7/30/10 – Kansas City Star: Ploeger disputes Salva’s claims on Sam and Lindsey’s law
“Kander did lament, he said, how the proposed legislation had become campaign fodder. “I am really committed to getting this done next year,” Kander said, “and I am not interested in seeing something that is important and has bi-partisan support become a political football in a partisan primary.”

7/22/10 – Missouri Lawyers Media: Assignment leads to discrimination claim in Jackson County Circuit Court
“A teacher walked away from the Kansas City School District nearly two years ago claiming he saw death waiting for him in a classroom of emotionally disturbed children. Now the man with a heart condition is in Jackson County Circuit Court, blaming the district for moving him to the class and forcing him to resign from his 27-year teaching career . . . Another attorney from the Barnes Law Firm trying the case for the plaintiff is Jason Kander, a Democratic state representative of Kansas City.”

7/16/10 – KOLR 10: Nixon signs bills, Pockets abortion law
“State Representative Jason Kander, D-Kansas City sponsored several pieces of legislation that went into the ethics bill. He said the bill was a first step towards ethics reform, but in a written statement, said he was disappointed by the final outcome. ”As a result of (Republican House leadership) obstruction, many important reforms were left out and much of what is left in the bill is watered down,” wrote Kander. “With this law, we have taken the first of many steps forward toward cleaning up business as usual in Jefferson City.”

7/16/10 – The Turner Report: Kander: Never give up
“In his newsletter, Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, talks about this year’s attempt to get ethics legislation through the state legislature”

7/14/10 – The St. Louis Beacon: Nixon signs ethics bill
The bill’s chief sponsor in the House, state Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said in a statement that he was pleased that Nixon signed it into law. “I am proud to have authored many important provisions in the bill, but I remain incredibly disappointed at the crass political gamesmanship exhibited by the Republican House leadership while the rest of the Legislature worked to get this bill passed,” Kander said. “As a result of their obstruction, many important reforms were left out and much of what is left in the bill is watered down.”

7/14/10 – Guard-cast: The OCS Platoon Trainers

7/14/10 – The Marshall Democrat-News: Democrat-News will preserve local veteran stories
“Veterans in Saline County will soon have a venue for sharing stories of wartime experience. Coinciding with Rep. Jason Kander, other representatives and the University of Missouri’s effort to record veteran stories, The Marshall Democrat-News will also be producing a video program.”

7/14/10 – The Turner Report: Kander on signing of ethics bill: It’s not enough
“Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, who fought hard for some actual ethics reform in Missouri and ran into a buzzsaw, issued the following statement on Gov. Jay Nixon’s signing today of the watered-down bill that eventually was passed . . .”

7/13/10 – The Pitch: Mr. Ethics: Jason Kander tried to clean up Missouri politics, but the waters wanted to stay muddy
“Like much of his work, Kander’s thinking on ethics reform is informed by his time in Afghanistan. As a lieutenant, he led a team of intelligence soldiers who investigated dirty dealers inside the Afghan government, meeting with political leaders who felt the presidency was off limits because they didn’t have the money to win an election Karzai-style.”

7/12/10 – Associated Press: Lawmakers, MU keep vets’ stories alive
“As a veteran of Afghanistan and an active member of the Army National Guard, Rep. Jason Kander knows the importance of sharing stories from combat. But he isn’t keen on the idea of doing that on taxpayers’ dimes — 6 million dimes, to be exact.”

7/12/10 – Columbia Tribune: Vets’ stories may survive
“When Kander began questioning the allocation during a budget committee meeting this past session, he learned that the state was the company’s only client. Further investigation revealed that those affiliated with Patriot Productions also made campaign contributions to Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, said Kander, D-Kansas City. Then Kander asked how much each video cost. When lawmakers learned the price tag was $1,400 a video, “there was an audible gasp in the room,” he said.”

7/12/10 – The Army Times: University keeps vets story project alive
“Arguing against funding that supported a veterans program wasn’t easy, Kander said. “But when we’re in a budget crisis and cutting funding left and right from vital state services, it’s impossible to justify,” he said. . .And, perhaps just as important, “we’re going to continue it in a way the state can actually afford,” Kander said. “I’m a veteran of Afghanistan so I know a lot of people who have valuable stories to tell. I’m just not willing to spend $1,400 in taxpayer money for every one of those stories.”

6/18/10 – The Source: Jackson County House Rep Roundup
“Republican Sarah Miller formed a committee on April 21 to challenge incumbent Jason Kander in the 44th, but faces his very formidable warchest of $90,499 . . . This could be a test for Kander.”

6/13/10: St. Joseph News Press: Soldiers train to become officers
“You’ve got to be able to know where you are anywhere in the world,” said Capt. Jason Kander, officer candidate school platoon trainer. That’s why 40 Missouri National Guard soldiers in officer candidate class 49 worked on land navigation, day and night, during their fourth drill weekend. The class is part of an 18-month program where they’ll have to demonstrate they have what it takes to become officers.”

5/25/10 – KC Free Press: Who will take KC’s political plum when Cleaver retires?
“Gung-ho, incredibly smart, and proving himself effective even in the toxic atmosphere of Jefferson City, Mr. Kander would be a natural candidate for Congress, and since he’s barely past the Congressional age minimum of 25, he should have plenty of time for Cleaver to make his eventual decision to retire.”

5/18/10 – Warrensburg Daily Star Journal: Ethics bill roller coaster ends calmly
“These are solid steps forward made possible by the bipartisan efforts of people including Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, and Reps. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, and Tim Flook, R-Liberty.  Because of their efforts, members of the Missouri General Assembly who fail to act ethically will face consequences.”

5/17/10 – Hancock & Kelley on KMOX: Radio interview (Audio)
John and Mike get a wrap up of the Missouri Legislative Session from State Representative Jason Kander.

5/17/10 – Warrensburg Daily Star Journal: General Assembly passes ethics legislation
“Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, and Rep. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, worked to gain bipartisan approval for the bill in the House . . . Under present law, finding who donated to a candidate is tough, Flook said. ”You had to do this shell game to figure out what the source was,” he said. “The result of this ethics bill is nearly 700 political action committees are going to go up in smoke.”

“It would be a mistake,” Kander said moments after the House passed the bill, “to declare victory over ethics reform when we really just tiptoed into the fight.”

5/16/10 – Kansas City Star: In analyzing their 2010 session, Missouri lawmakers get a grade of incomplete
“On ethics, Nixon laid out a four-point platform for reforming the state’s campaign finance system that included a call to restore donation limits. The General Assembly granted him one of those points — a ban on committee-to-committee money transfers aimed at ending the laundering of political contributions. “What we accomplished here is we finally started,” said Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat. “We finally got started.”

Nixon had hoped for far more, especially after House Speaker Ron Richard appointed a special bipartisan committee to deal with the issue. “It was a real missed opportunity,” he said at his end-of-session news conference.

5/15/10 – Columbia Missourian: Ethics, tax credit focus of final days of 2010 legislative session
“Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City who had proposed his own ethics bill before the legislative session began, said he supported the bill, but warned members against “breaking their arms” to pat themselves on the back for passing “comprehensive” ethics reform.

“This is the beginning of ethics reform,” Kander said, adding that he supported the bill because it created a foundation from which future reform could be built.”

5/15/10 – Show Me Progress: CCR #3, HCS #2 SB 844 Ethics Reform passes
“I spoke with Representative Kander this morning in the House side gallery. When I stated that it looked like ethics reform legislation was dead last week he replied that at that point he was not going to give up until the end. A number of Democratic representatives stated in debate that the bill is far from comprehensive, but it was a good start.”

5/14/10 – Kansas City Star: Ethics reform on a diet in the Missouri legislature
“The bill does contain some measures to impede the handing off of money among political committees in an attempt to conceal the source of the funds. That’s good. But it doesn’t address the issue of what Rep. Jason Kander calls the “bagmen.” Those are people who act as treasurers for multiple committees, running numerous such operations out of the same address. As Kander said, you need more eyes on that process.”

5/14/10 – The Turner Report: Kander issues statement on passage of ethics reform
“As I said when I filed a bipartisan proposal last year, my bill alone cannot tackle the ever-evolving and wide-ranging problem of public corruption. There is lots of work remaining. I will continue my efforts to advance true, comprehensive ethics reform to a vote in the next legislative session.”

5/13/10 – Springfield News Leader: Renewed effort for ethics legislation
“House Democrats appeared pleased with the compromise after voting against the House version last week because it contained politically charged provisions they couldn’t support. ”It appears Sen. Shields has stepped in and said we’re going to be adults,” said Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat who co-sponsored one of several ethics bills this session.”

5/13/10 – KCUR Up to Date w/ Steve Kraske: Interviews w/ Gov. Jay Nixon, Sen. Matt Bartle, Reps. Skaggs, Kander, and Pratt (Kander interviewed re: ethics reform)

5/13/10 – Tony’s Kansas City: Missouri House Bobbleheads
“Thanks to a TKC Readers for giving us a look at a birthday present for Kansas City’s State Rep Jason Kander also included is Rep. Webber . . .”

5/12/10: St. Louis Post-Dispatch: House Republicans targeting Democrats with robocalls on ethics vote
The General Assembly is still debating ethics legislation, but that hasn’t stopped House Republicans from using a vote on an ethics bill last week for robocalls targeting Democrats in key districts. . .Rep. Jeanne Kirkton said she believed voters in her district were smart enough to understand that she voted against a bill that “wasn’t the real ethics bill.”

“The whole thing was political theater,” Kirkton said. “If you laid out what was in that bill compared to what was in the Jason Kander-Tim Flook bill, they’d see right through it.”

5/11/10 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Vote on federal health care issue set for August ballot
“Democrats referred to the bill as an “election-year stunt.” “The moment everybody figured out this is an election year, things seemed to get a lot sillier,” state Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said about the legislation.”

5/11/10 – Associated Press: House approves ethics, elections legislation
“Democrats called it a “sham” and questioned Republicans’ sincerity in overhauling ethics.

Rep. Jason Kander, who had filed a bipartisan proposed ethics overhaul, said the measure debated Thursday was a “mockery” and an effort to inject partisan politics into the debate. He said the House’s handling of ethics legislation had been disappointing enough to make him cynical.

“They want to be able to say they did something about ethics reform without actually having to do anything about ethics,” said Kander, D-Kansas City.”

5/07/10 – Missourinet: I’ll see your discharge petition and raise you one massive, unconstitutional bill
“House Speaker Pro Tem Bryan Pratt of Blue Springs only topped his criticism of Democrats with his praise of the bill after inquiring of Democrat Jason Kander of Kansas City.”

5/06/10 – Kansas City Star: Mo House passes watered-down ethics bill; bipartisanship goes out the window
The Missouri House on Thursday passed a watered-down and politically divisive version of ethics reform legislation, advancing it to the Senate but eroding what was once strong bipartisan support. . .  “If you’re serious about having a bill go through the process you don’t unnecessarily inject controversial and irrelevant items into that bill,” said Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat.

5/06/10 –  St. Louis Post-Dispatch: House passes wide-ranging ethics bill after raucous debate
“Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, called the bill a “sham,” because it added ethics to so many unrelated topics.

“This is a mockery of everythiing that we’ve been talking about for eight months,” said Kander.”

5/06/10 – Columbia Daily Tribune: Ethics bill has catch-all content
“Not only does the 66-page bill touch on lobbying and campaign contributions, it also would change how elections are conducted to fill state office vacancies and requires nearly everyone in elected state offices, the General Assembly and state department heads to submit to drug tests before taking office and every two years thereafter.

“It’s a mockery of the original intention of a bipartisan coalition that set out to accomplish real ethics reform even in an election year,” said Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, who was involved in the drafting of ethics legislation earlier in the session. Kander said the bill was filled with “poison pills” that will “kill the bill under its own weight.”

5/03/10 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Steve Tilley holds the key to fate of ethics reform bill
“I will continue to resist all maneuvers by members of Republican leadership to kill this effort,” said Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City. Kander this year joined forces with Rep. Tim Flook, R-Liberty to offer a bipartisan ethics bill that contained many of the provisions of the final bill that came out of the House committee. . . The maneuvering back and forth on the ethics issue might serve an election-year purpose: It keeps both Republicans and Democrats from having to register any votes that might be used against them. With two weeks left in the session, time is running out.

“Enough excuses and blame shifting,” Kander said. “Let’s vote.”

4/28/10 – Kansas City Star: Ethics reform in trouble in Missouri capitol
“Democratic Rep. Jason Kander from Kansas City calls the latest maneuverings a “nuclear option” that Democrats resorted to in a last-ditch effort to force an open debate on true ethics reform . . .

So maybe Kander and the Democrats have cooked their own goose. Or maybe they’ll yet work something out. But the fact remains that if Majority Leader Steve Tilley, R – Perryville, and House Speaker Ron Richard, R – Joplin, don’t want real ethics reform, it won’t get through the House. And neither has shown any sign of wanting to significantly improve the rotten culture that characterizes Missouri government.”

4/27/10 – The Turner Report: House members return ethics bill to debate calendar
“Fifty-six Democrats and three Republicans moved ethics legislation back to the House floor today, thwarting the efforts of House GOP leaders to kill any bill that would restore campaign contribution limits . . . Added state Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City: “I support moving ethics reform forward despite obstacles erected to prevent progress by those who thrive under the current system.”

4/24/10 – Kansas City Star: Tina Porter, whose kids were slain by their father, testifies for child protection bill
“[Porter] shared ideas with Jim Kanatzar, the Jackson County prosecutor, and Mike Sanders, the county executive, and they pointed her to Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat, who put her ideas into a bill. In the hearing last week, Kander laid out the mother’s modest requests:

When a request for an Amber Alert is denied, that denial should be reported to a statewide committee overseeing the alerts.

Tina Porter asked police to issue such an alert that weekend in 2004, after receiving distressing messages from Sam and Lindsey’s father, but authorities declined to do so.

Informing a statewide committee of the denial might spur a review of the decision, and perhaps a reversal, Kander said.”

4/23/10 – Kansas City Star: Laundering funds via nonprofits seen in push to have Missouri judges elected
“But nothing now under discussion would end the ability to contribute secretly to a nonprofit corporation, which could then make donations to issue campaigns. “It’s very possible we need to take a closer look at (issue) campaign reform,” said Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat working on ethics reform in Jefferson City.”

4/22/10 – Kansas City Star: Money flows in Jefferson City, just not to the public
“For months, Jason Kander has been trying to sell ethics reform to fellow lawmakers in Jefferson City. The House member from Kansas City has noticed that many of his conversations end on the same note. “Well,” another legislator will say with a shrug. “That’s just the way it is here.” Yes. But the way “it is” in Missouri’s capital isn’t the way it should be.”

4/22/10 – Tony’s Kansas City: Friday Night Power Rankings
“Quite a few people have taken note that Jason Kander is putting his heart and soul into his (losing) battle for ethics reform. It’s one of the most worthwhile failures the State has seen in a long time.”

4/16/10 – Armed Forces Network: Missouri Soldiers Train to Become Officers

4/16/10 – Kansas City Star: Key provisions at risk of being dropped from Missouri political ethics legislation
“Flook and Democratic Rep. Jason Kander of Kansas City, who authored the committee-transfer language last year, were concerned enough to issue a statement Thursday. “It is time to move this important legislation out of committee and into the hands of the entire House of Representatives for full public debate,” they wrote. “Any further delays in committee will only harm a genuine effort to bring real reform to campaign finance in Missouri.”

4/15/10 – KOMU (NBC Columbia): Senate cuts videos honoring veterans

4/15/10: Kansas City Star Editorial: Unethical scheming on ethics reform

“House members Tim Flook, a Republican from Liberty, and Jason Kander, a Democrat from Kansas City, called this week for a meaningful bill to move to the House floor for debate. That’s what should be done.

Using sneaky maneuvers to cripple ethics reform legislation would be downright unethical.”

4/15/10: Kansas City Star: Mo. ethics bill in trouble in the House?

Rep. Tim Flook, a Liberty Republican and backer of ethics reform, said legislation without a ban on committee transfers would be a failure.

“Committee-to-committee, I’m telling you, is critical,” Flook said in an interview this week. “If we could come up with a plan to stop money laundering, Missouri would be a model for the rest of the country.”

Flook and Kansas City Democrat Jason Kander, who together filed ethics legislation late last year, released a joint statement this afternoon calling for the bill to be moved to the floor.”

4/14/10: St. Louis American: State disparity study funding at risk, Missouri could cut funds to examine minority contracting (by Rep. Chris Carter)

“The Missouri General Assembly is in the process of determining whether or not to fund a disparity study and avoid this catastrophe. House Republicans stripped the disparity study funding from Nixon’s budget, but state Rep. Jason Kander (D–Kansas City) was successful in restoring the money.”

4/13/10: St. Louis Post-Dispatch: House reinstates committee-to-committee transfers in ethics bill

“The bill is now identical to the same bill the House passed out of its committee earlier, except for it gets rid of the committee-to-committee ban. The vote was unanimous.

That ban was a major piece of Shields’ bill, and was also proposed in the bipartisan ethics bill pushed by Rep. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, and Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City. Lawmakers said the transfers amount to money laundering because it makes it nearly impossible for voters to determine the source of campaign contributions.”

4/12/10: Pulaski County Daily: OCS Gives Guardsmen Chance to Achieve
“[Officer Candidate School] is about making sure that when they become officers they are prepared to make decisions in a hurry because the decisions they make are going to affect peoples lives,” said instructor Capt. Jason Kander . . . Though the soldiers are up for the challenge now, many candidates won’t make it to graduation. “If 25 percent make it through that’s pretty good,” Kander said.”

4/12/10: MoGuard.com: Officer Candidate School Gives Soldiers Chance to Achieve Goals
“We can’t actually put them in combat situations, but what we can do is put a lot of stress on them,” [Captain] Kander said. “We make sure to make them make 20 decisions a day under intense stress because that’s what they’re going to do in a combat environment.”

4/10/10: Kansas City Star: A few thoughts about a vote with few voters; ethics reform in trouble?

“A sponsor of an important House ethics bill in Jefferson City is worried that the push to pass a bill this year is waning.

“I’m a little bit concerned,” said Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat. Bills aimed at making the flow of money to politicians more transparent are moving. One has passed the Senate. But Kander said he senses a lack of urgency. In town last week, Gov. Jay Nixon also expressed concern. All this is happening, of course, as a federal grand jury in Kansas City is investigating state Capitol conduct. If this won’t push the honorables, you wonder what will.”

4/2/10: Kansas City Star: Bill would make more information on child-custody orders available to police
“With the law in place, police who pull over an individual [with a protection order against him] could see if he was supposed to have custody of his children and did not, or vice versa. “Officers should be aware of all available information when encountering someone who may be a risk to children,” Kander said.”

4/2/10: KY3 Springfield: Missouri lawmaker seeks to combat parental kidnapping
“Kander’s bill is named for Sam and Lindsey Porter, who disappeared in 2004 after their father picked them up from their home in Independence or a visit. Dan Porter led authorities to the children’s bodies three years later and pleaded guilty for killing them. He was also convicted of parental kidnapping.”

4/2/10: NBC Action News: Mother of slain children fights on
“The bill, filed by Democrat Rep. Jason Kander of Kansas City, would require that more information about child custody and protection orders be entered into a database and shared with officers statewide. Officers conducting traffic stops would have all of the information at their fingertips.”

3/24/10: St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Questions raised by Missouri spending on veterans videos
“On Tuesday, about $300,000 was added to the proposed House budget for next year despite the protests of Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, who sits on the budget committee and is also a member of the Missouri Veterans Commission.

Kander, who is a veteran, said that like Lager, he objected to the cost of the program. “It just strikes me as wasteful to spend $1,400 per video during a budget crisis,” Kander said. “We have to look at every possibility to save, and it doesn’t make any sense to spend that kind of money.”

3/15/10: Pitch Weekly: Rep. Jason Kander Airs Jeff City’s Dirty Laundry in Pop Quiz Video
Everyone is talking ethics reform at the state capitol, but Rep.Jason Kander, a Democrat from Kansas City, has made it his main priority this session. He sounded the alarm last October and partnered with Rep. Tim Flook, a Liberty Republican, to craft a bill that would eliminate many of the money-laundering schemes that are still totally legal according to Missouri statutes. To get you educated on the importance of such legislation, Kander produced this nifty little “Pop Quiz.”

3/15/10: St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Can you pass the Missouri campaign finance ethics test?

“State Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, has created a YouTube video ethics test about Missouri ethics laws. Check it out above. Kander, who along with Rep. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, sponsored one of the more comprehensive ethics bills being debated this session, is particularly focused on stopping committee-to-committee transfers of campaign cash.

The ethics bill that passed the Senate, does that. The House committee debating the Flook-Kander bill — and others — has yet to pass out its version of ethics reform.”

2/18/10: St. Louis Jewish Light: KC State Rep up for national Army honor
“According to the website, Kander’s commanding officers in Afghanistan described him as an outstanding leader who volunteered for dangerous assignments. The U.S. Director of Intelligence in Afghanistan advised the Army: “Watch this officer’s career closely; he is one of the best.”

2/17/10: Warrensburg Daily Star Journal: Missouri, city leaders discuss green efforts
“Kander laughed with the crowd about people who look outside, see snowflakes, and try to suggest global warming is not real. “It just annoys me,” he said. A difference regarding environmental issues now and a year ago, Kander said, is the economy. Jobs now top public concerns, he said. “They feel like we’ve got to put people back to work before we get serious (environmentally),” he said. Kander said the state should consider “decoupling” energy companies from a system that rewards higher energy use with higher profit, but also increases pollution. They need incentives to keep pollution down, he said.”

2/12/10: Kansas City Jewish Chronicle: Kander Takes on Campaign Finance Reform
“Kander, an attorney and Afghan war veteran, said the bill has received bipartisan support because so many others recognize that the system has failed. . . ”

2/2/10: MoGuard.com: Missouri National Guard Soldier Receives National Recognition
“KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For Capt. Jason Kander, serving in the Army National Guard is not the only way he helps his fellow Missourians . . .Kander is one of 10 finalists for the Army Reserve Association’s Maj. Gen. Strom Thurmond Outstanding Junior Officer of the Year Award.”

2/2/10: Kansas City Star: Kander on short list for national military award
“The freshman Democrat is one of 10 soldiers nominated for the Strom Thurmond Award, honoring the outstanding Army junior officer of the year. It may be the only time you’ll ever hear Kander’s name linked with Strom Thurmond’s.”

2/2/10: NBC Action News: Soldier, State Rep is National Finalist
“The Guard reports that official evaluations from Kander’s commanding officers in Afghanistan described as an outstanding leader that volunteered for dangerous assignments. The U.S. Director of Intelligence in Afghanistan advised the Army: “Watch this officer’s career closely; he is one of the best.”

1/26/10: Columbia Missourian: Legislative committees hear proposals to change ethics laws
Kander emphasized that he thinks ethics reform should be the primary focus of the state legislative session because it will have a domino effect on how all bills are influenced. “I know this might seem like just another issue, but to me it is the issue for one reason,” Kander said. “This affects how everything else is done in this body.”

1/14/10: Kansas City Star: Talk of donation limits divides Missouri Capitol
“Much bipartisan talk can be heard in the Missouri Capitol these days about the need for ethics reform — but bipartisan only to a point . . . An idea proposed by Rep. Jason Kander, a Democrat from Kansas City, and Rep. Tim Flook, a Republican from Liberty, would crack down on transfers between campaign committees to end political money laundering.”

1/3/10: Associated Press: Missouri lawmakers pose ethics changes
“Fighting public corruption is like fighting the flu,” said state Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City. “We come up with a vaccine and the flu comes back the next year with a new strain. So as the flu adapts, the vaccine must evolve with it.” Kander is co-sponsoring ethics legislation with Rep. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, who said ethics have become a partisan tool used by campaigns to beat one another down. In the meantime, problems have arisen and the public has started to lose faith in state officials.

1/3/10: Kansas City Star Editorial: Reinstate caps on campaign contributions
“[The Flook/Kander legislation to make political money laundering a felony] is not an extreme proposal — only a law with teeth will stop the rampant influence buying that has become part of Missouri’s political culture.“

12/31/09: Columbia Daily Tribune: Campaign limits an ethics dispute
“State Reps. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, and Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, are co-sponsoring a bill that would make it a felony to transfer funds through political committees with the intent to obscure the original source of the money. FBI agents have reportedly interviewed some lawmakers about the connection between money and legislative activities, but no charges have been filed.”

12/31/09: KY3 Political Notebook: The Notebook’s Final 2009 List
Rep. Jason Kander listed as one of two MO Democratic “up and comers.”

12/30/09: Columbia Missourian: Missouri Governor prescribes four pillars for ethics reform
“As previously reported , Rep. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, and Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, have prefiled a bill that would also ban the movement of money from one committee to another. . . Tightening the definition of a lobbyist is also something that could be considered, Nixon said, an item proposed in the Flook-Kander bill.”

12/27/09: Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly: Ethical breaches mark legislators in 2009
“Fighting public corruption is like fighting any other type of crime,” Kander said. “If people are going to take criminal actions, they’re going to find a way to go around the law as much as they can. My argument is simply you have to stay one step ahead whenever possible. And when you haven’t been able to stay one step ahead, you need to look at what needs to be fixed.”

12/27/09: St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Push for Missouri ethics law gets tailwind
“State Reps. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, and Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, seem to be most closely following the model established by Harpool and Ortwerth 20 years ago. Their proposal would limit the money laundering that goes on under the current system, where campaign donations are passed among various committees, which makes determining their source more difficult, if not impossible.”

12/24/09: Associated Press: Slain kids’ mom seeks changes to Missouri law
A Jackson County woman whose estranged husband killed their two children and waited three years to lead authorities to their graves has proposed changes to Missouri laws and procedures that would better protect children.

12/24/09: The Kansas City Star: Mother of slain children seeks changes to state laws, procedures
Porter said that if those changes had been in place five years ago, authorities may have moved more quickly on the disappearance of her children. . . Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat, said the changes would establish an appeals procedure for parents whose request for an Amber Alert has been denied by a local authority.

12/23/09: Independence Examiner: Legislation could speed some amber alerts
“Tina Porter did a good job convincing Jackson County Prosecutor Jim Kanatzar about the importance of changing two state laws and procedures that would help protect children.”

12/23/09: KMBC’s Mahoney: Kander praises Tilley ethics plan, but says his bill has different focus
“I agree with a lot that’s in it,” said Kander. But he and Liberty Republican Tim Flook are pushing their own version of lawmaker ethics reforms. . .[Kander's] bill pushes for more control of how contributions get to politicians and how they’re reported. Kander says he expects his plan will have bi-partisan support in the GOP controlled House. He says not only is his partner, Flook, a Republican, but there are 11 GOP cosponsors of the bill and “2o some” Democrats. ” I am very confident 95% of the Democratic Caucus will back it if comes to a straight up vote,” Kander said. That means gathering GOP cosponsors or backers will be critical for the bill’s chances.

12/18/09: Tony’s Kansas City: Weekly KC Power Rankings
“Jason Kander is the most powerful politico in Kansas City this week thanks to his ethics work that not only crosses party lines Statewide but also might impact the political process in Kansas City for years to come.”

12/22/09: NBC Action News: Investors sue wine bar alleging ‘Ponzi Scheme’
A group of investors say they’ve lost almost a million dollars . . . “The difference is, Bernie Madoff occasionally paid something out to some of the people who were victims. In this case, there’s not even been that,” said Jason Kander, the lawyer for the investors group.

12/17/09: Missouri Lawyers’ Weekly: Ethics bills muliply as legislative session nears
Ultimately, Kander said that the legislation put forward this session would need to be continually tweaked in the coming General Assembly sessions. “Ethics reform,” said Kander, “is an ever-evolving process.”

12/14/09: Kansas City Star – Kander-Flook Ethics Legislation Introduced Today
A far-reaching ethics bill cracking down on transfers between campaign committees and beefing up penalties for political crimes was filed Monday in the Missouri House. . .The legislation hews closely to a memo of ethics proposals Kander wrote and circulated among lawmakers last summer.

12/14/09: St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Missouri lawmakers seek “cultural shift” in ethics at Capitol
JEFFERSON CITY — Announcing they were seeking a “cultural shift” at the state capitol, state Reps. Tim Flook, R-Liberty, and Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, announced the provisions of their ethics bill today.

The bill would create the state felony of “money laundering” in campaign finance; create a felony of “obstructing a Missouri Ethics Commission investigation,”; make it illegal for political action committees to contribute to other political action committees (except for candidate committees); and require all fund-raising committees to file electronically.

Wondering what the FBI is up to has become “the Jefferson City sport of choice” said Kander. Both Kander and Flook stood up for their fellow lawmakers, saying most of them try to do things the right way. But ethics legislation is necessary, they say, because of the perception that things are out of hand in Jefferson City.

12/14/09: KRCG Channel 13 – Missouri state representives look to ethics reform
Republican Rep. Tim Flook and Democrat Rep. Jason Kander will co-sponsor legislation to tighten the controls over political spending.

Topping their list is a ban on campaign money moving from one political action committee to another.

“Missouri’s ‘anthing goes’ system of campaign finances seems to be built to encourage, not to deter, the laundering of political contributions,” Kander said.

12/14/09: Columbia Tribune – Latest bill on ethics bipartisan

A Republican and Democrat have teamed up for the 2010 legislative session to offer ethics legislation that would make it a felony to transfer funds through political committees with the intent to obscure the original source of the money.

“We have an ‘anything goes’ system in Missouri politics,” said Kander, a lawyer serving his first term. “It’s not a question of one party being a problem because there are problems in both parties. Our system doesn’t do enough to discourage the seeking out of loopholes and moving money through the system.”

12/14/09: St. Louis Public Radio News – New bipartisan ethics proposal from Mo. lawmakers

Democrat Jason Kander of Kansas City and Republican Timothy Flook of Liberty are co-sponsoring the bill.

It contains several provisions. One would make it a felony to mask the source of a financial contribution by transferring it through a number of political committees. The bill would also require political consultants not already covered by state lobbying laws to register as “de facto” lobbyists.

Kander says it’s crucial for citizens to believe in their government.

“When people lose faith in their government to act in a legitimate manner, they stop volunteering, they stop having hope about what’s goint to happen in their community…every effort that we can make in order to restore that hope and restore that confidence in government, it may not work every time and it may not work completely, but it’s an effort worth making,” Kander said.

12/15/09: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH – Lawmakers tackle election ethics
While Flook and Kander were quick to say most of their colleagues “do things the right way,” they said the perception of wrongdoing in the Capitol is rampant, and new laws will address the perception.

12/15/09: Columbia News Tribune – 2 Missouri lawmakers propose bipartisan ethics bill
“Honest governments, like healthy societies, are the result of eternal vigilance,” Kander said. “We’re saying that Jeff City’s ’sport of choice,’ which is speculation about whether the FBI is going to take action” needs to be changed, Kander said. “We need to pass laws that empower state investigators to take action.”

12/15/09: KMBC Channel 9 – Legislators Launch Bipartisan Ethics Reform
Two Missouri state lawmakers, Republican Tim Flook of Liberty and Democrat Jason Kander of Kansas City, proposed widespread campaign-finance reform for state government.

“It’s time to try and stop the favorite Jeff City parlor game ‘Who’s talking to the FBI,’” Kander said.

12/13/09: Kansas City Star – Ex-Lawmaker calls Missouri General Assembly a “scam.”
“A bipartisan effort by Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat, and Rep. Tim Flook, a Liberty Republican, to be unveiled Monday would create several new felony provisions for “pay for play” activity and money laundering. Now we’re getting serious, folks.”

11/25/09: Kansas City Star – Rep. Jason Kander on Reform: Missouri legislators must clean up campaign finance
“We must fight corruption the way we fight the flu – as an ever-adapting virus that requires an evolving vaccine. Honest governments, like healthy societies, are the result of eternal vigilance.”

10/18/09: Kansas City Star Commentary: Public has to demand a change in ethics
“The upstart Missouri legislator was at his computer early Sunday morning, pushing his ideas for ethics reform via e-mail.”

10/17/09: Kansas City Star: How can Missouri clean up its politics?
Jason Kander proposes to clean house in Missouri. “Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat, is proposing new measures for the upcoming legislative session.”

Nov’09: Pitch Weekly: Kander Named Kansas City Politician of the Year
“[Politicians] tend to fall into two camps: overbearing jerks who confuse arrogance for integrity or wishy-washy pawns who default to partisanship over substance. Missouri State Rep. Jason Kander is neither . . . When the session devolved into a nasty fight about the expansion of health-insurance coverage, Kander was determined to get more low-income children covered. But he did more than rant and rave at the cruelty of the obstructive Republicans. He scoured the tedious budget and found a way to put naysaying conservatives in an impossible position: Vote to keep their free lapel pins and bottomless coffee or cover poor kids with cancer. Checkmate, Kander. . .He managed to make a name for himself at the capitol and restore a little shine to the political profession at the same time.”

8/19/09 Associated Press: KC Democrat who Fought in Afghanistan
Picked for Newly Expanded Veterans Commission (This link has been removed)
“Jason Kander is a freshman member of the Missouri House. Kander served in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007. He’s currently a captain in the Missouri National Guard. The Missouri Veterans Commission oversees veterans homes, cemeteries and efforts to sign up veterans for federal benefits. Legislators approved a measure this year reserving two spots on the commission for state senators and two for members of the House.”

8/19/09 Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly: Kander Named to Veterans Commission
“State Rep. Jason Kander, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and a captain in the Missouri Army National Guard, will be appointed to the Missouri Veterans Commission later this month. Kander, a Democrat, is also an attorney in Kansas City. His is in his first term in the House. Kander enlisted in the National Guard in 2002 and served in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007. He currently is a platoon trainer with the National Guard’s 140th Regional Training Institute Officer Candidate School.”

8/18/09 Springfield News-Leader: Kansas City Representative
Appointed to Veterans Commission (This link has been removed.)
“Kander enlisted in the National Guard in 2002 and served in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007. He is a platoon trainer with the National Guard’s 140th Regional Training Institute Officer Candidate School. Kander is serving his first term in the House of Representatives and is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. ”

8/18/09 Tony’s Kansas City: Rep. Kander Fighting for Veterans
“As a veteran myself, it means a great deal to me to join the Missouri Veterans Commission to help look out for others who have served their country,”

8/14/09 KC Confidential
Chowing for Charity: Jason Kander can throw down with the best.

8/03/09 Kansas City Star: JP Wine Lawsuits (This link has been removed.)
Jason Kander fights for a small business owner. “As for Maybee’s suit, Mathews said Maybee was a small investor who invested shortly before the economy turned, and isn’t happy with his investment. Maybee’s attorney, Jason Kander, said the suit isn’t about the economy.”

8/01/09 Kansas City Star: Politicians Most Likely to Succeed
“Jason Kander: He ran his head off to win the 44th District legislative seat last year and has shown the same hustle in his first year in Jeff City.”

7/26/09 Springfield News-Leader: Governors Need to Be Thanked for Visit (Letter from Rep. Jason Kander)
“As someone who was stationed in Kabul, commanded convoys to Bagram and traveled by vehicle to Nangarhar through the mountain passes, I can tell you that their visits mean a lot to soldiers on the ground in these locations.”

7/22/09 Tony’s Kansas City: KC Rep. Kander on Gov. Jay Visit
“This note went out yesterday from Jason Kander and it provides an insightful perspective on visits from Show Me State Politicos”

7/22/09 Westfield Patch: National Politicians Have Mixed Reaction to Loughin Movie Ad
Missouri State Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said he would have concerns over the fact that the theater reaches other communities and other wards in Westfield. His preference would be for more targeted mail pieces, a comment that was echoed by other elected officials questioned.

6/11/09 Pitch Weekly: How Jason Kander Gamed the Republicans
“In the House budget debate, in order to get any children covered, I had to basically trick them,” Kander says of the Republicans. Here’s what he did.

6/9/09 Pitch Weekly: Scenes from the Health Care Struggle in Jefferson City
“Jason Kander, a state representative from Kansas City who looks like a high-school student but speaks with the quiet resolve of a college professor, is one of 13 Democrats who is spending his late-winter days wading through a 3-inch-thick stack of budget documents. The 28-year-old freshman is irked by a system that seems rigged in the Republicans’ favor.”

6/1/09 The Missouri Record: On the Record with Jason Kander
On Friday, May 29, Representative Jason Kander left for three weeks of training with the Army National Guard. The morning before, he spent about 40 minutes talking with The Missouri Record about his first session in the legislature and the issues that shaped it, why he decided to run for office, and his advice for would-be candidates. Parts 1 and 2 of the interview appear below.

6/1/09 Tony’s Kansas City: The MO Record Kander Interview
The rest of the interview is equally captivating although I think Kander overlooks the political reality in the lack of transit funding for KC Proper.

6/1/09 Fired Up Missouri: Monday Catch Up
Candid Kander. Rep. Jason Kander spoke with the Missouri Record before heading to National Guard training.

5/20/09 Tony’s Kansas City: “Kander Called Up”
KMBC’s Micheal Mahoney is now reporting on tweets. The world has changed

5/18/09 Fired Up Missouri: The Art of the Self Deal
Moldendorp’s amendment passed 84-74, with Rep. Jason Kander voting present. Kander recused himself from the vote because he is/has represented an uninsured motorist. At least someone understands the conflict-of-interest concept.

5/16/09 Kansas City Star: Candor from Kander
You got to love a guy who votes against disabled children. But that’s what Missouri Rep. Jason Kander of Kansas City admitted he did — accidentally. Here’s his story:

5/19/09 Mike Mahoney: Kander Called Up
Just days after completing his first session in the Missouri House and unpacking his bags, Kansas City St. Rep. Jason Kander is packing again. On his Twitter account, Kander says he’s being called to Ft. Meade for three weeks of training. On the site he adds, “Perspective: Could have been worse (Iraq/Afghanistan)”

5/13/09 Kansas City Star: Kander right about custody cases and military deployments
Show Me Progress applauds state Rep. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City) for pushing a bill that makes sure that custody arrangements only last as long as someone’s military deployment.

5/12/09 Show Me Progress: Freshman Kander Pens and Passes Legislation I Have Wanted for Years!
My hat is off to Missouri House Rep. Jason Kander, who has had a hell of a freshman year, and experienced several legislative achievements in spite of the fact that he is a member of the minority party and the majority is well and truly insane, but I am going to single out one specific piece of legislation to sing his praises for. . . Thank you, Rep. Kander – (or should I say 1Lt. Kander?) for authoring and shepherding through this critically important legislation for Missouri’s Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, and the families they leave behind when they deploy.

5/26/09 Fired Up Missouri: The House Health Care Debate (with VIDEO Interviews)
As the session was wrapping up, I spoke with a number of House members about their experiences in the session, and especially about the health care and budget debates. Here are a few of the comments that stand out.

5/29/09 Fired Up Missouri: More Reflections on the House Budget Mess (with VIDEO Interviews)
As the session wrapped up, I spoke with a number of House members to get their takes on the legislature’s recent work.

5/20/09 Gone Mild: See for yourself – Jason Kander Town Hall Meeting on Saturday
I was an enthusiastic early supporter of Jason Kander in his race for to represent me down in Jefferson City, and he continues to impress. It’s tough for a new Representative to accomplish anything in Missouri – it’s nearly impossible for a member of the minority party to do so. But it was Jason who found money for health care, and pushed the Republicans to do a few right things.

5/13/09 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Lights Go Out on the MO Legislature
When things calmed down, Speaker Ron Richard instructed all the representatives to actually sit in their seats and stay quiet so people could hear without microphones. “Everyone is seated. Listening to debate,” wrote Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, on his Twitter account. “We should always have the power go out.” Again, he appeared to be joking, but when the power goes out, life imitates art.

5/12/09 CNN.com: Snake Slithers in, Legislature’s Lights Go Out
“But even as they resorted to ways of days gone by, lawmakers used their Blackberries and Twitter to stay in touch through the blackout. State Rep. Jason Kander of Kansas City wrote, “Everyone is seated. Listening to debate. We should always have the power go out.”

5/12/09 Missourinet: State Rep offers refreshing and entertaining take on life at the Capitol
We in the press disregard most emails from politicians because there’s only so much nonsense we can take. Then we have the e-mails from freshman Democratic State Representative Jason Kander. . . he offers some insightful thoughts into the legislative process … providing the perspective that only a freshman can offer. It’s highly informative and entertaining.

5/12/09 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Blackout in the MO Capitol”
But the House kept on debating. And many of the representatives let their “followers” on Twitter know what was going on: “Can’t ring bell to signal vote. Can’t figure if Members stuck in elevators,” wrote state Rep. John Burnett, D-Kansas City. And offered Jason Kander, D-Kansas City: “How much do you wish we had on powdered whigs right now? The irony here is that it’s a throwback themed discussion of gay rights.”

5/12/09 The Turner Report: Kander on Health Care Bill
“In a report to constituents, Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, reviewed the healthcare battle his side recently lost in the Missouri House describing it as “the most depressing day I have had in Jefferson City.”

5/12/09 Tony’s Kansas City: 10 More Lessons Learned by Jason Kander
“There’s been a great response from a recent e-mail newsletter from Kansas City’s State Rep Jason Kander on what he’s learned during his tenure.”

5/8/09 Kansas City Jewish Chronicle: Missouri Lawmakers consider “right to pray amendment”
But freshman Democratic Rep. Jason Kander of Kansas City, who is Jewish, voted for the bill in the House. “My reasons were it didn’t do anything that wasn’t already allowed in the law, so I had no objection, and, two, it said we’d display the Bill of Rights in classrooms,” Kander said. “So if we are going to amend the Constitution for something as controversial as school prayer, I would like to also emphasize civic engagement.”

4/30/09 Capitol Calling: We all sing the songs of desperation
“A group of Republicans joined forces with a large number of Democratic lawmakers to sink the legislation. House Speaker Pro Tem Bryan Pratt, R-Blue Springs, for example, decried the bill as a vehicle for localized pet projects. Some Democrats – such as state Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City – said it was better for the money to be saved for next year.”

4/28/09 Blog KC: Social Politicians
“These networks also provide citizens with a new and often more direct conduit to their elected representatives – bypassing assistants, handlers, and and consultants. Here is our best compilation of local elected officials in the KC metro area.”

4/22/09 Liberty Tribune: Free Meals Tasty for both Democrats, Republicans
“Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, is the most freebie frugal freshman, taking $6.62. But he said the reporting lobbyist must amend the number. “Any time I’ve ever had anything paid for,” Kander said, “I’ve reimbursed the lobbyist, so it will be zero.” Kander said most people respect his freebie-free commitment. “The only thing that’s awkward about it is that when people ask me out to dinner, I will sometimes ask that we go somewhere inexpensive. … That may at times make me a ‘buzz kill’ for some of the other guests,” he said.”

4/30/09 Columbia Daily Tribune: House Votes Permanent Income Tax Cut
Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said the tax cut showed the House had abdicated its responsibility to govern. “What we are doing here today is political,” Kander said. “It’s not governing.”

4/17/09 Columbia Missourian: Missouri House Votes to Allow Concealed Weapons on Campus
At least one House member, state Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said university leadership should have the right to determine its own gun regulations. “This says that we don’t trust college presidents to decide for themselves whether guns should be allowed on campus or not,” Kander said. “They should have the right to decide what’s best for their campus.”

4/16/09 The Daily Star Journal: Freshman House Members Belly Up for Lobbyists’ Buffet
Kander cosponsored legislation this year to ban lobbyist gifts. He said the bill never received a committee assignment, but he will continue to eschew gifts personally. “I don’t want to lose touch,” Kander said, “with what it’s like to actually have to use your own salary to pay for your own food.”

5/7/09 The Maneater: Legislators Behaving Like College Students
Lobbyists and the executive branch have an increased influence since the term limits went into effect. The only good thing that has come of term limits is Missouri’s General Assembly is getting younger. In 2008, Missourians elected some great young leaders, such as Rep. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, and Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City.

5/1/09 GoneMild.com: How to influence a legislator
If you want to accomplish anything with a legislator (as opposed to simply voicing your opinion), make sure you’re not far afield from the core constituencies and principles of the legislator you are hoping to influence. In other words, you don’t stand a chance of convincing Jason Kander to abandon the Missouri Plan, and you’re not going to get Jolie Justus to eliminate support for childcare.

4/12/09 Prestige & Politics Newsletter
Quote of the Week During debate in the House Budget Committee on an item in HB 20, which would spend $6 million to scan the eyes of welfare recipients to prove their identities, Rep. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City) said: “The last time I saw this stuff I was in Afghanistan.”

4/8/09 – Vet Voice: Missouri House Veterans Committee Shoots Down Support for Reservists
“House Bill 492, sponsored by Webber and Kander, would have helped state employees in the Reserve or National Guard by making up the difference between their military pay and what they earn in their work for the state.”

4/7/09 – Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly: House OK’s Court Plan Reform
“Representative Jason Kander said the current system works and as a practicing attorney, he?doesn’t find it a problem that many more people want to be judges than get selected, because he prefers to practice in front of an “elite jurist.” “This isn’t little league baseball,” said Kander. “We’re not trying to make sure everyone gets playing time.”

4/6/09 – Arch City Chronicle: Diary of a Jeff City Freshman IV by Rep. Don Calloway
“The master of the media thus far is Jason Kander. The guy knows how to frame an issue to highlight basic disagreements between the parties. Perhaps it stems from his days as an Army intelligence officer in Afghanistan. He’s a valuable part of the HDCC mission of taking back the majority.”

4/3/09 – Columbia Missourian: Special Election Bill Passes Missouri House
“When Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, asked Smith who would oversee the Attorney General’s office if that position were relinquished, Smith said the governor’s office would. “It would be troubling to me if the governor controlled the office that is charged with potentially investigating and prosecuting the executive branch,” Kander responded. “If we have a governor in the future who is not an attorney like this one is, how can they control the office?”

4/2/09 – Kansas City Star: Reluctantly, Missouri Reps Give Up Free Coffee “A clever move by Kander, who also got his colleagues to agree to an increase in their medical insurance premium, freeing up enough money so that some low-income kids with cancer can receive Medicaid coverage … It’s just too bad Republicans basically have to be tricked into taking care of the state’s most vulnerable constituencies.”

4/1/09 – Wednesday Sun: Kander Adds Amendments “State Rep. Jason Kander, 44th District, successfully passed amendments making limited health care extensions. One shifted money from taxpayer-supported health insurance for lawmakers to provide medical coverage for children with cancer. The other took money from House member expense accounts, the House coffee fund and money for special House member lapel pins to extend health care coverage to children with autism. The latter amendment was opposed by top Republican leaders.”

4/1/09 – Gone Mild: Jason Kander’s 10 Lessons Learned in March “When I enthusiastically supported Jason Kander in last year’s race for the 44th District, I did so because I knew he would be an energetic, creative and effective voice in a legislature that was likely to remain in Republican hands. My expectations are being met – he’s constantly communicating with his constituents and actually achieving things in a republican-controlled atmosphere. Jefferson City is a viciously partisan city, but Jason has managed to win health care for kids with cancer, defend soldier’s rights, and balance his sense of humor and moral indignation.”

4/1/09 – MO Common Sense: Legislative Update “I haven’t been as close to the legislative session as years past, but I saw this really good updateon Dan’s blog Gone Mild. He has a short breakdown of the shenanigans in Jeff City from KC rep Jason Kander.”

3/30/09 – MissouriNet: In all Kander . . . Can we keep our coffee? “It’s great to get e-mails from State Senators and Representatives who offer perspectives we might not see elsewhere. Over the weekend, freshman Democrat State Rep. Jason Kander of Kansas City offered his March Top Ten List including . . .”

3/29/09 – The Daily Star Journal: Lawmakers Clash on Floor Over Meals at Home Funds “Kander said losing the legislative liaisons hurts public service. “What will be lost is when (Hoskins’) constituents and all of our constituents across the state … have issues with particular problems in state government,” they will find getting help harder, Kander said. Kander gave the example of one of his constituents getting state tax invoices for her deceased husband. She could not get the Department of Revenue to stop sending the invoice, but the legislative liaison accomplished the goal.”

3/26/09 – They Gave us a Republic: What a Day! “Two of Jackson County’s Democratic Representatives put in a dang fine days work. Freshman Jason Kander wrung some concessions out of the repugs on children’s health care, and Mike Talboy, (who represents me quite ably, thank you very much) got Tim Jones so upset he lost it.”

3/26/09 – Show Me Progress: The Joys of Budget Perfection Day “Here’s the list of 32 Republicans who voted against increasing SCHIP coverage for children with autism (which was part 2 of the Kander amendment on that topic).”

3/26/09 – Tony’s Kansas City: Kander Wins Big for Cancer Kids “I am proud that the House unanimously agreed that health care coverage for children with cancer is worth lawmakers paying slightly higher premiums for their own taxpayer-supported health insurance,” Kander said. “However, this is just one small step as thousands more Missouri children will still be denied medical care under this budget.”

3/25/09 – Show Me Progress: House Republican Slippery Slopes “Those 36 will have their names published. I guarantee. You do not cross poor kids with autism and get away with it. Not even when coffee and lapel pins are involved. Jason Kander, you are awesome.”

3/25/09 – JCDC Blog: Do you believe in Miracles? “Representative Jason Kander successfully added an amendment today that would fund SCHIPS for children with cancer. This amendment passed 155-0. From Rep. John Burnett “Kanders’ amendment puts 71 kids with cancer using $81,000 back on SCHIPS. Passes 155-0. First Democratic amendment restoring ANY health care.”

3/25/09 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch: More Missouri Twitter-ers “Below is a list, although probably not comprehensive, of the Missouri public officials I have found on Twitter; if you know of others, leave a link in the comments so I can add it to the list.”

3/25/09 – Show Me Progress: Live from Jeff City “I got to see my friend Jason Kander’s amendment to restore some S-CHIP coverage to cover children with cancer pass the house. (Good on ya, Jason! Keep up the good work!)”

3/23/09 – Kansas City Star Press Release Central: Rep. Kander Meets with Teens in Substance Abuse Treatment “Rep. Kander toured the facility and met with a group of boys who shared their personal stories and expressed concern that potential legislative budget cuts would result in fewer teens getting the help they need. They presented Rep. Kander a framed poster of artwork done in A.R.T.C. (Achieving Recovery through Creativity).”

3/19/09 – KMBC 9: Children’s Charity Protests State Cuts (Video) “The proposed cuts in child services will be debated next week. KC Rep. Jason Kander, a Democrat, said, “My hope is if we’re not successful in reversing some of these cut in the house, then we’ll be successful in reversing some of these cuts in the senate that the Governor has asked them to do.”

3/17/09 – Missouri Digital News: State employees called to active duty want some pay Kander: “What I don’t want to see is people who are volunteering to be public servants both in their military life and in their civilian life be placed in that situation. I think that we want to make sure we’re recruiting some of the best talent on both sides. So for military families I think it’s extremely important. Representative Webber and myself being recent veterans obviously have heard from a lot of these people. They know we’re going to have a sympathetic ear, and we want to do our best for them.”

3/12/09 – Columbia Missourian: $22.8 Billion State Budget Passes After 14 Hour Session “When asked by Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, Silvey admitted he did not propose such an amendment when former Republican Gov. Matt Blunt was in office.”

3/12/09 – Associated Press: Missouri House Approves Spending Limits Measure “But Democratic critics contend the spending restrictions would too tightly bind the decisions of future lawmakers. Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said during debate earlier this week that the measure exemplifies a wrongheaded lack of faith in government.”I’m bored with this philosophy that government cannot work, so why even try?” Kander said.”

2/25/09 – Springfield News Leader: House Republicans reject Nixon’s health insurance for children “Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat and member of the House Budget committee, said Nixon had a “clear mandate from Missouri voters” to expand government-run health care. “House Democrats and the governor want to use some of the federal stimulus money to cover Missouri kids, but House Republicans want to tell Congress ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to a bridge to health care,” Kander said in a statement.”

2/11/09 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Politics trump lawmaker’s bid to return to her panel seat “So Mott Oxford was more than a little surprised when she was left off her committee by new House Speaker Ron Richard, a Republican. . .Most of [the Speaker's] decisions, however, were easy enough to understand in a political context. For instance, Democrat Jason Kander, a prolific fundraiser, was left off a committee that would have helped him . . . help Democrats take over the House in future years. It’s no wonder he was left off the committee, and Kander was angry enough about it to issue a harshly partisan news release suggesting Richard was afraid of him. Nobody’s afraid of Mott Oxford.”

2/4/09 – Army Times: Mo. bill would protect pay for those called up “Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, has filed legislation that prohibits payday lenders from within one mile of a military base. Kander, who served in Afghanistan, also would make child custody and visitation changes temporary for those deployed out of state.”

2/4/09 – Marine Corps Times: Mo. bill would help reservisists “Most state employees called to active duty lose their state pay after three weeks. Under the legislation, state government would supplement military pay to keep their salaries the same. Lawmakers and judges get military pay, plus full state salaries. The bill is sponsored by House member Stephen Webber, D-Columbia. Webber, who served in Iraq, estimated that 280 workers would lose about $3.8 million this year.”

2/3/09 – Vet Voice: VoteVets Emerging Leaders Making their Mark in Missouri “In 2007, Jason Kander and Stephen Webber were just two guys from Missouri who’d served in Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. Neither had ever run for public office. But last year, they both dove into politics, each becoming a VoteVets.org Emerging Leader–as they both ran as first-time candidates for the Missouri State House. Now, Kander and Webber are leading the way in the Missouri State Legislature as State Representatives.”

2/3/09 – Springfield News-Leader: Bill focuses on pay for Missouri military “Missouri House Democrats have filed bills to block payday lenders from near military bases and to boost military salaries for state workers. Most state employees called to active duty lose their state pay after three weeks. Under the legislation, state government would supplement military pay to keep their salaries the same. Lawmakers and judges get military pay, plus full state salaries.”

2/3/09 – MissouriNet Radio: Click for audio

2/3/09 – Columbia Daily Tribune: State Workers on Active Duty Focus of Bill “Another bill in the legislative package would prohibit Missouri courts from permanently changing custody or visitation rights while a soldier is deployed out of state. Bill sponsor Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said the goal is to reduce distractions: It’s dangerous for military personnel to be worried about family problems instead of focusing on the job while on duty. Kander, who served with the Army in Afghanistan, also is sponsoring a bill that would prevent payday lending companies from opening within a mile of a military base.”

2/2/09 – Capitol Calling: Kander, Webber discuss military legislation VIDEO INTERVIEW w/ Reps. Kander and Webber

2/2/09 – KWMU: Mo. House Democrats Sponsor Military Bills “When a service member is in a combat zone, one of the most dangerous things that can happen for them is the loss of focus on their day-to-day mission…some of the major factors that can distract a service member from the day-to-day mission often are family concerns,” Kander said.”

2/2/09 – Columbia Daily Tribune: Democrats pitch military legislation “Bill sponsor Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, said it ’s dangerous for military personnel to be worried about family problems instead of focusing on the job while on duty. Kander, who served in the Army in Afghanistan, also is sponsoring a bill that would prevent payday lending companies from opening within a mile of a military base.”

2/2/09 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch: House Democrats to push military pay bill “Two freshman Democrats – Reps. Stephen Webber and Jason Kander – have introduced a bill that would require the state to make up any loss in salary when state employees are deployed for military duty.”

2/2/09 – The Kansas City Star: Veteran Reps. introduce bills to help military families “Two House freshman with military experience are sponsoring bills this year to ease the burden on military families. Reps. Jason Kander, of Kansas City, and Stephen Webber, of Columbia, both Democrats, announced bills on Monday that would ensure steady pay for military members while overseas and delay custody cases until servicemembers returned home.”

2/2/09 – NBC Action News: Local Lawmakers Offer Bills to Protect Military Families “Anyone who has been to Fort Leonard Wood knows there are several payday lenders near the base,” Kander said. “Some of these lenders prey on military members and their families, trapping them in a never-ending cycle of high-interest debt. By curtailing payday lending operations near military bases, we can better protect military families from predatory practices.”

2/2/09 – The Maneater: Mo. bill aims to aid military families “Kander was a practicing attorney before he volunteered for service after the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on Sept. 11. He said the pay difference was hard for his family because they had just purchased a house at the time and weren’t expecting him to have a large decrease in his salary.”

2/2/09 – Missouri Digital News: Democrats to aid military families “House Democrats used their past military experience to create four bills that would assist military families.”??2/2/09 – KY3 Springfield: Dems want to fill in military pay gap “Rep. Stephen Webber is a Marine who has served two tours in Iraq. “Missouri currently has an unfair system under which some state workers get paid while on active duty but most don’t. We must make the system more equitable so that we don’t discourage state employees from military service,” Webber said.”

2/2/09 – Tony’s Kansas City: KC Custody Battle Bill for Military “Missouri Democrat Jason Kander, has sponsored a bill that would prevent Missouri courts from making permanent changes in child custody or visitation involving deployed military personnel.”

2/1/09 – Show Me Progress: The Speaker Likes Me! “In a late-night meeting between Republican and Democratic senior staff, Speaker Ron Richard’s office characterized Rep. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City), an attorney and Afghanistan veteran, as a “political problem” for the Republicans. Accordingly, the Speaker took the extraordinary step of blocking Kander’s appointment to the powerful professional licensing and registration committee”

1/27/09 – The Kansas City Star: A Freshman in Jeff City “State Rep. Jason Kander in an e-mail to constituents listed the top 10 lessons he has learned so far as a freshman representative. Here’s what he listed as No. 1: “It seems like there are at least five lobbyists for every one legislator in the Capitol at any given time.” The Buzz says, no, Jason, it just seems like there’s five lobbyists for every legislator. There are actually 10. But none of them wants any favors; they’re just disseminating information. You know, like the media.”

1/26/09 – Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Three Jewish Legislators Join Missiouri House “Reps. Jill Schupp, Steve Brown and Jason Kander took the oath of office last week, bringing to five the number of Jewish Missouri House members. They join Reps. Rachel Storch and Rep. Jake Zimmerman, all Democrats, in the state House’s 95th General Assembly.”

1/24/09 – Show Me Progress: Isn’t That Special? “Jason Kander and Vicki Englund, both freshman legislators who are on the House Democratic Campaign Committee, were blocked from the professional licensing and registration committee. They were replaced by Democrats Charlie Norr and Michael Spreng, who is term limited out in 2010. Finish [Speaker] Richard’s line of reasoning for yourself, then: Kander and Englund will work to raise money for House Democrats, therefore ….”

1/21/09 – The Wednesday Sun: Kander Gets Committee Snub “Rep. Jason Kander, 44th District, has been embroiled in a bit of controversy in his first two weeks in office . . . “I think it says a tremendous amount about the strength of young Democrats when the speaker of the house is going out of his way to play defense against one of our freshmen,” House Minority Leader Paul LeVota, D-Independence, said.”

1/19/09 – Associated Press: Missouri bipartisanship showing first cracks The question is whether the [bipartisan] fad will fade. History suggests it will. Already, a few cracks are showing . . . On Friday, House Democrats complained that Republican leaders had blocked several Democratic lawmakers from being appointed to the committees of their choosing, including freshman Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, who is a [Governor] Nixon ally.

1/17/09 – Show Me Progress: So much for “post-partisan” cooperation in Jeff City “I came here to champion the economic agenda that gave Governor Nixon a twenty point victory, so this presents an obstacle,” said Kander, “but I’ve decided to take the advice of senior members and view this as a roundabout vote of confidence from the Republican leadership.” . . . “Jason’s efforts this last election cycle have made his work ethic legendary,” said Rep. Mike Talboy, chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee. “It’s no surprise to me that the Speaker is worried about him.”

1/17/09 – Tony’s Kansas City: Kander Blocked by Missouri GOP!!!!! In a late-night meeting between Republican and Democratic senior staff, Speaker Ron Richard’s office characterized Rep. Jason Kander ( D-Kansas City ), an attorney and Afghanistan veteran, as a “political problem” for the Republicans. Accordingly, the Speaker took the extraordinary step of blocking Kander’s appointment to the powerful professional licensing and registration committee.

1/17/09 – Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: Has the bipartisan-ship already sailed? According to a press release sent from Kander’s campaign Web site, the Rep claims he was knocked off the professional licensing and registration committee, and not even given another assignment in its place. He’s now the only representative from either party with just two committee assignments. Kander said Richard’s office described him as a “political problem” in its justification for removing him from the committee.

1/17/09 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch: House Democrats fire partisan shot across the bow “I think it says a tremendous amount about the strength of young Democrats when the Speaker of the House is going out of his way to play defense against one of our freshman (Jason Kander) ” said [House Minority Leader Paul] LeVota in the news release.

1/12/09 – St. Louis Jewish Light: New Jewish Reps Sworn in as New Missouri Legislative Session Begins

1/7/09 – The Wednesday Sun: Notable Locals Answer Questions

12/15/08 – The Wednesday Sun: KC Representatives Named to Democratic Campaign Committee

12/11/08 – Tony’s Kansas City: New Democratic Campaign Committee Roster

11/18/08 – St. Louis Jewish Light: Gains for Jewish Representation in Missouri “Along with State Senator Jeff Smith, who was not up for re-election this term, and Missouri State Representative Jason Kander from Kansas City, there are now six members of the Missouri legislature who are from the Jewish community, five of them from the St. Louis area.”

11/5/08 – The Wednesday Sun: Missouri Budget Headed for Trouble? State representatives said the budget always is a priority. “Budgets are real policy making,” Jason Kander, 44th District, said. “A lot of real policy making is not done on individual bills. It’s in the budget and budget meetings … “I think there will be big changes in some sense,” Kander said. “It won’t mean more spending, just a greater priority on core responsibilities of the state government. That’s health care, education, transportation. That’s what [Governor-Elect Nixon] talks about. We’ve had a system that focuses on huge tax breaks for big developers. The core of our state government needs to be responsible.”

11/5/08 – Vet Voice: Votevets Election Run-Down “Some of you might remember Jason Kander and Stephen Webber as the two candidates we supported during their primaries over the summer. They won then, and then ran unopposed yesterday–officially sealing the deal last night.”

11/5/08 – American Alumni: Alumni Candidates Find Success in Races Across the Country Highlights the successful elections of American University alumni, including Rep. Jason Kander (Kansas City) and Rep. Vicki Lorenz Englund (St. Louis area).

11/08 – KC Magazine: Interviews – Holiday Dish Interview about holiday gift giving traditions with State Representative Jason Kander and Steven Jarvi, conductor of the Kansas City Symphony.

11/4/08 – NBC 41 News – Election coverage?Jason Kander and Jim Bergfalk appeared as political commentators throughout the evening.

11/4/08 – Gone Mild: How to Vote Today “State Representative: Jason Kander. Unopposed, which is kind of unfortunate to those of us who enjoyed watching his innovative, hard-working and clean campaign astound everyone with a huge margin of victory against two fine opponents. What would he have done against a Republican?” 10/08 – Bear Facts: Mustangs Become Officers Article about the 2008 graduates of the Missouri Army National Guard Officer Candidate School at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Includes interviews with primary platoon trainer, First Lieutenant Jason Kander and senior platoon trainer, Captain Jeff Hyde.

10/24/08 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: Kander Says Thug Tactics Aimed at Obama Backers Underway “Missouri State Rep.-elect Jason Kander calls in to report that he’s received reports from eight residents from around the metro who say they’ve received threatening letters in recent days.

10/26/08 - Mound City: Kander Trashes Nasty Fliers “What concerned the person who alerted Kander to the flyer is that they witnessed a person walking the neighborhood jotting down the addresses of residents sporting the Obama signs.”

10/24/08 - BlogKC: Anti-abortion Extremists Harassing Brooksiders “State Representative-elect Jason Kander (D-44) recently warned people about a group of anti-abortion extremists cruising Brookside, writing down addresses of houses with Barack Obama signs, and sending them these really nasty letters.”

10/24/08 – State of the Line: Anti-abortion Stalkers Take Names in Brookside “The 44th District’s State Representative-elect, Democrat Jason Kander (who was EVERYWHERE in Waldo and Brookside during the primaries…if you had a flat tire around that time, he’d likely have been there with a tire jack ready to help) has been sounding the warning about this harassment.”

10/24/08 – Tony’s Kansas City: Reports of Intimidation against Brookside Residents Displaying Obama Signs

10/6/08 – University News: ‘Speak Out’ Lets Voices Be Heard “A panel discussion then ensued about the legal steps being taken to protect employees. A member of the panel was Jason Kander, newly elected to the Missouri House of Representatives, representing the 44th district. ‘I ran for office and I am here tonight because I want to see a world that is more just,’ said Kander.”

9/24/08 – The Wednesday Sun: Pics of Community Picnic Shelby Kander (Jason and Diana’s dog) makes her newspaper debut in a photo and caption from the South Kansas City United Democratic Picnic at Benjamin Ranch.

9/22/08 – The Richmond Daily News: Top Dems Bring Muscle to Town “Rep-Elect Kander said he felt compelled to come and campaign for [Barbara] Lanning because of what she represents. ‘I don’t know Bob Nance, but he seems like management to me,’ Kander said. ‘If you look at Barbara’s family history and her labor background she has and you look at this district, what you’ve really got here is the working family against the management.’”

9/22/08 – AdHack: Candidates plus Supporters equals “Do it yourself” Ads “How do you break through the clutter and sameness of campaign ads on the front lawn or boulevard? Let your supporters customize the ads according to their own reasons. That’s what Jason Kander has done.”

9/11/08 – Jackson County Advocate: Elected Leaders to Sponsor United Community Picnic

8/27/08 – The Wednesday Sun: New Democratic Chairman Aims to Keep Peace, Votes “We cannot do this without traditional die-hard Democrats,” Bough said. “In order to get Barack Obama, Jay Nixon and Kay Barnes elected, the base has to be invigorated.” Bough, who also serves as Committee for County Progress president, said he will help candidates like recently elected 44th District Rep. Jason Kander work for other national and state campaigns.

8/24/08 – Eric Bowers Photography: Jason Kander – MO House Rep 44 A scene from the victory party for Jason Kander

8/22/08 – The St. Louis Daily Record: Lawyers Could Pad Ranks in Missouri Legislature Next Year “Plus, two lawyers running for the state House this year won their Democratic primaries and are set to take the reins in January, without Republican opponents. One of them is Mike Colona, of St. Louis; the other is Jason Kander of Kansas City. Colona said it’s important to have practicing attorneys involved in making laws.”

8/15/08 – Richard Delevan: Do-It-Yourself Political Yard Signs?

8/15/08 – Damien Mulley: Giving up control in politics = create superfans? “Let your voters tell others why they’re voting for you. Jason Kander distributes signs for his campaign where those that display them on their lawn write in why they support him on the sign.”

8/13/08 – The Wednesday Sun: Democrats Celebrate Wins “Fellow Democrat and 45th District Representative Jason Holsman said he is excited to have Kander as part of the local representation in the House. ‘I’m excited to have him in the caucus,’ Holsman said. ‘He’s a great addition to the team. The Legislature is a full-contact sport and the deeper our bench is, the better players we have, the better our team will do.’”

8/10/08 – Eric Bowers Photography: Jan Marcason and Mary O’Halloran Celebrate Kander Victory Photo from the Victory Party

8/07/08 – The Kansas City Star: Catching Up With Election Results “But the margin [of Kander's victory] was eyepopping. It’s no mean feat to gain almost 70 percent in a three-way race, especially when one of the opponents–Amy Coffman–had an impressive resume and strong establishment support.”

8/06/08 – The Kansas City Star: Kander Dominates Democratic Primary “Jason Kander triumphed in a three-candidate scramble in the Democratic primary in this southwest Kansas City district. With no Republican candidates in the field, the way is clear for Kander to succeed Jeneé Lowe, who could not run again because of term limits.”

8/06/08 – Vet Voice : Iraq and Afghanistan Vets Win State House Seats “I have no doubt that [Kander and Webber] will represent their constituents, the military, and the veterans’ communities with honor, poise, and the same good judgment that allowed them to serve our country so successfully on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq.”

8/06/08 – KC Blue Blog: Kander Cake Walks to Victory “From the standpoint of campaign organization, the operation run by Jason and his team was first class. This was no fluke. Jason knows how to plan and execute. Fellow Democrats, take note of what Jason Kander did and use it against Republicans.”

8/05/08 – The Kansas City Star: Prime Buzz – Key State House Races “In Missouri’s 44th House District, a race for an open seat, Jason Kander, who said he walked the district three — count ‘em, three times — knocked off Amy Coffman 68-24 percent, another surprisingly large win. This, in the Democratic primary.”

8/05/08 – Eric Bowers Photography: And. . .It’s a Victory Scene from the victory party

8/04/08 – Smoke and Meers: Do you want it badly enough? “This is my 500th post to Smoke & Meers. And I’m happy to dedicate it to Jason Kander and all the others who go over and above because they know it’s the right thing to do. Because they have a firm belief in their convictions and, even when they get knocked down, they get back up and keep moving forward. Those are the people who win. Those are the people who want it more.”

8/4/08 – Blog KC: Election Tomorrow “A very heated three-way race for the Democratic nomination is lighting up the local blogosphere with battles between supporters of lobbyist Amy Coffman and Army veteran Jason Kander.”

7/30/08 – Future Majority: VoteVets Launches Emerging Leaders Program

7/29/08 – Daily Kos: VoteVets Enters State and Local Races “Thus, we learned very quickly that the key to building a long-term, progressive cadre of national leaders with on-the-ground foreign policy experience is to have a “deep bench” as they say in sports. In order to win House and Senate seats for years to come, we have to be able to put up candidates that have years of political experience under their belts.”

7/29/08 – Vet Voice: VoteVets opens new front – State and local races

7/28/08 – The Kansas City Star: Endorsements “Voters in the Democratic primary can’t lose — they have three capable candidates. Two are outstanding: Our recommendation is either Jason Kander or Amy Coffman. They have similar views on the issues, and each has impressive support from area community leaders.”

7/28/08 – Really Practical Marketing: Customer-made advertising “This idea is so great – and it’s the most genuine type of billboard a business (or politician) could have. I love the trust that Jason Kander is placing in his voters.”

7/27/08 – Smoke and Meers: The Holy Grail of Marketing “It’s a rare day when a political campaign does something unique and engaging. But the Kander campaign has pulled it off.”

7/26/08 – The Kansas City Star: Three Candidates Point to Three Different Kinds of Experience “[Kander] says he saw too many decisions made in Afghanistan that were based on politics, not policy considerations. Those decisions had negative affects on the people who were on the receiving end of those decisions.”

7/26/08 – Gone Mild: What I’ve Learned from Working with the Kanders “I find myself writing about a candidate I admire more than when I started. When people at the doors have been mean to [Jason Kander], he has been polite in response, and respected their views. When I have been angered, he has been calm. When cheap shot opportunities have presented themselves, he has refused them.”

7/25/08 – Duct Tape Marketing: User Generated Marketing “This clever political candidate has produced a unique yardsign. The sign features the candidates’ name and likeness as well as a large white space that allows supporters to fill in their own personal message of why they are voting for him. This is a brilliant application of offline social media and user generated content and gives the campaign hundreds of potential marketing messages and a variety of eye-catching signs instead of the same old boring uniform sign that blends into the landscape.”

7/25/08 – KC Blue Blog: Endorsement of Jason Kander “When the mud has been thrown attacking his wife, his values and his service to our nation, Jason Kander has remained positive. That’s leadership.”

7/22/08 – Gone Mild: Endorsements for August 2008 “[Jason Kander] doesn’t waffle, he doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t whine. He will get things done in Jefferson City, and he will be a spark for the entire Democratic team in our Capital.”

7/01/08 – Eric Bowers Photography: Jason Kander for Missouri 44 “One salient remark from Jason’s cogent speech was the need for action over symbolism, and substance over style. Of course, ideals like that run counter to the ideologies after 9/11/01 which by and large called for Americans to go on shopping sprees to save the American way of life.”

6/18/08 – KC Blue Blog: Kander Silences Critics by Receiving UAW Endorsement

6/18/08 – Kansas City Star Press Release Central: United Auto Workers Endorse Kander “‘Jason Kander is a man of honesty and integrity and we know that he will be an effective advocate for working Missourians,’ said Jeff Wright, President of UAW Local 249.”

6/12/08 – Arch City Chronicle: Musical Kander “Jason Kander, the Democrat seeking to take the place of the term-limited Jenee Lowe in the 44th Missouri House district, has come up with an interesting pitch….with musical accompaniment.”

6/11/08 – The Wednesday Sun: Elephants on the ballot? Repubs near non-existent in local House races “It’s a Democratic year and I think people realize that,” Kander said. “It’s going to be a very good year for us, and for good reason.”

6/9/08 – BlogKC: Hot Race in the 44th “It looks like the most interesting race in the fall is going to be the Democratic primary in Missouri’s 44th House District, which covers southern KCMO neighborhoods like Waldo and Red Bridge. It’s shaping up to be a contest between lobbyist Amy Coffman and lawyer and Afghanistan veteran Jason Kander.”

6/4/08 – The Kansas City Star Press Release Central: Kander Proposes Campaign Reforms, Pledges to Follow Ethics Rules – Challenges opponents to do the same “Kander has been lauded by observers for his grassroots fundraising approach. In his last finance report, he outdid all of his opponents without taking a single dollar from a PAC. Two out of every three donors were actually residents of the 44th District.”

6/3/08 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz – Kander Making the Right Decision on Campaign Finance Reform

6/3/08 – Tony’s Kansas City: Kansas City Democrat Wants More Openness

6/3/08 – GoneMild: Kander Shows Leadership on Campaign Finance Reform “By refusing to play such games and calling on his opponents to do the same, Jason Kander is demonstrating the same kind of leadership by example that will make him a powerhouse for the 44th District in Jefferson City.”

6/3/08 – The Turner Report: Candidate Calls for More Transparency in Campaign Finance

5/30/08 – The Kansas City Star – Steve Kraske: The Four Hottest State House Races “[Jason Kander is] a Military vet who’s walking and knocking like crazy.”

5/14/08 - VoteVets.org: Jason Kander Named a National “Emerging Leader“

5/14/08 – Vet Voice: Afghanistan Veteran Running for Office Smeared for His Service “These swift boat style attacks have no place in civil political discourse. [Jason Kander] volunteered for dangerous duty, upheld the highest legal and ethical standards, and he’s being baselessly attacked for it.”

4/16/08 – KC Blue Blog: Kander Posts Another Strong Quarter as Support Comes From Inside District “Over two thirds of the $16,000 Jason Kander raised this quarter came from voters inside the district. And even more impressive, not a single dollar came from a PAC … Jason Kander is simply outworking his opponents and has the trust and respect of many neighborhood leaders … he has the potential to be a leader on many important issues in Jefferson City from day one.”

4/15/08 – The Kansas City Star: Press Release Central – Inside Jason Kander’s Latest Fundraising Quarter “While I am very proud of the endorsements I have received, I’m focused on raising funds from supportive constituents,” said Kander. “This will ensure that I am accountable to the very people that I represent.”

1/16/08 – Gone Mild: Campaign Reports: Kander Cruising “Money isn’t everything, but it certainly is something. For Jason Kander, it’s a sign of strength and support.” ??12/23/07 – 980KMBZ: Wirken on Sundays Discussion of what life is like during the holidays for troops serving overseas. Panelists included First Lieutenant Jason Kander, Colonel Tom Coepe, and Colonel Tom Miller.

11/26/07 – University News: No Consensus on Tough Issues at Community Debate Article about a debate between liberal and conservative UMKC professors. The debate was moderated by Jason Kander, a former UMKC Political Science Instructor.

10/29/07 – KC Blue Blog: Ready, Set, Start: The Battle for the 44th District Begins “This is going to be a race to the finish line … the Kanders are known for working hard at anything they do.”

10/10/07 – The Kansas City Star Press Release Central: Jason Kander Campaign Leading by Example on Over-limit Contributions: Bold move doesn’t affect momentum as Kander reports $18,000 raised this quarter “When asked how he garnered so much support so early in the race, Kander cited his solid progressive message and his deep roots in the district. ‘It’s a lot of fun to campaign in a forward-thinking community where so many of the voters remember playing little league with your dad, serving on a board with one of your cousins, or voting when their polling place was your grandparents’ garage.’”

9/20/07 – KC Blue Blog: Kander Campaign “Excited about Refunding Money” “A big congrats to the Kander campaign for doing the right thing in this issue. The $44,000 would be over 60 percent of his money raised so far and instead he is giving it back. In the end he will have over $20,000 which is a phenomenal start in that district….While we haven’t endorsed in this race yet, Kander looks very impressive.”

9/19/07 – Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: Kander on Campaign Contributions Cap

9/16/07 – The Associated Press: Contribution Refunds Hit Hard for Some Lawmakers.?”Others are not so concerned. After Richard and Icet, the House candidate with the next largest potential refund bill is Democrat Jason Kander, an attorney running to replace term-limited Rep. Jenee Lowe, D-Kansas City. He could have to refund more than $44,000, according to the AP analysis, more than two-thirds of the $60,000 he had on hand as of June 30 …’We’re excited about the limits being reinstated,’ said Diana Kander, the candidate’s wife and campaign treasurer. ‘We think it’s better for the campaign process.’”

9/11/07 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: A Kander, Gentler 44th District

8/24/07 – Gone Mild: All Politics is Local “Yesterday evening, my lovely spouse and I hosted a neighborhood get-together at our home for Jason Kander…Politically, Jason hit it out of the park, as I knew he would. He’s a polished speaker and you can tell he really enjoys meeting and listening to people…Personally, I wouldn’t want to run for office, and expose myself to all the negativity that comes with even a “clean” campaign. I’m not quick enough or clever enough to jump from discussing license offices to education to Medicare to the intricacies of energy conservation. I’m really glad that Jason Kander is willing to do it, though, and that he does it so well.”

8/24/07 – Georgetown Voice: From Georgetown to the Front Lines – Hoya soldiers talk about their war An outstanding article about the young Lieutenants leading soldiers in this war. Features quotes from Jason Kander and his peers about their worst moments overseas, as well as their opinions about our foreign policy.

8/25/07 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: Neighbors Find Candor with Kander

8/4/07 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: Kander Offers Advice to Newly Minted Democrat Chris Koster

8/4/07 – KC Blue Blog: Letter to Koster from Kander Spot On But Funny “Jason Kander by all accounts is a sharply intelligent, energetic, Democrat (under the age of 50 so considered “young” in our party right?).”

8/3/07 – Blog CCP: Guest Editorial – Open Letter to Chris Koster from Jason Kander “I am the last person to talk about the importance of “paying dues,” but I do prefer that you contribute to our side of the aisle for a time. I appreciate very much your positions on life sciences, collective bargaining, and the judiciary, and I hope that you’ll also find your way to our positions on other important issues, such as reproductive choice, medicaid, and equal rights regardless of gender or sexual orientation.”

7/11/07 – Blog CCP: Kander Well Situated for MO-44 “Jenee Low is retiring from the General Assembly next year, and Jason Kander has raised over $66,000 in preparation for his race to keep her seat in progressive hands. Beyond that, Jason has been pounding the pavement, introducing himself to people and letting them know that he is interested, informed, and ready to make a difference in Jefferson City.”

7/10/07 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: A Vote for Kander

7/10/07 – Gone Mild: Brookside to Afghanistan to Jefferson City “[Jason] is particularly strong on health care, education, and the environment. Normally, I resist endorsing candidates until I know who else may be in the race. I don’t have that hesitation in this case – I am confident that no other candidate will approach Jason Kander’s intelligence, integrity and determination. Kander has the leadership skills and the knowledge to win against any challenger, and, more importantly, to be effective in Jefferson City. Simply stated, Jason Kander has the Right Stuff to represent me and my district in Jefferson City.”

7/6/07 – The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle: Afghanistan Army Veteran Seeking Seat in Missouri House “‘I got a close up view — first hand, really — of the results of the Bush and Blunt philosophy of government when I was overseas,’ Kander said. ‘We should be winning that war, and instead we are struggling in Afghanistan because of short-sighted, conservative policy choices. … The false urgency of Iraq is costing us success in the place where it’s truly in our interest to succeed. The terrorists with international reach are in Afghanistan and Pakistan, not in Iraq…And it got me to thinking that that kind of policy at the state level is how you end up with 100,000 people being cut off from Medicaid and a higher education policy that is not working…and all of these factors together made me want to run.’”

7/6/07 – KC Blue Blog: Kander Posts Big Numbers in 44th District Bid “Jason Kander who is a candidate for Rep. Jenee Lowe’s 44th District issued a press release stating that as of this quarter they have raised $66,000. This is a pretty strong number considering he is the only candidate to officially form a committee and announce his intentions of running for the seat in 2008. Jason is the Co-Founder of the Heartland Democrats of America (HDA), along with his wife, and an Army Reserve Intelligence Officer who has served in this war.”

7/6/07 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: Kander Releases Contribution Numbers

7/5/07 – The Kansas City Star, Press Release Central: Kander Posts Fundraising Numbers in State Rep Bid “‘It’s just humbling to encounter this kind of support over a year before election day,’ Kander said. ‘Obviously, the terrible consequences of the Bush/Blunt ideology mean no Democrat wants to wait until next year to stand up and fight.’ Kander, an Army reserve intelligence officer, has a unique perspective into the consequences of Republican policy choices. He returned from a voluntary combat deployment to Afghanistan this past January.”

6/24/07 – UnBlague: Jason Kander for State Representative in Missouri “And even if you’re not interested in donating, if you’re interested in politics, check him out. He’s gonna go places. When others are wringing their hands and maybe talking about problems, he does what he thinks needs to be done — volunteering for combat in Afghanstan, co-founding Heartland Democrats (a PAC), running for office. How many of us can say that?”

3/26/07 – International Relations Council: Conversation with Jason Kander “Local Kansas City attorney Jason Kander will share his insights into the U.S. role in Afghanistan. Kander enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve after September 11, 2001, and served in an infantry unit before receiving his commission as a military intelligence officer. As the Political Military Intelligence Officer for Combined Forces Command in Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan, Kander conducted classified intelligence investigations of groups and individuals suspected of espionage, narcotics trafficking, corruption, and facilitating Al-Qaida and the Taliban. He also advised the U.S. Director of Intelligence regarding political and military threats to Afghan democracy.”

4/23/07 – The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Unlimited Contributions Flow Article about large campaign contributions to Gubernatorial candidates, with a mention of Jason Kander’s fundraising, as well.

4/22/07 – The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Broadway Composer Gives Hand to Nephew’s State Rep Bid. Article mentions a campaign contribution from John Kander, to his nephew, Jason Kander. Excerpt: “Jason Kander, an Army reservist who fought in Afghanistan after Sept. 11, is running for Rep. Jenée Lowe’s term-limited seat in 2008. Kander now has more than $44,000 on hand.”

4/19/07 – The Kansas City Star Prime Buzz: Kander Gives His Regards to Broadway

4/17/07 – KKFI Radio in Kansas City: Interview with Jason Kander Regarding Afghanistan

3/5/07 – Washington Post Radio: Situation in Afghanistan (Panelists Jason Kander, Michael Schurer, Peter Bergman)

2/15/07 – Washington Post Radio: Support the Troops and Oppose the War? (Panelists Jason Kander, Joe Klein, Richard Engel, Erick Erickson)

2/11/07 – Washington Post Radio: Interview of Jason Kander

2/8/07 – The Kansas City Star, Opinion-Editorial: War in Afghanistan Just as Important, Dangerous by Jason Kander “A few weeks ago, I returned from a voluntary combat deployment to Afghanistan where I served as a U.S. Army intelligence officer. I faced frequent danger during convoys and meetings with shady characters in sketchy locations. As a result, I can assure you that we are still fighting a fierce war in Afghanistan and that victory is far from guaranteed…”

2/4/07 – Gone Mild: Jason Kander, Progressive Patriot in Uniform, Signs Off on a High Note “From Jason Kander’s Blog:I’m a Progressive Democrat, so when I get into debates about the war with ill-informed, indoctrinated regressives who don’t know me well, they generally throw Rush’s talking points at me, insinuating that I love my country and support the troops just a bit less than them. Whether you’ve served or not, love of country isn’t about blind faith. It is not about a piece of cloth that I wear on the shoulder of my uniform, but about an idea, about Americans themselves. I have little patience for those who claim to love America but clearly can’t stand the majority of Americans. As a progressive, my beef with President Bush isn’t that he’s fighting a war, it’s that he’s doing it wrong. I want to win every bit as badly as he does, if not more, but I believe that means the symbol of America can’t just be a soldier with an M-16.”

12/10/06 – KCUR: Blue Activists in Red States Piece features interviews with the founders of Heartland Democrats, Blue Hearts, and True Blue Women

9/5/06 – johncombestblog.com: Two Great New Sites “Finally, many of you Dems on the western side of the state know Jason Kander, who is currently preparing to serve in Afghanistan. You can keep up with his activities here. Dems will enjoy reading about their friend, and Republicans will appreciate the references to firearms.”

11/10/06 – Gone Mild: A Soldier Looks at Tuesday “After reading the ugly diatribe, I was curious about what a real, non-anonymous, patriotic soldier would have to say about Tuesday’s results. I’m cutting and pasting most of his post (sue me for copyright violation, Jason!), because his writing deserves a broad and appreciative audience . . .”

8/20/06 – Fox4 Kansas City: KC Soldier Keeps Deployment Blog “He keeps a blog, jasonkander.com because so many friends and family wanted updates on how he was doing. But then he discovered strangers were interested in what he had to say too. ‘I think it’s valuable to show people what everyday life is like in a time of war,’ Kander said. ‘It’s valuable for voters and everybody else just to know what life is like.’ In a recent blog post he wrote about what it was like when he thought they were going to send him to Afghanistan sooner than he thought, but then it fell through: ‘I was actually disappointed and I’ll tell you why. While I’m here I’m away from family and friends. I might as well be over there having a greater impact. On the other hand I believe that everything happens for a reason, maybe that extra two months would have held some kind of doom for me.’ He said with so many troops coping with the stress of war, blogging is one way to cope. ‘It’s therapeutic,’ Kander said. ‘I didn’t intend for it to be this way, but if it’s bothering me I blog about and I feel like I talked about it.’”

7/24/06 – Gone Mild: Two Interesting Blogs by Lawyers “Jason is a super-smart, clear-thinking young man whose blog is something to look forward to – add it to your blogrolls!”???9/17/05 – Columbia Dispatch Tribune: Values Watch “A foot soldier in the Democratic battle to win back credibility among rural voters stopped by Columbia yesterday. Jason Kander is founder and director of Heartland Democrats of America, which is hoping to reshape the values debate in Missouri politics. Among other things, Kander’s organization is raising money for a spring advertising campaign aimed at changing rural voters’ preconceptions about Democrats.”

7/27/05 – The Kansas City Star, Opinion-Editorial: Democrats Continuing to Stand on Principle by Jason Kander?”The Valerie Plame affair has again shed light on the White House’s ethical rot. Now that top adviser Karl Rove’s involvement in the compromising of a CIA agent is common knowledge, it’s time for someone in the Bush administration to take responsibility. The concerned public’s calls for honesty and openness, however, have been met with a deafening silence.”

7/26/05 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch: New Democratic Group Holds St. Louis Fundraiser Article features an interview with Kander about the Heartland Democrats of America and their intentions to win the “value debate” in rural Missouri.

7/15/05 – The Kansas City Star: New Democratic Group Claims Moral Values are on its Side “A Kansas City-based group took its first steps Friday to seize the word “values” from the Republican book of talking points. And U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, speaking at the kickoff rally of the Heartland Democrats of America, tried to polish the tarnished word “liberal.” ‘I would tell you, and my wife won’t like it, that I am a liberal,’ Cleaver told about 150 supporters gathered for the rally at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. ‘If liberal means I’m concerned about children, if liberal means I don’t to want investigate people’s bedrooms … then color me liberal.’ ‘I want to shape an organization that encourages Democrats to be proud of their values,’ said group founder Jason Kander of Kansas City. ‘Democratic candidates need to clearly say who they are.’”

7/15/05 – The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle: Rallying the Heartland Democrats “With his close-cropped red hair and can-do attitude, Kander brings to mind the parable of the boy, famously recounted by Ronald Reagan, who knew ‘there must be a pony in there somewhere!’?'It’s really an exciting time to be a Democrat,’ Kander said in an interview this week at his Brookside home. ‘Not only is it a time when there is room for people like me, but, generally, in the years after a period like this, you see a lot of success for the party out of power. I know we’re right. And if we can make the argument that we are morally upright, people will respond to that.’”

11/15/05 – Thoughts from Kansas: George Lakoff “Jason Kander took that message to heart. In February, the lawyer and Army Reserve Intelligence officer created Heartland Democrats of America to reframe the Democratic party in Missouri and Kansas. He discussed his ideas with Dr. Lakoff, and with his blessing identified five key frames for presenting a vision of the party to the area. To his knowledge, HDA is the only group working to reframe the Democratic party as a whole, not just particular issues. As Jason Kander said in his introduction of Dr. Lakoff, ‘It’s a good day to be a Democrat.’”

8/10/05 – KKFI Radio in Kansas City: Interview with Jason Kander Regarding Heartland Democrats of America

4/1/05 – 100democrats.com Profiles Jason as one of 100 Democrats working hard across the nation to make change. Others featured include activists such as Ned Lamont.

6/17/05 – Raytown Progressive Action: Jason Kander Visits Raytown Democratic Association “On wednesday night Jason Kander, founder of the Heartland Democrats of America, visited the Raytown Democratic Association. Jason is a sterling example of a Democrat: young married, Reserve military who joined recently after 9/11, and passionate about our values.”

6/1/05 – Lee’s Summit Democratic Club: Jason Kander Visits LSDC. “HDA has garnered attention and support from many prominent local and national figures, among them George Lakoff, author of Don’t Think of an Elephant . Jason Kander has advised many of Missouri’s Democratic representatives on using values-based themes to communicate the Democratic agenda.”