Conservative “blogger” & Vandiver Group senior team member John Combest trades barbs with 4th District Senator Jeff Smith (photo courtesy Arch City Chronicle)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Paul Sloca

573-636-3146 or 573-301-0576

JEFFERSON CITY _ The revolving door of law-breaking Democrats heading to court continues tomorrow in Cooper County when Sen. Jeff Smith and Rep. Joe Aull appear in court facing up to a year in jail for using a false identification to enter a gambling boat.

The Democrats, who are scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Division I Circuit Court in Cooper County, were charged after Aull illegally handed over his casino identification to Smith, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, during a lobbyist-sponsored junket in July to the Isle of Capri casino in Boonville. The Associated Press has reported that Missouri State Highway Patrol surveillance tapes show that Aull gave his gambling card to the lobbyist, who then hung it around Smith’s neck. Smith then showed the card as if it was his own and was allowed to enter the gambling floor.

Despite the charges, Democrat leaders in the House and Senate have refused to condemn the lawmakers for the incident, just like they have refused to condemn Sen. Chuck Graham for charges relating to his drunken driving arrest and Rep. John Bowman for his federal fraud charges.

“The Jeff Smith and Joe Aull court appearances are another disturbing chapter in the lives of Democrat elected officials who increasingly find themselves on the wrong side of the state laws they are sworn to protect and uphold,” said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. “The behavior of Smith and Aull is unacceptable and we are confident that our system of justice will treat them as it would any other Missourian who has broken the law.”

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