House speaker Kreider focus of ethics complaint by GOP

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republicans have filed an ethics complaint alleging that House Speaker Jim Kreider improperly controlled a committee that paid for a mailing attacking his GOP opponent for state Senate.

The mailing was sent to registered voters on Aug. 1, five days before Dan Clemens defeated fellow Republicans Darrell Decker and Gordon Nordquist for the party's nomination to the 20th District Senate seat.

The mailing charged that Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, along with "millionaire ball stadium owners" and casino groups, were "trying to buy the election" by financing Clemens' campaign.

The Republican complaint, filed last week with the state Ethics Commission, alleges that Kreider "coordinated the activities" of the Ethical Missouri committee, which financed the attack mailing.

Kreider, D-Nixa, has denied the allegation, calling it "ridiculous and outrageous."

The Missouri Ethics Commission is investigating, as it is required to do by law.