I originally started this blog to keep tabs on my local politicians. It was my hope to shed some light on local politics and educate people (the traditional role of the press!!!). I never monetized the site. I never wanted it to look like I was profiting off of this. I wanted it to appear as it has always, a concerned citizen who is passionate about changing government for the better. As I have become more educated on local politics, I have come to realize how very few “good guys” there are. Most politicians and people involved in politics are exactly what we think they are, power hungry and unprincipled. It is about them, nothing else.
I have known for some time that Ryan Silvey was friendly towards Vic Hurlbert. Believe me I have been warned enough about him by certain players inside of Clay County politics. I have always defended Ryan and even promoted his political career here on the blog. He has been helpful and respectful to me in the past. Unfortunately, I can defend and support Ryan no more.
Why, you may ask? Well, there is this video (please go and watch it, if you have a YouTube account please click the dislike button):
watch?v=ZByXNKPemHk&feature=player_embedded
Yes, that is his endorsement of Vic Hurlbert for state representative. He actually said that “Vic understands the importance of limited, efficient, transparent government.” Oh, so that’s why he left Clay County government in disgrace! Ryan, please, let me see the dictionary you are using, because I don’t think those terms mean what you think they do.
You have to give Mr. Hurlbert credit, he’s running a great campaign, but as always in politics, things are not what they appear. He is hard at work trying to purchase this house seat. According to his July 2012 report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission, Hurlbert has loaned his campaign $78,800.00. As if that isn’t bad enough, he did it through a series of mostly $4,900.00 loans which fall just short of the $5,000.00 threshold that triggers mandatory reporting within 48 hours of receiving the loan. This allows Hurlbert to hide his self funding loans until the end of the reporting period (TRANSPARENCY!!!!). Desperate to win this seat, Hurlbert is funding his own campaign as the voting public has failed to support him through contributions. To date, he has received only two contributions from the public. As if this attempt to buy a state rep seat isn’t bad enough, this isn’t Hurlbert’s first election purchase. Hurlbert bought the Clay County Presiding Commissioner seat for his wife Pam Mason, the formerly defeated County Clerk by “loaning” her over $101,200.00 which has now been “forgiven” according to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Until Americans figure out that politics is not about the guy (or gal) from your party winning, politics does not change, this country does not get better, and you give sanction to individuals that don’t put principles first. And at some point truly principled conservatives need to recognize that the problem does not lie in the other “team”; instead, it lies within the Republican party. The only way we change that is we stop supporting incumbents that have lost their way.
As of today, I encourage Republican voters in Clay County Missouri to NOT vote for Ryan Silvey in his Senate race versus Sandra Reeves. Don’t get me wrong, the answer is not to vote for the Democrat in this race. In Missouri we have the ability to write in a name or simply to fill in the write-in bubble and leave it blank. This is what I will be doing in both the primary and general election ballot.
Musings from Clay County Missouri 
[…] Representative @RyanSilvey: Just Another Politician […]
His wife was campaigning in my housing edition and after talking to her I decided to vote for him but when I saw his ad yesterday touting the “true conservative” Hurlbert, I tossed his flyer in the trash. Is there anyone decent to vote for anymore on either side? Hurlbert needs to remember even Michael Vick had a pet, we see where that ended up. Having a pet does not make you a good person.
It seems that this same bunch was fined $8000.00 by the Ethics Commission before for playing games with disclosing donations.
All of Clay County politics and the bunch, stink. They take care of their own with appointments here or there. It’s like musical office up there. I love Luann Ridgeway but I seriously think she will taint her reputation by holding an office in Clay County. As far as Vic Hurlbert goes, too bad so many people have forgotten that he resigned in disgrace in early 2009 amid allegations of mismanagement and misconduct, and was being investigated by a special prosecutor. He says he wants to “Keep Missouri government accountable” when he dipped into the taxpayers pockets to fork over more than $2000 for a wall to be built in his office. Then taxpayers had to fork over more money for the wall to be torn down. The wall had been constructed AFTER business hours to further this UNAUTHORIZED secret project. Vic hurlbert was ordered to attend a meeting with the Clay County Commission and was evasive when asked about the unauthorized expenditure. Vic stated, through his lawyer, “He told you he is ready to move anything else is irrelevan” (regarding the subject of unauthorized money spending). If he doesn’t feel he has to answer for the wasteful spending of our money, what the hell is he going to do for us down in Jefferson City?! @Abby Call: You asked, “Is there anyone decent to vote for anymore on either side?” Research Ken Wilson for state rep. He is running against a relative of Vic Hurlbert. Ken is a classy stand up guy and he is definately what the country has been looking for in a political candidate…
Unfortunately for the write in to count, that person has to be registered with the state as a write-in. I guess I should have signed up to run back in Feb. Although there is still time to gather signatures to run as an independent (7/30 deadline).
Finally someone is calling Silvey out for the jerk he really is. We went to church with him and he hadn’t been in Jeff City a year before he had a girlfreind. He then deserted his wife and infant child to marry this other woman. (I guess that is what his wife gets for having his child and supporting him on his previous campaigns). He is also in the pocket of the unions (if you don’t believe it look at how the donate thousands to his campaign). He can’t be trusted. I guess that is why Silvey and Hurlbert are such good friends – they both left their wife for someone the hooked up with while supposedly serving the taxpayers – what a crock!!! I’m not a Sandra Reeves fan but I will vote for her in November and I WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR VIC HURLBERT!!!
So help me understand this. Vic wants to get elected…in order to do so…he loans himself some money. And you unendorsed Ryan because he supports Vick, because Vick loans himself money.
So what? It takes money to make money.
So what if he does these loans so that they appear near the end of the statement period.
SO WHAT if he leant his wife’s campaign money so she could win?
Andrew I have to say that there has to be something else happening here. Why do you have ANY CARE as to what Hulbert does with his money? There is only one person I know that has enough gaul to tell people what to do with their money…Obama.
Who is Hulbert running against? Are you supporting the other person?
People, Ryan is a great guy. I go to church with him, and know him personally. This is so far out of “left” field (pun intended) that there must be some hidden motivation behind this. Andrew, I am sorry that it has come to this, but now I must un-endorse you for this. Bashing a republican…for spending his own money, to get elected, and then un-endorsing another republican for endorsing him…ridiculous.
BTW…Vic Hurlbert…Endorsed by:
-State Senator Luann Ridgeway
-State Representative Ryan Silvey
-Vernon and Charlene Armitage
-Missouri Right to Life
-Missouri Chamber of Commerce
-Missouri Fraternal Order of Police
I hope that we get a un-endorsement of Luann, Vernon and Charlene Armitage, Missouri Right to Life, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police.
Andrew you must be consistent. Un-endorse these organizations and people post haste.
Robert, it’s glaringly apparent you don’t know the whole story here. Maybe you ought to read a little more on the blog before you go off half-cocked assuming it is just about money. A) You would know that I support Noel Shull and have from the beginning. B) You might want the full story on Vic and Pam and what they have done here in the county. That’s what this is about. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and enter the search terms, “Vic Hurlbert” or “Pam Mason.” Make sure you go back some time, too.
So know that you have un endorsed Ryan and Luann, what is the logical conclusion of your un-endorsement? To have democrats elected into those seats? Would that be acceptable to you? That is the only logical conclusion that can be drawn from your un-endorsement. Based on this I draw the following conclusion…You support a democrat in the senate seat now occupied by Luann, and you support a democrat for the commissioner seat that Luann is running for. Since no other republicans are running and you offered no viable alternative that is what you support. Additionally, you support a “republican” who gave the maximum contribution to a high ranking senior democratic state Senator.
It almost appears that your vendetta or whatever it is, has clouded your long term view of what is trying to be accomplished. So in essence you are supporting three moves that enable democrats this election cycle.
So to make sure that we don’t let the other team win, we play the game, right? Robert, I’ve never professed to be a Republican. At times, I find the Republican party as much of a joke as the Democrat party. This country is where it is at because of BOTH parties, not just one. Had you been a devoted follower of this blog you would have known that is where I am coming from. I supported Sheila Ernzen, a Democrat, for auditor against William James Norris in the last election cycle.
No, I don’t support the Democrat in either race, but you are effectively right, by not voting for the Republican they gain an advantage, yes. You are using an argument that is similar in format to the wasted vote argument that has so often been used against people that vote third party. A wasted vote is voting for something or someone you don’t believe in. I no longer believe in Rep. Silvey or Sen. Ridgeway.
As for the contribution thing, I don’t have a clue what you are talking about. Do tell…
BTW…I am still waiting on the un-endorsement of the following:
-Vernon and Charlene Armitage
-Missouri Right to Life
-Missouri Chamber of Commerce
-Missouri Fraternal Order of Police
I would not support Charlene Armitage again in the future. BTW Charlene Armitage is related to Pam Mason who is Vic Hurlbert’s current husband. Just found that out recently.
As for the group endorsements, they are meaningless. Often special interest group endorsements mean that you have to answer a survey a certain way. Is it a true indicator of future behavior, maybe, maybe not. Surveys are often constructed with multiple questions, one wrong answer on one question and poof no endorsement. Special interest groups that give endorsements concern me, I would rather see all of the questions laid out and the respondents answers published, no endorsement given. Considering that three of those groups are statewide I have no expectation for them to know all the details of what is going on, or has gone on, here in Clay County.
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