This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, April 25, 2011 - The federal bank-fraud indictment of former St. Louis County Planning Commission chairman Douglas Morgan may be a concern for a number of past and current major political figures, including Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, and his likely GOP challenger in 2012, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.
Both men are among at least a dozen prominent politicians who have received donations from Morgan just since 2002.
Morgan, 65, had been on the planning commission for 22 years -- and was chairman for close to a decade -- when he was ousted in February by St Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, a Democrat who received more than $8,000 in campaign donations from Morgan and his wife since 2004.
Morgan's wife, Adrienne Morgan, also was recently removed by Dooley as a commissioner for the Zoo-Museum District. Dooley made little public comment at the time, other than to say it was time for other people to hold the jobs.
News reports last Friday, when the federal indictment was announced, did include a statement from Dooley that he was returning Morgan's donations. But there's been no word from the other politicians -- and both political parties -- who have benefited from Morgan's largess.
According to Missouri Ethics Commission records, Morgan and his immediate family have made at least $60,000 in campaign donations since 2002.
The bulk of the contributions have gone to Democrats, including: Nixon, former Gov. Bob Holden, then-state Auditor Claire McCaskill, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, state Treasurer Clint Zweifel, former state Auditor (now Democratic Party chairwoman) Susan Montee, and County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch.
But Republicans also have received money from Morgan and his family, including: Kinder, former Gov. Matt Blunt, former state Sen. John Loudon of Chesterfield, current state Sen. Eric Schmitt of Glendale, and state Rep. Mike Lair of Chillicothe, Mo.
Morgan also donated to the Missouri Republican Party and the Missouri Democratic Party.
The federal indictment accused Morgan of using "false and deceptive personal financial statements'' to obtain at least $1.5 million in loans from Commercial Bank, where he served on the board.
The U.S. Attorney's Office noted, in announcing the indictment, that Morgan also was a board member of Missouri Employers Mutual, which is the state's top provider of workers compensation insurance for employers.
