Congress". In fact, he was #2 on the list for trying "to insert provisions in bills that benefited a client of his lobbyist son, Andrew Blunt and the employer of his lobbyist girlfriend turned wife."

Thanks to the Missouri Republican Assembly for drawing the moral sand in the line for the Republican Party. Now every Republican elected official and candidate should go on record as to whether their moral compass is as "true north" as Roy Blunt.

Airport Bathrooms, Green Balloons, Hot Tubs and More Hypocrisy

This week you probably caught the Associated Press and Brock Vergakis headline 'GOP leader's skinny-dip confession stuns Utah'.

Upon reading the title you probably just thought it was another story about a GOP member who plays Jesus by day and Hugh Hefner by night. It was. But the article tells a much more serious story:

"A late-night confession by Utah's House majority leader about sitting nude in a hot tub with a minor 25 years ago has shocked this conservative state's political establishment but has not prompted calls from party leaders for him to resign.

Rep. Kevin Garn, 55, acknowledged the indiscretion late Thursday immediately after the Legislature adjourned for the session. He said he paid the woman, Cheryl Maher, now 40, $150,000 to keep quiet about the episode when he unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2002."

If this isn't the poster child for Republican hypocrisy, then we don't know what is. Yes, this was 25 years ago. But we are talking about an elected official not a dishwasher at your local restaurant.

While today's reports show that Rep. Garn has resigned--a move anyone could have predicted--we want to know why party leaders were not immediately calling for his resignation?

Anyone else wondering how Garn was able to pay $150,000 to this girl in exchange for her silence?

Anyone else wondering what happened to the faith, morals, values and compassionate conservatism being preached everyday in GOP political circles?

Whether it's in airport bathrooms, harrassing the local page, paying an undercover police officer, raping your fellow young republican, getting a DUI after leaving a gay bar after voting numerous times against gay rights, playing with 'green ballons', or any of the dozens of other scandals it's pretty clear that the GOP can be defined using many words; none of which are compassionate, conservative, moral or ethical.

Finally, with these scandals as well as the bribery and pay-to-play scandals hitting states like Utah and Missouri, who is holding The GOP leadership accountable?

Afterall, at best they stayed quiet on this issue and at worst they helped finance this Utah Republican so that his hidden secret would stay in the dark.

Think about that.

Just more reasons to Vote Democrat this fall.

BREAKING NEWS: CHIEFS SIGN VETERAN PRO-BOWL RB THOMAS JONES

It seems The Chiefs' new front house is going to invest in success. As many began to question their lack of activity during this free agent offseason, Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Jones, who rushed for over 1,400 yards in 2009 and has rushed for over 1,000 yards in 5 straight seasons, has signed a 2-year $5 million contract with Kansas City.

The signing of Jones not only gives Kansas City the best backfield in The AFC West, it also means that Kansas City is looking to take the load off of Jamal Charles, who rushed for 1,100 yards in 2009, in order to keep him healthy and compete for years to come.

Additionally, The Chiefs also protected their passing game this week and by announcing that they have also re-signed veteran wide receiver Chris Chambers. The former Dolphin and Charger stud wide receiver caught for over 600 yards in just a few games and has more than 7,000 career receiving yards.

Are you excited about 2010 yet? As this seems like a sign of more agressive off season activity to come, we think you should be.

Republicans And Tom Delay "It's The Truth" That People Are Unemployed And On Unemployment Because They Want To Be

There you have it Blue Readers! Tom Delay, the former leader of The GOP and still one of the most popular people among Republicans, goes on the record saying that "It's the truth" that people are unemployed and on unemployment because they want to be.

Hear it for yourself:



For all of you who may be unemployed or know someone who is unemployed, how does that make you feel?

Things haven't changed in The GOP. And they won't change as long as the same people run the party.

Don't be fooled. Just another reason to Vote Democrat this election season.

It's Funk's Party And He'll Cry If He Wants To. Funkhouser Has Fit. Embarrasses Fierro. Has He Lost Park Board?

Here we go again Blue Readers. Matt Campbell of The Star is reporting that this week Mayor Funkhouser "lashed out" at his Park Board for "showing insufficient support for his agenda and accused one of them of corruption".

During the mayoral fit, Funkhouser made a number of comments that offended members of the board including President John Fierro.

In fact, Fierro was so offended by the comments that he even reminded the mayor of when he (Fierro) stood by Funkhouser during the controversy over the appointment of Minutemen member Frances Semler to the park board early in his term saying quote.

“I chose you over people I have known for 20 years,” Fierro quickly reminded Funkhouser.

But Fierro wasn't the only person offended. It seems Funkhouser may have also lost the support of Commissioner Meg Conger, Aggie Stackhaus and others by criticizing them and making comments like "Good God,” “It would have been nice for you guys to have sent somebody to testify. I was just stunned."

If that wasn't enough he even went as far as to call one of the commissioners he appointed corrupt in front of a reporter.

Can it really get any worse than this?

Park Commissioner Conger said she and her colleagues have worked hard to promote the park department’s interests by talking with city council members and other members of the community.

While The Star didn't report on The Mayor's reactions to these responses, it would've been nice to have seen them.

This should have come as no surprise given The Mayor's previous temper tantrums, his lack of common sense and his all too frequent pompous-elitist behavior .

Montee Shows Real Leadership

While Auditor may be the most boring statewide job (editor's note: we are bias because we hate math) when handled correctly it can show real leadership. State Auditor Susan Montee is doing just that.

Auditing the Kansas City Missouri School District takes real guts. Marilyn Simmons and company have driven the district off a cliff and into the water, only to hit a rock upon impact. Now the district is looking to cut $50 million this budget cycle.

Our new Superintendent Covington has made his proposal known to the public including closing up to 31 schools. That also takes guts. No matter what, in proposing a tough budget, it is in the best interest of the KCMO School District to have this audit.

If it comes back and shows minimal fraud, it will answer some critics. If it comes back showing massive fraud, it will confirm what many have expected.

Montee's initiative to take a look into the KCMO schools and St. Louis Schools shows she isn't afraid of the failed buddy system that has plagued these districts for decades. Instead of acting in the best interest of the students and families it serves, the KCMO School District has continued to act in the best interest of some of the people it pays. Usually that means you have to be loyal to the Simmons Regime.

So it is fitting that the audit starts as Simmons has compiled a "slate" ran by a former field organizer on the Obama campaign. That slate is the same failed business as usual. Hopefully for the best interest of our district and the families it is to serve, the elections will bring about change. After that change takes place, we hope the audit will uncover a clear path towards success.