The Missouri Ethics Commission, Dec. 17, released a report finding Glenn Jamboretz guilty of breaking several campaign finance laws in his involvement with robocalls and mailings prior to the April 2012 Brentwood municipal election.
The mailings and robocalls were critical of Maureen Sunders, who was running for a Brentwood Ward 1 seat against Jim Bischoff.
Matt Saunders, acting for his wife Maureen, filed a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission in April 2012, asking the commission to investigate the anonymous mailings sent to Ward 1 residents in the week before the April 2012 municipal election.
Jamboretz owns The Glennon Company, a St. Louis public relations firm. Among the commission’s finding was that the city hired Jamboretz for a fee of $200 per hour, and the job was not put out to bid.
Some findings of the Missouri Ethics Commission:
In February, 2012, Jamboretz obtained the voter history for all four Brentwood wards.
On March 10, residents of Ward 1 received a robocall poll. The commission determined that Jamboretz worked with Brentwood Mayor Pat Kelly on the call.
Also in March, Maureen Saunders and others, who supported her, received a copy of “The Caine Munity,” a novel about a mentally unstable commander of a ship. Saunders and others also received strawberry jam and a package of marbles.
Also in that period, residents of Ward 1 received three mailings that suggested that Saunders was unstable, hated men and was narcissistic.
Jamboretz initially denied having anything to do with the campaign against Saunders, but when an investigator confronted him with evidence, he admitted being involved with all three mailers and the second robocall.
Jamboretz also said he paid for some of the mailings from his own funds or accepted donations of stamps or other supplies for all three mailers.
Jamboretz refused to tell the commission who the other contributors were, saying, he “helps people of substance who prefer to stay behind the scenes.”
Jamboretz was also found guilty of failing to file a finance disclosure report, and using a false “paid for disclaimer” with the mailings.
Jamboretz has been fined $2,000 with $1,000 being stayed if he pays $1,000 within 45 days.
Read the complete findings of the Missouri Ethics Commission.
A 2 thousand dollar fine with half suspended it is no wonder that politicians continue to break the rules
Likely next, will be the civil suit for defamation. Doubtful Jamboretz will stay silent on the stand when faced with mountainous legal fees and a judgement against. Then, the (up to now) protected person(s) who actually partnered in the smear will have to decide if perjury is in his (their) best interest.
Joe is correct. Our leaders are doing this? Time to vote them out!
The City of Brentwood hired Jamboretz to do this? Sounds as though Jamboretz should not be the only one who is censured, but anyone involved in the decision to use city funds to support a political candidate…
Counting the moments til Kelly finally decides to step down…