Former Cape councilman gets probation for federal tax crime

A federal judge on Thursday ordered former political campaign manager and lobbyist David Barklage to pay $151,843 in restitution for a federal tax crime.

Barklage was also sentenced to probation with a term of supervised release for three years and 120 hours of community service.

Barklage served on Cape Girardeau City Council at age 22 in 1984 while a student at Southeast Missouri State University. At the time of his election, he was the youngest person in state history to serve as a citywide elected official. He served as councilman for eight years

According to an indictment for Barklage’s case, Barklage had several sources of income from 2012 to 2014, but did not report a substantial portion on his individual income tax returns.

The indictment stated Barklage failed to report $443,633 in income and therefore owed $151,843 in taxes.

More than $200,000 of the income Barklage failed to report was received from a political campaign in Missouri. He Barklage deposited all of these funds into his personal bank account instead of his business account, according to the indictment.

At the time, Barklage was half owner of Barklage and Knodell, a campaign management and consulting firm, and full owner of The Barklage Co.

Barklage was indicted on April 28 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. He pled guilty to the charge Aug. 25.

Prior to Barklage’s sentencing hearing on Thursday, his defense lawyer, Joseph Passanise, filed a 50-page sentencing brochure on Barklage’s character. The document contained a history of Barklage’s life, family photos and 18 letters penned by political consultants, colleagues and business executives.

Cape Girardeau attorney and former circuit court judge John Grimm wrote a letter on Barklage’s character. He described Barklage as generous.

“I do not believe his personal gain is the primary or even significant motivation for anything David does,” Grimm wrote.

Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon, lobbyist Andy Blunt, businessman and former Missouri governor candidate John Brunner, also wrote letters in support of Barklage.

Barklage’s lawyers released a statement Thursday on his behalf.

“Mr. Barklage has taken this matter very seriously and worked diligently to pay restitution in full at the time of his sentencing and is humbled by this experience and grateful for the continued support he received from his family and friends,” the statement read.