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The Kansas Meadowlark |
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The Kansas Meadowlark |
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October 24, 2004 |
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Political Profile of "Republicans for Moore": |
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Contents
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Recently Dennis Moore, who portrays himself as a "moderate"
Democrat, published his 2004 list of "Republicans for Moore."
Previous lists were published in 2002 and
2000. According to co-chair Penny Moeller's recent letter to the Kansas City Star, this group
now has about 900 members. In a press conference on Wednesday Moore
put the number at about 800. These voters proudly wear a
"Republican" label in their support for Moore, but what do
these folks represent? What are the concerns of Republicans for
Moore? What values do Republicans for Moore represent? The
label is superficial, but what are the words and actions of this
group?
Using voter registration information the Kansas Meadowlark was able to identify about 686 JoCo voters and 27 voters outside of JoCo in the Republicans for Moore list. Approximately, 80 names were ambiguous (e.g., there's no way to identify a "Jim Smith"), or could not be found. A handful of names were duplicated in the list (e.g., "Nancy Ortega" and "Joel Wells & Nancy Ortega"). In Johnson County, 670 of the 686 names were Republicans. There were 13 Democrats and 2 Unaffiliated voters in the list. Outside JoCo only one Republican for Moore was not a Republican: These voters appear to be confused about their political party as Republicans for Moore (but perhaps they "think" they're Republicans):
Are the Republicans for Moore "solid" Republicans? Do they change party affiliation often? Here is a summary of the party history for the Republicans for Moore in JoCo over the last few years:
Many (574) appear to be "solid" Rs, but the 56 DRs are a bit suspect. Some Republicans for Moore seem to be confused about their party affiliation in recent years, in particular:
What's the approximate age breakdown of the Republicans for Moore?
Co-Chairs of Republicans for Moore Moore's web site and the newspaper ads both show the names for co-chairs for this group: Penny Stuber Moeller was the subject of a recent Kansas Meadowlark report. She supports partial birth abortion but complains
Walter Hiersteiner was a 1996 "Republican for Jill Docking" (Docking was the Democratic opposition to now U.S. Senator Sam Brownback). Hiersteiner, age 86, was a co-chair of the Shawnee Mission Committee for Excellence that supported a $184 school bond issue in 2004 (and refuses to file a campaign report for the April 2004 bond election because it not yet "due"). Walt is also on the Mainstream advisory board, and served on the Barbara Allen steering committee in 2004. Apparently, his wife, Jean, is tired of the chicanery and changed from a Republican to a Democrat in recent years. Hiersteiner is a former Fairway city councilman, former Shawnee Mission School Board member, and former chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. Hiersteiner is a former executive of Tension Envelope, which regularly donates to liberal causes. Andrea Presson was a Republican for Moore in 2000 and 2002. She serves on the Mainstream Advisory Board. Dr. Bob Meneilly is the founder and chairperson of Mainstream Coalition (now called ). He also helped found the Interfaith Alliance in Washington D.C. He served on the Planned Parenthood of KS/Mid-Missouri Board of Directors in 1999-2000. Ellen Laner is a former Moore campaign treasurer. Ellen Laner was the president of Mainstream in 2003 and now serves as a board member. Laner also participates in activities of the Joco League of Women votes. Laner contributes to a number of Democrats such as Kathleen Sebelius, Chris Biggs, Nancy Boyda, Joan Ruff. The chairs of the 2002 Republicans for Moore Committee are: the Rev. Al Hager, Walt Hiersteiner, Ellen Laner, Diane Linver, the Rev. Bob Meneilly, Bill Nelson, Wynn and Andrea Presson, Mary Ca Ralstin, and Penny Stuber Moeller. Rev Al Hager is on the clergy committee at Mainstream Coalition. Diane Linver is part of Mainstream's Board and Education Foundation. The chairs in 2000 were Ellen Laner (Moore's campaign treasurer in 2000), Walt Hiersteiner, William C. Nelson (a $2000 contributor to Howard Dean in 2004, see below) and Wynn Presson (on the 2004 Committee, see below). Subcommittee Leading Republicans for Moore Virginia Krebs was a Republican for Moore in 2002, and serves on the Mainstream Coalition Advisory Board. Krebs is a JCCC Trustee. Nancy Brown was a Republican for Moore in 2002 and is a contributor to Mainstream Coalition. Norman Polsky is a contributor to Mainstream Coalition and Kathleen Sebelius ($2000). His wife, Irene, can't decide if she's a Republican or Democrat since she's changed parties twice in recent years. Jean Wise is a former Leawood mayor and serves on the Advisory Board of Mainstream Coalition. Wise gave $500 to Kathleen Sebelius. Katherine Champlin was a Republican for Moore in 2000 and 2002. Robert Slegman, age 88, and Betty Slegman, age 82, were both Republicans for Moore in 2000 and 2002. The Slegmans contributed to David Adkins, but ironically gave Kris Kobach a contribution in his 2000 State Senate campaign. Joan Berkley contributed $1000 to Howard Dean in this election cycle. She is on the Mainstream Coalition Advisory Board and is active in the JoCo League of Women Voters. She has contributed $500 to the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). Her husband, Bert, who is an executive at Tension Envelope, also contributes to liberal candidates and causes both personally and through Tension Envelope. E. Wynn Presson is a Senior Vice President, Swope Parkway Health Center. Both Presson and his wife, Andrea, a co-chair of Republicans for Moore, are on the Mainstream Advisory Board. Presson served on the Partnership for Children in 2001 and served as a co-chair with the Kansas City Star's publisher, Art Brisbane. Dr. Arthur Snow was a Republican for Moore in 2002 and has been a $500 contributor to Democrats Kathleen Sebelius and Chris Biggs. Frank Wewers was a Republican for Moore in 2000 and 2002 and gave Democrat Kathleen Sebelius $1900 in her election. His wife, Helen, gave $1700 to Sebelius and more recently gave Emanuel Cleaver $1500. From the same address, John Wewers gave $1000 to Howard Dean. Mary Ca Ralstin is a busy political activist, mostly with KFUPE, and was recently featured in a Kansas Meadowlark report. See additional comments from her in the section about letters to editors. Shirley Rose was a Republican for Moore in 2000 and 2002, and has been on the Mainstream Coalition Advisory Board. She is the mother of editorial writer, Steve Rose, at the Johnson County Sun. Eleanor Lowe. is a former Mainstream Coalition president and a Mainstream Board Member. She's also active in the JoCo League of Women Voters. She's contributed $1800 to Mainstream, $2000 to Democrat Chris Biggs, and $100 to YesYesYes in 2000 to remove party labels on some JoCo elections. Harvey Fried contributed to the YesYesYes committee in 2000 to remove party labels from certain JoCo elections. His wife, SuEllen Fried, recently changed from a Democrat to a Republican but still contributed to Howard Dean ($1000) and Kathleen Sebelius ($250). SuEllen Fried is also active in the JoCo League of Women Voters. Barton Brown could not be reliably identified and his political participation is unknown.. Wint Winter is a former state senator. He was on the steering committee for the Republicans for Kathleen Sebelius in 2002, and also for David Adkin's Douglas County Committee in 2002. |
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Contributions to Politicians and Groups Public records show 140+ of 685 JoCo Republicans for Moore have given to a variety of political causes. What does this political money say about their views? [Note: I make no claim that this list of contributors is comprehensive. There are likely many additional contributions, especially to Moore, that I do not know about.]
Mystery contribution: Alan Grimes gave two $500 contributions to Kris Kobach but is a Republican for Moore? Moderate Alliance of Informed
Neighbors Coalition [note: Moderate Alliance of Informed Neighbors Coalition is the new name for a group formerly known as MainStream Coalition] More than 35 members of the 2004 Republicans for Moore class have some connection to Moderate Alliance of Informed Neighbors Coalition. See Mainstream contributors above. Suzanne Allen: Mainstream Advisory Board. Joseph Archias: Mainstream Foundation Campaign Co-Chair Steve Baru: Endorsed by Mainstream (2002). MAIN PAC Director (1999). Joan Berkley: Mainstream Advisory Board. Bernard Brown: Mainstream Member honored with Mordechai Award; Nancy Brown: Mainstream Advisory Board. Liz Craig: Mainstream Board Member Lois Culver: Mainstream board member Jeffrey Forker: Mainstream board member Alfred Hager: Mainstream Clergy Ann Hebberger, contributor to YesYesYes in 2000 to remove party labels, was a LWV "Offboard" Action Coordinator (2003) and the MAIN*PAC Director (2002). Mainstream Board. Walt Hiersteiner: Mainstream Advisory Board James Holzmark's wife, Barbara, is Mainstream Advisory Board and was MAIN*PAC Director (2002). Ann Slegman-Isenberg: Mainstream Board Ruth Kline: Mainstream Advisory Board Virginia Krebs: Mainstream Advisory Board Ellen Laner: Mainstream President (2003) Sally Levitt MAIN*PAC Officer George Lieberman: Mainstream Advisory Board Paula "Diane" Linver: Mainstream Ed Foundation (2003). Board Eleanor Lowe: Former Mainstream President; Mainstream Board member Fran Manson: Mainstream Board; clergy chair; Distinguished Citizen by the Nat'l Conference for Community and Justice Thomas Manson: husband of Mainstream Board member William McEachen was Mainstream treasure in 2003 and was on the Mainstream Education Foundation in 2003. He also serves on the Kansas Action for Children 2003. Robert Menilly is the founder and chairperson of Mainstream. He also served on the Planned Parenthood of KS/Mid-Missouri Board of Directors in 1999-2000. Board William Nelson: Mainstream Advisory Board Nancy Niles-Lusk is the cartoonist for Mainstream. Andrea Presson: Mainstream Advisory Board; RFM Co-Chair (2004) E Wynn Presson: Mainstream Advisory Board; signed Republicans for Moore fundraising letter (2000) Ann Regnier: Mainstream Advisory Board (husband is Bob Regnier) Marcia Rinehart: Mainstream Board Shirley Rose: Mainstream Advisory Board George Tormohlen: Founding clergy member of Mainstream Elizabeth Tuttle: Mainstream Coalition intern (2002) Marilyn Uppman: Board John van Keppel MAIN*PAC Director (2002). Also helped with financial matters for Kansas Citizens for Science. Active in Heartland Humanists and atheists group. Priscilla Wilson: husband contributes to Mainstream Jean Wise: Mainstream Advisory Board. See Mainstream Coalition endorsement for Moore in 2002.
Abortion Supporters that are Republicans for Moore Republican for Moore co-chair Penny Stuber Moeller wrote a letter to the KC Star about her support for this grisly procedure that kills a viable baby. Suzanne Allen was on the Planned Parenthood of KS/Mid-Missouri Board of Directors, 1999-2000 Betty Crooker has been a board member of Planned Parenthood.
Joan Berkely, a Howard Dean contributor, contributed to $500 NARAL in 1999. Lois Culver is the "resident agent" for Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. Ties to third-trimester abortionist, George Tiller, in Wichita:
Robert Menilly is the founder and chairperson of Mainstream. He also served on the Planned Parenthood of KS/Mid-Missouri Board of Directors in 1999-2000. Mary Petrow was on the Planned Parenthood of KS/Mid-Missouri Board of Directors, 1999-2000. Ronald Yeomans was an abortionist at the local Planned Parenthood Comprehensive Health clinic. Both Yeomans and his wife, Helen, were Republicans for Moore in 2002. From a web site:
Mary Ca Ralstin was seen at one political event wearing a "Catholics for Choice" shirt.
Ronda Hassig is KS Political Chair of Greater KC Women's Political Caucus, a group supporting only pro-abortion candidates. Republican for Moore and atheist John R. van Keppel was against the pro-life appointment Phill Kline made in hiring Bryan J. Brown. See item under "Letters". Heartland Humanists /
Atheists / Free Thinkers
Notable Letters to the Editor by Republicans for Moore Do any of these letters support
"Republican" views?
Ties to GOP Club of Johnson County
Other Notable Republicans for Moore The Kansas City Star selected a "Republican for Moore" to ask a question During Moore-Kobach debate and then printed her anti-Kobach letter to the Kansas City Star. RFM and psychologist Harriet Barrish is the wife of president of the ACLU of KS and Western Missouri. Mary Beth Blake was a candidate for the Kansas Court of Appeals in 2003. Kathryn Bussing's husband, Gary, is a Leawood Councilman. Patricia Coole, one of the Democrat Republicans for Moore, has been a Democrat precinct committeewoman. Peggy Davis is the Kansas PTA President. State Board of Education Sue Gamble became a Republican for Moore in 2004. Ronda Hassig lead the recall effort on Republican State Senator Kay O'Connor. Now she's KS Political Chair of Greater KC Women's Political Caucus. What did she do with the swastikas she purchased? Shawnee Mission School Board member Larry Winn III became a Republican for Moore in 2004. Carol Heil was on the 2004 Bistate Committee organized by JoCo Commissioner Ed Peterson. William Nelson, a Howard Dean contributor, was a Republican for Kathleen Sebelius and serves on the Mainstream Advisory Board. Nelson is connected with GK Baum, which contributes to a number of liberal causes. Physician Ann Warner has contributed to David Adkins and Dennis Moore. Her husband is judge Steve Leben. Leben has changed political parties twice in recent years (he's DRD) and ruled against Kay O'Connor in her videotape privacy law suit. |
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So are "Republicans for Moore" a Republican group in any way?
Also see:
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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 |
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