Miami Beach. NRA. A Gaming Commissioner. Stone County Assessor. Labor Money. Construction Money. Structure History. Creative Reporting. Mark Finney. Loans. County Address Intrigue. A Collection Agency. Election History. Lobbyists.

1st Ward Alderman Charles Troupe's is finally showing his hand. Committee to Elect Charles Q Troupe for Alderman reported a beginning balance of $737.16, $10,200 in money raised, $8,882.25 in loans from himself, $5,075.24 in expenses, $12,744.17 on-hand, $7,882.25 debt.

Donations the likes of which you don't often see on a City alderman's report include $500 from NRA Political Victory Fund (last year, Troupe called upon citizens to arm themselves) and $25 from outgoing Republican Stone County Assessor Allen Berkstresser (Branson/Table Rock Lake). Another contrib of note was $500 from NOLA attorney Bernard L. Charbonnet Jr., brother of NOLA Municipal Court Judge Desiree Charbonnet (elected), former NOLA Recorder of Mortgages (elected), the first African-American woman to hold elected office there.

From Labor, $200 from Laborers Int'l Local 43, $450 total from CWA Dist. 6 PAC, $300 from Electrical Workers Voluntary Fund. Contribs from local electeds were $100 from 16th Ward Committeeman, Sheriff Jim Murphy ($100); $100 from 14th Ward Committeeman, former 1st Dist. State Senator Harry Kennedy, now with Board Prez Lewis Reed.

In construction biz-related funds, Troupe received $4200 (41% of all money raised) from 12 sources including $1000 donor Dyemasters, $750 donors Gateway Contractors and Johnson & Son Contracting, and $250 from AGC of St. Louis PAC. Landscaping biz donors were $1000 from JTL Landscaping and $200 from Greenspace Lawn Service. Security system manufacturer Pro-Guard Inc kicked in $1000.

Troupe failed to include donor employer/occupation for five individual donors, so some research was necessary on them.

But, Troupe made an effort to disclose expenditures made by other than the committee but benefiting the committee. He made three loans to the committee in which he both filled out loan information forms and provided an itemized accounting of expenses corresponding to the loans paid by him: $3707.25 to O.R. Pechman (signs); $3000 to U.S. Postal Service; $175 to Harris Printing.

By going the loan route, instead reimbursement in the future, he added nearly $7,000 to his total receipts, now at $17,082.25, and provided transparency on expenses sorely missing on other candidate's reports, 25th Ward alderman candidate Travis Reems comes to mind. Troupe's biggest expense paid by the committee this report was $4474 to Zip Mail Services.

Troupe also has his own ward club. First Ward Regular Independent Democratic Organization showed a beginning balance of $5.35, $4400 monetary raised, $1,336.46 spent by check, $9 spent by cash, $3,059.59 on-hand, $9,830.23 debt.

The biggest donors were $2000 total from Salama Markets and $1800 total from former 60th Dist. state rep. candidate Shaun Simms (husband of former 60th Dist. State Rep. Amber Boykins) and New Millennium Properties &. It's not known what was supposed to come after the "&" but New Millenium Properties was a fictitious name registration by Simms created and canceled in 2001. The Building Division received a $950 judgment against him in Nov 2008 (0822-TJ02154).

Labor-related donations totaled $500, $100 from Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers Local #1 PAC, $200 from Pipefitters Voluntary Political Fund, $100 from St. Louis Theatrical Brotherhood Local 6, $100 from Labor Tribune's Ed Finkelstein. Like Troupe's campaign committee, his ward club does not provide employer occupation for donors.

The group's largest expenses were $538.50 to O.R. Pechman for signs and $400 to Harris Printing. Bank fees were $9, likely an automatic fee deducted from the account and the cash spent noted on the Summary Page. The amount is noteworthy precisely because of its size. Over the past year there has been a noticeable rise in bank fees on campaign reports, wire transfer or hot check related.

Troupe incorporated First Ward Regular Independent Organization in 1996 and it was administratively dissolved in 1999. He incorporated _First Ward, First Ward Independent Organization, First Ward Progressive Democratic Organization, and First Ward Regular Democratic Organization in 2000 and they were dissolved the next year. It was once a common practice here for politicians to incorporate various ward-specific club names in an attempt to reduce the options for what competitors could call their organizations.

Troupe served as 62nd Dist. State Rep. from 1979-2002. 1996 General Election, he (98.08% 8376 votes) beat challenger Robert Rehbein (1.92% 164 votes), U.S. Taxpayer Party. In 2005, with Alderwoman Irene Smith running for mayor, Troupe ran to replace her and won (56.99% 995 votes) against redistricted into the 1st Ward former 20th Ward Alderwoman Sharon Tyus (40.72% 711 votes) and activist Cleo Willis (2.29% 40 votes). Willis donated $100 to Troupe this report, the only donor without an address given. In 2005 Jan, while running for alderman, he incorporated C Q Troupe & Associates LLC "to provide professional consulting services for entities corresponding with private and government offices."

2007-2008 lobbyist expenditures (meals & beverages) designated to Troupe were $12.95 by Brian Leonard (Ameren UE), $20.66 by Carrie Thum (Walmart), $10.26 by Denise Hasty (Associated General Contractors).

Troupe's filing address, 5353 Union, built 1907, two garages, is owned by him.

Citizens to Elect Sharon Tyus filed a 40 Days Before Primary Report for the March 3 primary which MEC received Feb. 17, not a timely filing. She reported loaning herself $373.37 and spending it on election records and the filing fee. Her on-hand was zero with the $373.37 as debt.

Tyus' 8 Days Before Primary Report showed $2500 monetary raised from four donors, $6000 in loans from herself ($1000 and $5000), $6,874.82 spent, $1,625.18 on-hand, $6,373.37 total debt. Her donors included $1000 total from Kingsfood Market; $500 from political consultant and longtime Congressman William Clay Sr aide Pearlie Evans; $500 from Mark Finney's Conlon Group Arizona; $500 from Missouri Gaming Commissioner Darryl T. Jones, he and his family described in his MGB bio as "long time residents of St. Louis City"  but, as it turns out, actually now live in Olivette.

In expenses, she sent $1850 to Miami Beach for lit printing and $698.46 to Davenport, Iowa for signs; spent $3,380 total with the U.S. Postmaster and $700 with Adsell for a mailing.

ACC previously reported that MEC had been trying for years to collect money from Tyus but hadn't been able to serve her a summons. It turns out the penalty amount was much higher than the $4000 reported here and there's county address intrigue involved.

According to court records, 2004 March 11, MEC held a hearing on Case A3161 and ruled Tyus had violated campaign finance laws. The gist of the case: 20th Ward Regular Democratic Organization, for which Tyus served as treasurer and the person responsible for filing reports, made contributions of $1500 and $3000 on 2003 April 7 and April 9 to the 4th Ward Original Democrate (sic) Organization. Count I - Section130.046.1(3) RSMo - Committee failed to file 2003 Quarter Reports covering Jan.-June. Count II - Section 130.031.3 RSMo - Committee failed to disclose from whom the Committee received the funds that were contributed to the 4th Ward and failed to disclose that the Committee had donated funds to the 4th Ward.

MEC ordered Tyus to pay a $10,000 penalty if she failed to file all the delinquent reports within 45 days. Tyus failed to comply. 2004 May 28, MEC sent a letter to Tyus demanding payment. As of 2007 Dec 13, Tyus had not paid up and a suit was filed in Cole County Circuit Court to collect the penalties (07AC-AC02235. There was no hearing because of failure to serve a summonses on her, by deputy sheriff or certified mail, from 2008 Jan 11 to May 30.

What's most surprising is that summonses service attempts were made on two addresses: 1000 Goby Rd, St. Louis County and 4968 Maffitt Pl, St. Louis City. According to a St. Louis County Real Estate Search, in 2004, Tyus purchased the two bedroom bungalow.

Tyus and Sterling Miller, her husband, own her filing address, 4968 Maffitt Place, built 1921. They also own 4968 Maffitt Place; 4855-4857 Northland, 4th Ward, via their T & M Holdings LLC; and 1900-1902-1904 Mallinckrodt, 3rd Ward, via their Hyde Park Garden Limited Partnership. It makes you wonder why the Goby address in the County was chosen for summonses service as opposed to Tyus' other properties.

No filings yet this year for any of the committees owned by the 1st Ward's El-Amins: Committee for El-Amin 57th, El Amin for Senate, Committee to Elect Yaphett El-Amin for State Rep, 1st Ward Democratic Organization.

2009 Jan 26, CACV of Colorado (Collect America) received a default judgment for $13,124 plus court costs against Talibdin El-Amin in St. Louis City Circuit Court (0822-AC02131).  57th Dist. State Rep. Talibdin El-Amin and former 57th Dist. State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin own their home at 5058 Durant, built 1929.

Regarding electeds/candidates controlling a candidate committee and a continuing committee, such as a ward PAC, 2008 March 13, MEC ruled in 05E133 Thomas Bauer that a candidate cannot form, control or direct a continuing committee. The issue was addressed more extensively in 2003 in MEC Opinion 2003-03-104.  Granted, the law appears to be widely disregarded in St. Louis City.

Previous 1st Ward stories here, here, here.  See Attachment for Page 1 of petition against Sharon Tyus.