SEMO drops Democratic lobbyist in favor of GOP consultant

Southeast Missouri State University dropped a Democratic lobbyist last year and replaced him with a Republican lobbying firm with close ties to Gov. Matt Blunt.

Marvin Proffer, the lobbyist who lost his job, blames politics. "I was forced out," he said.

Proffer and others in the Missouri Democratic Party believe the Blunt administration encouraged Southeast to hire a Republican lobbyist.

But university president Dr. Ken Dobbins and the Blunt administration deny that politics played any role in the decision.

"I think it is just sour grapes on the part of Mr. Proffer," Blunt spokesman Spence Jackson said. "It is just a baseless political charge."

The university last August hired Jewell Patek, a former GOP lawmaker from Chillicothe, Mo. Patek previously worked as chief administrative aide to Blunt when Blunt was secretary of state. Patek also has close ties to Andy Blunt, the governor's brother.

In a July 7 proposal he submitted to the university to provide what the school called "legislative consulting services," Patek identified Andy Blunt as legal counsel to Patek's lobbying firm -- Patek & Associates of Jefferson City, Mo. The written proposal noted that Andy Blunt also is a registered lobbyist and represents numerous corporations.

Patek didn't return telephone calls.

Proffer said Dobbins told him last spring that "they wanted an R by the name and not a D." The conversation, Proffer said, occurred in the school president's office in Academic Hall in Cape Girardeau. He said he understood that "R" meant Republican and "D" meant Democrat.

Proffer said Dobbins refused to identify who wanted him replaced. "I thought it was the Blunt administration," said Proffer. "The governor's staff didn't particularly like me."

The former Southeast lobbyist advised Democrat Claire McCaskill in her campaign for governor in 2004. Blunt defeated McCaskill in the November election.

But Dobbins said he never told Proffer or suggested to him that anyone wanted to replace him because of his politics.

Dobbins said no one in the Blunt administration, nor anyone with ties to the governor, nor any of the school's regents urged that Proffer be replaced.

The university administration decided to hire a new lobbyist because Proffer had indicated he planned to retire, Dobbins said.

In a closed-door meeting of the regents on June 30, 2004, Dobbins told the board that Proffer wanted to retire in 2005, according to minutes of that session.

In a closed-door board meeting on May 25, 2005, the regents instructed school officials to advertise for proposals in order to hire a new lobbyist by the fall semester, board minutes show.

For his part, Proffer said he had talked generally about retirement but had made no immediate plans to do so. He said he never told Dobbins that he planned to retire in the summer of 2005.

Proffer, a former Democratic state representative from Jackson who now lives in the St. Louis area, lobbied and raised money for Southeast for 16 years starting in 1989. In his role as lobbyist, Proffer said, he worked with lawmakers from both political parties.

He worked for the university through a series of one-year contracts. His last contract, which ended June 30, 2005, paid him $91,445.

Patek's firm received a $60,000 one-year contract, starting last September and extending through Aug. 31. Patek initially wanted $84,000. But Dobbins said he told Patek that was too expensive just for lobbying.

While Proffer lobbied primarily for Southeast, Patek has more than 20 clients, according to documents filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The university last June advertised in the Southeast Missourian and in a St. Louis newspaper for proposals from lobbyists. Patek submitted the only valid proposal by the 3:30 p.m. deadline on July 11, according to school records. Dobbins said the university ended up considering only Patek's bid.

Proffer, a graduate of Southeast, said the university's decision to replace him as lobbyist was a "slap in the face."

In a letter to Dobbins dated July 5, Proffer expressed frustration at the situation.

"I do not understand your statement of people not wanting me working for Southeast when they want an 'R' and not a 'D.' Who are these people?"

"I believe I at least deserve an answer to this question as D's are representing higher education all across the state," Proffer wrote. "Haven't I done a good job? I stood up for Southeast and higher education when other lobbyists would not!"

Proffer said he never received a reply.

Dobbins said he pitched the letter. "I don't respond to letters that are ridiculous," he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123