Jim Talent is in a horrible position for an incumbent running for re-election three months out from the primary. He trails Clare McCaskill in the polls
49%-43% (although a Rasmussen poll had them virtually tied). Bush's approval rate in Missouri is at 39% and Talent
voted with Bush 94% of the time. As I've said before, anvil: meet neck.
The Republican party is desperate here in Missouri. In addition to Bush being so unpopular (39% approval rating, they have a wildly unsuccessful, unpopular Governor in Matt Blunt and their boy Talent is trailing in the Senate race. So they have shamelessly gone after McCaskill on ethics charges regarding financial reporting that she has refuted and had dismissed.
Their latest antics, however, have them swan-diving into sewer of ugly politics.
The Missouri Republican party issued a
press release saying McCaskill may have failed to file" the pre-primary finance report. Indeed, Missouri GOP spokesman, Paul Sloca, said this was an example of McCaskill's "incompetence and her willful disregard for the law."
The report was to have been postmarked by July 24th and the McCaskill campaign produced a certified receipt showing the report had been mailed. The person responsible for mailing the report, and, who ultimately was shown to have correctly done her job, was the campaign's compliance director, Melissa Berridge, who was tragically killed in a plane crash on Saturday during a skydiving flight.
Adrianne Marsh, spokeswoman for the McCaskill campaign, said Berridge's records show she sent the report on July 24, as required, and produced a certified receipt to prove it. Marsh said the filing may have been lost in the mail, but the campaign is working it out with FEC officials.
Even with the proof that Berridge had indeed done her job and mailed the report on time, Talent and the Missouri GOP refused to apologize to Berridge's family, continued their attack, and then had the audacity to try to cover their mistake by blaming McCaskill:
"It's unfortunate that Claire McCaskill has turned this into an issue about the unfortunate death of a staffer to hide from her incompetence," [Sloca] said.
Except that there was no incompetence. There was only a shameless and inaccurate attack.
McCaskill later wrote to Talent directly, thanking him for a previous note of condolence about the death but calling the GOP's claims about Berridge's work "hurtful to her family."
"I would really appreciate it if you would ask your party to stop this and apologize," McCaskill wrote. Talent's campaign spokesman, Rich Chrismer, said there would be no further response.
Berridge's brother, James, however, DID have a response:
I always knew Missy was incredibly meticulous and dedicated to the work she did beyond limit. I was not at all surprised tp see FIRST HAND that she filed the "disputed" report (which in fact the FEC never ACTUALLY did dispute...only asked for follow-up information on) THREE DAYS BEFORE the due date and just days before her death. In fact, my sister was so organized that other staffers were able to QUICKLY find ALL supporting documentation of the filing three days before it was due along with a copy of the report iself..in her office...three days after her death. No one could ever do that in MY office...how about you. I have copies in hand as I write this of all of her documentation.
So...now...imagine this. Today, we FINALLY were able to view Missy's body and say goodbye to her. This has been the hardest day of my life and I am not alone in that. Others are hurting far worse than I am...namely our mother. The first thing I learned after leaving the funeral home along with my mother and surviving sisters were the preliminary details of the MOGOP's baseless attack on my dead sister's impeccable work.
I am a private citizen who is not overly active politically. I would never have imagined a member of my own family would be "swift-boated" as we are very private people. To do so to someone who's remains have not yet been cremated constitute the actions of people who simply have no moral compass. These are the not actions of "spiritual" people...be they Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Agnostic, any other religion or God forbid even Atheist.
I assure you, my sister will be defended. They have chosen the wrong person and indeed the wrong family to defame!
This is LOW!!
James Berridge, Edwardsville, IL
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Melissa Berridge.
[Check out FiredUP! Missouri for more, including video of Melissa's brother.]