His nickname is “The Rodfather.”When a Republican candidate in Missouri wants money, he hires Rod Jetton. When a corporation wants to defeat legislation, it hires Jetton.And when big donors push big special interests, they know Jetton’s friends can make lawmakers an offer they can’t refuse.Since he left the General Assembly as House speaker in 2008, Jetton has parlayed a natural gift for politics and eight years as a tough, tireless Republican Party leader into a profitable career as a consultant famous for behind-the-scenes maneuvering.But the way the ex-Marine and former real estate salesman conducts political business has attracted the scrutiny of the FBI as it probes “pay for play” allegations in Jefferson City. Lawmakers are being investigated, too.“Instead of being the guy himself — being the governor — he decided he wanted to become the puppet master,” said Chris Benjamin, a former top aide to Jetton who has since become a Democrat. The Kansas City Star interviewed dozens of lawmakers, lobbyists and political observers and reviewed thousands of pages of documents in recent months and found Jetton is one of the most powerful men influencing state government, despite not being an elected official. The Star’s investigation found:•Jetton’s clients have collected huge campaign donations after supporting legislation backed by wealthy Missourians. A vote in the House that tried to change how the state’s judges are selected netted more than $250,000 in contributions for a Jetton client and for GOP campaign committees.•Jetton has been operating at times, according to Republican and Democratic lawmakers, more like a lobbyist than a political consultant. Lobbyists are required to register with the Missouri Ethics Commission and publicly disclose their clients and gifts to lawmakers. A successful fight against utility rate legislation on behalf of one of his corporate clients netted $68,000 in fees for Jetton’s consulting firm.•Jetton’s handling of campaign funds has drawn the attention of the Ethics Commission. A complaint obtained by The Star alleges that after he left office, Jetton illegally converted more than $24,000 in campaign money to personal use.Jetton said that the money transfer was legal and that his critics’ assessments of his power are overblown.“I hear it all the time that I’m the ‘Wizard of Oz’ behind the curtain. I guess I should be flattered. Quite frankly … I don’t have any power. I can’t kill a bill. I can’t refer a bill,” Jetton said. “If I have any power, it’s because of one thing: I know how to run a campaign and win a race.”Bare-knuckles politicsJetton, 42, served four terms in the House, rising from an unknown rural representative from southeast Missouri to speaker, the chamber’s most powerful position. But controversy dogged him during his political career. In 2004, he launched a consulting firm — Common Sense Conservative Consulting — and ran it throughout his tenure as speaker, taking on as clients the same lawmakers whose legislation depended on his blessing. While the Ethics Commission called the arrangement legal, it expressed “serious concerns about the ability of an elected official to avoid violation of … laws while conducting a consulting business for compensation.”When he was speaker, Jetton also oversaw the House Republican Campaign Committee, the political action committee that bankrolls candidates in close elections statewide.

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Posted on Sat, Oct. 17, 2009 10:15 PM

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House for sale? A lot of money surrounds Rod Jetton's political consulting work

By JASON NOBLE and STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star

Breaking News

His nickname is “The Rodfather.”

When a Republican candidate in Missouri wants money, he hires Rod Jetton. When a corporation wants to defeat legislation, it hires Jetton.

And when big donors push big special interests, they know Jetton’s friends can make lawmakers an offer they can’t refuse.

Since he left the General Assembly as House speaker in 2008, Jetton has parlayed a natural gift for politics and eight years as a tough, tireless Republican Party leader into a profitable career as a consultant famous for behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

But the way the ex-Marine and former real estate salesman conducts political business has attracted the scrutiny of the FBI as it probes “pay for play” allegations in Jefferson City. Lawmakers are being investigated, too.

“Instead of being the guy himself — being the governor — he decided he wanted to become the puppet master,” said Chris Benjamin, a former top aide to Jetton who has since become a Democrat.

The Kansas City Star interviewed dozens of lawmakers, lobbyists and political observers and reviewed thousands of pages of documents in recent months and found Jetton is one of the most powerful men influencing state government, despite not being an elected official.

The Star’s investigation found:

•Jetton’s clients have collected huge campaign donations after supporting legislation backed by wealthy Missourians. A vote in the House that tried to change how the state’s judges are selected netted more than $250,000 in contributions for a Jetton client and for GOP campaign committees.

•Jetton has been operating at times, according to Republican and Democratic lawmakers, more like a lobbyist than a political consultant. Lobbyists are required to register with the Missouri Ethics Commission and publicly disclose their clients and gifts to lawmakers. A successful fight against utility rate legislation on behalf of one of his corporate clients netted $68,000 in fees for Jetton’s consulting firm.

•Jetton’s handling of campaign funds has drawn the attention of the Ethics Commission. A complaint obtained by The Star alleges that after he left office, Jetton illegally converted more than $24,000 in campaign money to personal use.

Jetton said that the money transfer was legal and that his critics’ assessments of his power are overblown.

“I hear it all the time that I’m the ‘Wizard of Oz’ behind the curtain. I guess I should be flattered. Quite frankly … I don’t have any power. I can’t kill a bill. I can’t refer a bill,” Jetton said. “If I have any power, it’s because of one thing: I know how to run a campaign and win a race.”

Bare-knuckles politics

Jetton, 42, served four terms in the House, rising from an unknown rural representative from southeast Missouri to speaker, the chamber’s most powerful position.

But controversy dogged him during his political career. In 2004, he launched a consulting firm — Common Sense Conservative Consulting — and ran it throughout his tenure as speaker, taking on as clients the same lawmakers whose legislation depended on his blessing.

While the Ethics Commission called the arrangement legal, it expressed “serious concerns about the ability of an elected official to avoid violation of … laws while conducting a consulting business for compensation.”

When he was speaker, Jetton also oversaw the House Republican Campaign Committee, the political action committee that bankrolls candidates in close elections statewide.

To reach Jason Noble, call 573-634-3565 or send e-mail to jnoble@kcstar.com. To reach Steve Kraske, call 816-234-4312 or send e-mail to skraske@kcstar.com.

Posted on Sat, Oct. 17, 2009 10:15 PM

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