Barklage resigns as Kinder's chief of staff

Associated Press WriterJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The chief of staff for Missouri's top senator resigned Thursday as Senate Democrats pushed for an investigation of whether his connection to Republican Party fund-raising posed a conflict of interest.

David Barklage had led the office of Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder for about a year.

"For the betterment of the entire Senate, I feel strongly that I must leave my post as chief of staff for your office," Barklage said in a letter to Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau.

"It is clear that if I remain in my current role as your chief of staff that there are those who will use me to distract the Senate from conducting the people's business," he said.

The resignation letter came on the same day that Barklage responded to a Democratic resolution seeking an investigation into whether he violated the Senate conduct code. Barklage said in a separate statement that he had done nothing wrong.

The Senate code prohibits employees from using their positions "in a manner designed to create personal gain ... abuse the privileges of Senate employment, or be untruthful to the Senate."

Besides earning $70,000 annually as Kinder's chief of staff, Barklage also owns Strategic Communications Group Inc. of Cape Girardeau, which received $117,000 from the Republican Party's Senate Majority Fund. Kinder largely controls that fund.

Barklage "has been a distraction," said Sen. Ed Quick, D-Liberty, the minority party leader. "This ends Senate involvement because he is no longer employed."

Senate rules don't allow an investigation of non-employees.

Kinder said Barklage was one of the primary reasons why Republicans gained control of the Senate last winter after 52 years in the minority, accomplishments resented by Democrats.

"Because of David's unprecedented campaign success and his service as my chief of staff, it is no surprise that he became a convenient political target," Kinder said in prepared remarks. "Today, David does not leave against his will or with any unresolved issues or charges."

Quick said that "there were some problems in the way some things were handled," but he declined to elaborate.

In a memorandum from Barklage to the Senate rules committee, he denied there was any wrongdoing or conflict of interest.

"There is simply no connection between David Barklage's knowledge of Senate operations and contributions to the Senate Majority fund," Barklage said.

"Because the resolution presents nothing more than mere conjecture, there is simply no plausible claim that Mr. Barklage has violated any law or the code of conduct for Senate employees and the resolution should be tabled or defeated," Barklage said in the memo.

Since joining Kinder's staff, Barklage has been involved in several controversial actions, including staff cuts and the institution of new operating procedures.

He has also had his problems outside the Capitol. In September, he was ordered to pay $37,000 for a gasoline spill at a service station he owned in Cape Girardeau.

Barklage was hired last February and originally was to be on staff just a few months. But Kinder ultimately placed Barklage on his staff indefinitely.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Kenney, R-Lee's Summit, defended Barklage's work and criticized the Democratic investigation attempts.

"This was simply an attempt to hurt a loyal supporter of the GOP caucus who was vital in the first change in leadership in over 50 years," Kenney said.

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