Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Steven Tilley Owes his Friend T.D. El-Amin Another Dinner

Talibdin "T.D." El-Amin (D), a former state representative from St. Louis, left office in 2009 to serve eighteen months in prison for a $2,100 bribe. He completed that sentence this past April.

Earlier this week, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported on El-Amin's record setting fine for ethics violations: Former State Rep. El-Amin fined a record $527,000 by Ethics Commission:
St. Louis Democrat Talibdin "T.D." El-Amin, who left the state House in 2009 after pleading guilty to soliciting a $2,100 bribe, controlled a web of campaign committees before he went to prison.
From those committees, according to the state Ethics Commission, El-Amin:
  • Issued thousands of dollars in payments to himself
  • Authorized repeated cash withdrawals, which are not allowed under state campaign law
  • Paid thousands of dollars to family members, including his brother, mother and wife
  • Did not report several questionable campaign payments, including expenses at a casino, massage parlor and luxury hotels.
Reached on Tuesday, El-Amin, 40, described the Ethics penalty as an "administrative charge."
"I don't really have a comment," El-Amin said. "Write what you feel like you need to write"
Ouch. Clearly, El-Amin is down on his luck and needs to be cheered up. Speaker of the Missouri House, Steven Tilley, should make good on his friendship with El-Amin by taking him out to dinner again. Heck, get the old gang together--invite Rep. Jamilah Nasheed and Rep. Carter too--enjoy a night on the town. I mean, that's what friends do, right?

No comments: