6th Ward Race
My apologies to Kacie Triplett who's bio lost a couple of sentences in the print edition (bad jump). Here is the entire article by Brian Werner:
As Lewis Reed makes a bid for President of the Board of Alderman, three candidates now vie for the 6th Ward seat.
The 6th Ward is one of the City’s most diverse wards. It includes the western part of downtown and stretches from Arsenal to Martin Luther King Drive, taking in neighborhoods as different as Compton Heights and JeffVanderLou. The population of the ward is a majority African-American, but registered voters are of almost equal numbers African-American and Caucasian.
The three candidates, Patrick Cacchione, Christian Saller, and Kacie Starr Triplett present themselves to voters in varied fashion:
Patrick Cacchione is the President of Advocacy Strategies, a political consulting firm. A longtime participant in the Democrat Ward Organization, Cacchione is currently the Democratic Committeeman. He ran for Alderman in 1999, losing to Lewis Reed. In this race Cacchione has chosen to highlight his political experience, “the choice, I think is very clear. Do you want someone with over 20 years of public policy experience or not?”
Christian Saller worked for the St. Louis Development Corporation until resigning to run for alderman. Saller focuses on very specific ways that he would deal with development and other issues based on his experience with SLDC. He also asserts that, “the fact that I’m willing to dedicate myself full time to the job is something the other candidates can’t offer.”
Kacie Starr Triplett takes a much different approach. Triplett, who most recently worked for Congressman Russ Carnahan, speaks in broader, ideological terms. She talks about vision, energy, and new ideas.
“A lot of people don’t feel that their voice is being heard,” said Triplett. “It’s time for new direction.”
Ward Member Controversy
The 6th Ward Democratic Organization is an “open ward” which means that the organization’s endorsement is decided by a vote of its members. The endorsement in a “closed ward” is determined by the ward’s committeeman and committeewoman. Both Cacchione and Triplett have sought to gain the endorsement by bringing new members into the Organization, and a conflict ensued.
Triplett submitted a list of names for new members along with payment of their membership dues. However, Cacchione took issue with Triplett’s methods. Cacchione said that a precedent existed in the Organization of residents joining on an individual basis, either in person or by mail.
Whether Triplett broke any rules is unclear because the Executive Committee has not been able locate the Organization’s bylaws, which presumably would address the question. The Committee was aware that the bylaws were missing before this situation arose and, according to Cacchione, had already created a Committee to create new bylaws based upon an earlier draft.
“We were unable to locate our bylaws…absent those bylaws, I chose to operate on precedence…someone else decided to forego precedent and make up their own laws.”
In an attempt to settle the dispute, the Executive Committee, which Cacchione and Triplett are both members of, met on December 18th. The day before the meeting, Triplett said on her website:
It appears there is an attempt underway to remove over 100 members from our organization. Unfortunately, it is no coincidence that a vast majority of these members are African-American. This is an attempt by the current committeeman, Mr. Cacchione, to change the rules at the last minute and guarantee the endorsement for himself.
At the Executive Committee meeting, Ward President Mary Entrup and committeewoman Bev Bucheit took issue with this characterization, arguing that as new members were submitted as a list of names, they had no way of knowing the race of new members.
The Executive Committee was not able to reach a decision on the 18th, but Triplett and Cacchione reached a compromise days later, agreeing that all recent additions to the Organization would be accepted and the deadline to join the Organization would be extended another week.
Triplett believes that some of the opposition she has faced is from people who think she shouldn’t be running for the seat.
“Here in St. Louis we have a process…there’s a whole belief where you wait your turn,” said Triplet. “There are some people who are upset that I’ve skipped the line.” Saller, who has not been as involved in the 6th Ward Organization, said he has not felt any of the same opposition as Triplett. Saller stayed out of the new member controversy focusing instead on reaching voters in other ways.
All three candidates did speak at the ward endorsement meeting, and Cacchione won the endorsement handily with a reported vote count of over a hundred to Tripletts’ fifty-some votes and Saller’s single digit tally.
Though all the parties would have probably preferred to avoid the controversy, the big winner was clearly the 6th Ward Organization which is now probably the biggest in the city.
This story is anything but complete. Your reporter failed to mention two very significant things: Cacchione's links to Republicans, including Talent, Emerson, and Akin. And the fact that he ran against Rep. Bill Clay. Your story would seem to suggest that he's a solid Democrat, but that's not really the case.
Now, I'd like to hear something of substance from Saller. It's great that he's pledging to work full time, but what the heck is he going to do for us for all those hours?
Posted by reporting on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 3:34 PMI find it hard to believe that a Democratic Committeeman and a guy who has only run as a Democrat is the Republican boogeyman you make him out to be.
Posted by skeptical on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 5:03 PMSkeptical:
He's ambitious--if he wants to be elected in the city, the only way is to run as a Democrat. Check the FEC reports if you don't believe that this guy is more R than D.
Posted by reportin on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 5:38 PMI went to his website, and he was a lobbyist for healthcare and social service organizations, and yes it looks like he worked with Republicans, but unless you were born yesterday, you may recall that they controlled the congress from 1994 to 2006.
If you know anything about our legislative process, only a fool would lobby the people with no power to pass legislation. Still doesn't mean he is a Republican. I believe many effective people donate on both sides of the aisle.
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/02/obamas_finance.html
check out that link, by your rationale Barack Obama's Democratic credentials would be in question.
Posted by still skeptical on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 6:52 PMIt is interesting that Cachione is going around saying that he works as a political consultant, when in actuality he is a lobbyist, plain and simple. "Republican boogeyman"? Thats putting it nicely.
Posted by Eric on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 6:54 PMthe terms are synonymous in the biz, and Democrats and Republicans lobby each other all the time, get over it people, as one blogger in this town always says, "Don't hate the players, hate the game..." A little lobbying for social service agencies does not a "Republican boogeyman" make. Reporter and Eric can you actually prove those claims?
Posted by insider on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 7:03 PMInsider, I find it very alarming that a lobbyist will continue to work as a lobbyist while also serving as an Alderman. Isn't that a violation of ethics?
A "little lobbying" (he's been lobbying for 20 years, right?) for social service agenices may not make a Republican, but donating to Republicans makes ME, a voter, in the 6th Ward, wonder where his loyalties and priorities lie.
Still Skeptical sounds like he is still grasping for straws. That link was to a contribution made by Barack Obama's finance chair; Patrick himself made the contributions to Jim Talent and Todd Akin. This stuff isn't hard to find. Just Google "Patrick Cacchione" and look at what comes up, or look for yourself: http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/patrick-cacchione.asp?cycle=06
So, these Republican contributions weren't in his distant past, he even gave in December of 2005, to Talent, and uber-conservative Todd Akin, for their 2006 re-elections. Hmmmm...and this guy wants me to think he is such a great Democrat, after giving Jim Talent $1000 to beat our Claire McCaskill?
Posted by Betty on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 10:33 PM"Reporting writes: "Now, I'd like to hear something of substance from Saller. It's great that he's pledging to work full time, but what the heck is he going to do for us for all those hours?"
Check out Christian's very recently updated web site (www.christiansaller.com), which includes a highly detailed discussion of his views on eminent domain, historic preservation, and the importance of walkable neighborhoods, among other topics. Or, better yet, show up at one of the upcoming candidate debates; the next one, co-sponsored by the DSLRA and the League of Women voters, takes place on Monday, Feburary 5, at 7:00 p.m. in the Central Library.
Another fun fact: He's never contributed a cent to the campaign of any Republican. You'd think that would go without saying for a candidate in a Democratic primary race, but not in this one, unfortunately...
Posted by Rene Saller on Thu., Feb 1, 2007 at 11:34 PM
betty, I also see contributions totalling $950 to Russ Carnahan a Democrat? Holy Smokes! Can it be true? Maybe the real story is how a Republican poses as a Democrat, then contributes to Republicans, then he poses as a Republican giving to Democrats and it is one big conspiracy, heck I bet he shot JFK!
Perhaps all of you have no idea what you are talking about and the guy just happens to be good at his job...
P.S. If that is Christian Saller's wife, somebody needs to tell her to act with more class than to take potshots at other candidates. Never heard Jackie Kennedy attack somebody.
Posted by interesting spin on Fri., Feb 2, 2007 at 6:52 AMHe is on the record of giving more money to Republicans than Democrats.
Carnahan is from Cacchione's ward for goodness sakes and he only gave him $950.00??!!
Cacchione's wife also gave to Talent as well. This guy apparently really likes Jim Talent. I am sure he is sad Claire defeated him. Now the real story is how much has he donated to President Bush!
Posted by ain'tsointeresting on Fri., Feb 2, 2007 at 11:29 AMCacchione has some very weird numbers on his reports with the FEC.
His donations
$1,250 Todd Akin 2004 – 2006
$950 Russ Carnahan 2006
$1,000 Jim Talent 2006
He gives money 2-1 to Republicans
His Lobbyist firm:
$0 from clients 2000-2002
http://www.campaignmoney.com/finance.asp?type=ln&cycle=&criteria=Cacchione
What kind of lobbyist has no clients?
He is also not listed as a lobbyist in the state of Missouri.
Interesting Spin writes: "If that is Christian Saller's wife, somebody needs to tell her to act with more class than to take potshots at other candidates. Never heard Jackie Kennedy attack somebody. "
Simply pointing out a fact, one that has already been mentioned numerous times by others in this forum and is a matter of public record, is not equivalent to "taking a potshot." But thank you for your interest in my decorum, however misplaced.
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