MISSOURI WATCH: POLITICAL POWER TAKES A BATH

The political saga of the former speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives is winding down. Days from now a federal judge will sentence Bob Griffin of Cameron, Mo., to a jail term for two crimes the defendant now admits to, said admission coming after two of his former allies agreed to testify against him to mitigate their punishment.

To paraphrase on old expression: power corrupts and total power destroys. Just ask those whose lives have been shattered by the unlawful use of the greatest aphrodisiac in government: the strength to perform what less significant others are unable to accomplish.

Since Bob Griffin's unexpected pleas of guilty, Missourians have heard much about the evils of public corruption and boasts of ferreting it out and destroying the evil beast. We have heard others speak of the triumph of justice over evil, and some have quoted Scripture to reassure citizens that their system of government is safe from politicians of such ilk.

The Northwest Missourian up whom all of this attention has been devoted is almost unanimously rebuked for what his critics charge is abuse of power while serving an unprecedented 15 years in what is arguably the second most powerful job in Jefferson City, His admission of guilt on two counts stems from a $5,000 payment by a one-time political ally for his role in securing for her an extremely lucrative campaign management job. The other count stems from the payment by one Cathryn Simmons for the Griffin-sponsored job via U.S. mail. Presumably had Ms. Simmons' check been delivered by Federal Express, this particular charge would not have been filed.

Since the former House speaker has decided to enter the plea he made on August 11, he is guilty of having accepted $5,000 from the person he aided as payment for his role in securing her employment with a group of highway contractors in the state. And, presumably, none of the members of this group knew of any payment by Ms. Simmons to Mr. Griffin. The contractors were only interested in getting the state gasoline tax increased so that more money would be available for work by their companies. Nothing illegal about making more profit.

The interesting aspect, never mentioned, about the Griffin-Simmons arrangement is that the latter was not a public employee but a private contractor engaged in campaign consulting. For Griffin to have accepted the funds was unethical, and obviously against federal law, but it is interesting, and perhaps informative, to note that had the highway contractors individually contributed a cumulative total of $5,000 to Griffin's campaign fund, no one would have been guilty of anything. It would have been far worse, as far as the public was concerned,had the contractors been attempting to influence Griffin rather than employ an outside consultant, and perhaps this was the case by employing a friend of the speaker.

What Bob Griffin has admitted to was most assuredly unethical, but again, he is an attorney and given a latitude not enjoyed by other professions in public affairs. Griffin's biggest crime, as far as most citizens are concerned, is that he accumulated too much power while staying too long in a powerful legislative post. But Griffin remained in this job because a majority of his party wanted him there, or at least had no alternative candidate powerful enough to win a contest against the Cameron Democrat. It can be emphatically stated that while Griffin had a majority of his party keeping him in the speaker's office, most if not all would not have countenanced illegal or unethical acts. On the other hand, politicians do not live in a vacuum and are aware that political trade-offs occur all the time, but in cases such as these the end seems always to justify the means. Only results count in politics.

Power corrupts, but power is an essential component of both the legislative and political process. Someone has to be in charge, whether Democrat or Republican, and this extends form municipal boards all the way to Washington. Those who are in charge inherit a mantle of power and add to it by the results of their strength. If this power is not used, the leader is often removed and someone promising greater benefits is installed. Few players are chosen for their good looks.

Bob Griffin's political career is over. It is impossible to say when the beginning of the end occurred, but it's fair to say it began long before Monday, Aug. 11, 1997.

~Jack Stapleton of Kennett is the editor of Missouri News and Editorial Service.