Questions raised on former Mo. lawmaker's finances

ST. LOUIS -- Former state representative Talibdin "T.D." El-Amin, who recently pleaded guilty to a bribery charge, is again under scrutiny for allegedly collecting more money from the state for rent on his district office than what was paid.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Thursday that El-Amin was given more than $5,000 for rent on his district office during the past two years. Yet the landlord reported receiving about $3,000 in that time. The newspaper reviewed El-Amin's requests to the state for rent reimbursement and his landlord's records of what was paid.

The matter has been referred to Missouri Capitol police. El-Amin did not immediately return a phone call Thursday seeking comment.

The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to a bribery charge and resigned in September after accepting $2,100 from a St. Louis gas station owner who wanted help resolving a government problem. The Democrat was elected to the House in 2006.

House officials have asked police to investigate if El-Amin misused taxpayer dollars intended to pay the cost of maintaining a local office.

"As guardian of the taxpayers' money, I'm very upset if this has happened," said state Rep. Kenny Jones, R-Clarksburg. The former sheriff is the head of the House committee that oversees lawmaker spending accounts.

El-Amin resigned Sept. 30, about a week after pleading guilty in federal court to soliciting bribes from a gas station owner he thought was seeking assistance in a dispute with city hall.

The gas station owner was cooperating with the FBI. El-Amin faces up to two years in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 14.

El-Amin may be experiencing financial difficulties. Earlier this year, a judge ordered El-Amin to pay about $13,000 to a collection agency.

State representatives earn about $36,000 are allowed up to $800 a month in expenses, including the cost of maintaining a district office.

El-Amin submitted regular reimbursement requests for $450 monthly rent on his district office. But his landlord's records show El-Amin paid rent sporadically.

For 2008 and 2009, El-Amin was paid a total of $5,400 by the state for rent payments to the building's current owner. That owner, David Luetkemeyer, provided the Post-Dispatch a ledger statement that shows El-Amin only paid him $2,950, a difference of $2,450.

Adam Crumbliss, chief clerk of the Missouri House, said lawmaker spending accounts are to repay members' out-of-pocket expenses, like office supplies, travel or phone bills. The House allocates about $1.6 million annually for lawmaker expenses $9,600 a year for each elected member.

"There is never a situation of which I am aware that the House of Representatives would be accepting to allow a member to essentially use this as a revolving credit fund," Crumbliss said.

Luetkemeyer said he did not evict El-Amin because he hoped he would serve as an anchor tenant for the building, located across the street from an industrial park near Interstate 70.

A special election has been called for February to replace El-Amin, who represented part of northwest St. Louis.