There's a lot of campaign debt in the 1st Ward showing up in MEC reports, including $10,830 relating to Alderman Troupe and $26,000 relating to the El-Amins. But the real intrigue, when you look at all the committees related to the 1st Ward, is that it appears someone is sitting on a pot of money for a future race and there's a committee that received a nice sized check relating to the 2008 AG race but never reported receiving or spending it.

Note: last reported activity means last report other than Limited Activity filings.

Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe, up for re-election this March, last reported activity in April 2008: $1000 receipts (loan from himself), $182 expenses, $845.16 on hand, $1000 debt (to himself). Troupe, the former 1st Ward Committeeman and former 62nd Dist. State Rep., controls the First Ward Regular Independent Democratic Organization. It last reported activity in April 2007: $1000 receipts, $822.60 expenses, $708.75 on hand, $9,830.23 debt (owed to Troupe from 2005).

1st Ward Committeeman and 57th Dist. State Rep. Talibdin El-Amin last reported activity in Oct 2008: $8,623 receipts, $0 expenses, $9,983.28 on hand, $6,926.56 debt. $4,000 in debt was reported July 2008 with no explanation. By Oct., the debt was reported at $6,926.56, no explanation on the additional amount.

1st Ward Committeewoman and former 57th Dist. State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin, wife of Talibden El-Amin, has retained both her candidate committees.  El Amin for Senate, from her unsuccessful 2006 primary bid for the 4th Dist. state senate seat, last reported activity in July 2006: $18,870 receipts, $44,751.06 expenses, $68,440.64 on hand, $16,000 debt. The large on-hand seems like a lot to have had no further reporting on, unless it's being saved for a future campaign. Either that or it has been spent down without proper reporting to MEC. The debt is $10,000 reported loaned in Oct. 2005 by the El-Amins; $1,000 reported loaned in Jan. 2006 by her husband; and $5,000 in debt reported in July 2006 without explanation.

Her state rep. committee last reported activity in Dec. 2004 (yes, no activity in four years, but still the account remains open): $200 receipts, $90.79 expenses, $4,985.79 on hand, $3,115 debt. Don't try and figure out to whom the debt is owed and when it was incurred.

The El-Amins control the 1st Ward Democratic Organization, which last reported activity in Oct. 2007: $11,575 receipts, $0 expenses, $11,575.00 on hand, $0 debt.

57th District Legislative Committee, at an address in the Norwood Court Apartments Subdivision, Normandy, 71st State Rep. Dist., was created in Oct. 2007, filed a Jan. 2008 Limited Activity report in April 2008, and has made no further filings. What makes that failing to report or terminate more intriguing is that Economic Growth Council, Treasurer Chuck Hatfield, a PAC that helped Chris Koster get elected Attorney General, reported in April 2008 that it gave the committee $1,900 on March 24, 2008. No luck trying to find out more using the treasurer information.

Troupe's challengers for the 1st Ward seat, Sharon Tyus and Rhonda M. Kohlman (or Kohlman-Bruce) have yet to create committees. But Jan. 1st, Tyus did finally terminate Tyus for State Representative, from her unsuccessful 2006 primary bid for 60th Dist. State Rep., eating $11,805 in debt to herself. She ran for 1st Ward Alderman against Troupe in 2005 and was previously 20th Ward Alderwoman, a seat she lost due to 2001 redistricting.