Billy Long explains away his gambling in an email dated May 7, 2010

-----Original Message-----

From: Auctnr1@aol.com

Sent: Fri, May 7, 2010 5:28 pm

Subject: From Billy Long

What I would really like to do is have a cup of coffee with you and (redacted) as soon as possible. I'll be glad to fill you in completely on everything and I'll be 100 percent honest with you as I am with everyone.

I just returned today from a week in Washington, D.C. and it was fabulous. One of the groups I met with is 100 percent anti-gambling and they had agreed to endorse me months ago until another of the candidates started a "Whisper Campaign" against me concerning gambling and then they backed off. When I met with them again this week and leveled with them concerning everything and all of these wildly exaggerated claims their executive director said he thinks he "smells a rat." He's going to run my name up the flag pole again and tell his state people that he again wants to endorse me and if he gets push back from one or two certain people then his suspicions will be confirmed and I will indeed get their endorsement.

I have my own "Anti Billy Blogger" that has been dogging me for months - he shows up everywhere I go and carries a banner trying to turn people against me. My main two competitors have joined forces with him trying to fan the flames on anything "Anti Billy".

One of my two main competitors has taken $4,800 from the Casino just west of Joplin and the other one has taken $2,600 from casinos in St. Louis and K.C. (Bus Driver's note: not true, easily checked)

I have not asked for and will not accept money from any gambling interest.

One of the two main competitors did a phone poll last week and if you said "undecided but leaning towards Long" the callers response was "well if you knew Billy was a Professional Gambler and has made his living the last several years off his winnings would you feel any different about him?" (redacted) I had a supporter's Mom get one of these calls and she made him repeat it three times which he did, she was totally outraged at their behavior and couldn't believe her ears. (bus driver's note: Billy also did phone calls.)

That's how low they've sunk already in this race. If you analyze it they didn't lie - they never said I was a Professional gambler and that's how I've made my living - they just ask "well if you knew..."

10 months ago a staunch anti gambling area resident said he wanted to support me but had heard I hosted "High Stakes Poker Games" in my home on a regular basis. I said "do you want me to lie to you or do you want the truth?" He opted for the truth so I said "well the truth is the last time I hosted any poker game in my house or anywhere else was OVER THIRTY YEARS AGO WHEN I LIVED AT HOME and Dad and I would have some friends over every week or two for a 25 cent - 50 cent poker game.
(bus driver's note: too bad the 'staunch anti-gambling resident didn't ask if Billy played "High Stakes Poker Games"(see player 116)
This blogger has filed two frivolous complaints against me with the Federal Election Commission in D.C. One was throw out without being investigated and the other soon will be but I just got a bill from my Attorney of $1,400 for answering his frivolous charges. However now his frivolous ethics complaints have now become "Billy Long's Ethics PROBLEMS" - so when people hear that they automatically think I have real ethical issues.

I played zero poker for thirty years and about three years ago I started playing occasionally in friendly poker games in two friends homes. Their Wives would fix something to eat and we'd play cards. I was never embarrassed or ashamed of this but when I started running for office I just thought it would be better not to play anymore. (bus driver's note: While Long may have not played poker at his house for 30 years, and only at two friends' house for three years, On line records from Card Player, The Poker Authority show a player named Billy Long participated in games on 12/10/2003 (won $300), 12/20/2003 (won $325) and 07/10/2008 (won $15,600).

On a fishing trip to Louisiana a year ago January they were holding a nationally televised poker tournament at a hotel in Mississippi which was on my way to my buddies house. I paid $265 to enter a small tournament and won a $1,000 token (no cash value) to play in another tournament where I won a $10,000 token (no cash value) to play in the main event. I played in that the next day and lost - collected no money and went on to my buddies place for the deep sea fishing. So my $265 dollars bought me a lot of fun and entertainment butting heads with some Pro Players. However when the story is told "Billy paid $10,000 CASH to support his out of control gambling habit". I told the blogger in person exactly how it works but he swears I'm lying - I could tell him the Sun was coming up in the east tomorrow and he'd swear I was lying. (bus driver's notes: Is this what he is talking about? Event #8 - No Limit Hold'em Championship at the end of day 1, Long was 69 out of 70)

The last poker tournament I played is was a benefit tournament for the "No Kill Animal Shelter" at Springfield's Millwood Country Club about three months ago and I played in it to support the shelter. (bus driver notes: This may be true, if you are only speaking about poker tournaments. Reliable sources have seen Long at the Downstream casino, an establishment that hosts poker games) As Mark Twain one said "my demise has been greatly exaggerated" and for me "my Gambling Habits have been greatly exaggerated".

I've rambled longer than I intended but I'd still like to set down at your convenience and give your more Fact vs Fiction stories that are going around concerning this issue.

When I was in D.C. this week one of the biggest lobbyists up there (who has endorsed Nodler) made sure he emailed the anti-Billy blog information to everyone we were meeting with. However for the most part (like 95 percent of the time) it's actually helped us as people can see through their tactics and are appalled at how low they can go with all this stuff.

Thanks, Billy

Call and we'll do coffee.... there's more.

$609.75 for a meal? And 5 trips to Vegas, 4 trips paid for from your campaign account? And NO town hall meetings? Billy Long, you should be ashamed!

Billy Long spent $609.75 for one meal?


WTF Billy Long! And not only that, you said,"The people in Southwest Missouri are paying for it!"

In my best Lewis Black impression: WTF Billy Long?!

And now you're gambling again?



At you stayed the Hotel of the Rich and Famous: The Venetian Resort Hotel at the same time they were holding their high stakes poker tournament? (All guest rooms feature refreshment centers, safes, three telephones, TVs, modem lines, and fax/print/copy machines.)

Ah jeez Billy.

Does the guy who lives in this house know what you are spending your campaign donations on? Trips to Las Vegas? Luxury suites, $600 meals?



Oh Billy, what are we going to do with you?

Randy Turner, of The Turner Report filed this report on July 30, 2012 this report: Billy Long not fed up with Las Vegas; contributors have paid for four trips this year:

A disclosure report filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission shows yet another Las Vegas trip for Seventh District Congressman Billy Long.

The trip is at least the fifth one this year, and of those five trips, money for four came from his campaign bank account.

The latest disclosure report, covering the time period since July 1, shows Long reporting $936.32 for a stay at the Venetian Hotel. The date listed on the item is July 5. Apparently, earlier that day Long spent $609.29 for a meal at Tortilla Coast in Washington. D. C., a place where one reviewer wrote, "The food is great; the drinks are perfectly strong, but not too strong."

It is not clear what campaign event Long was attending in Las Vegas, but if he stayed at the Venetian Hotel on July 5 as the disclosure report indicates, he certainly picked a busy day at the hotel. On that same day, according to the hotel website, things were hopping at the Venetian Poker Room, especially in the "high-stakes area, featuring seven high-limit tables, two relaxation areas, butler service, and gourmet dining."

And as part of the poker room's "Deep Stack Extravaganza," a tournament was being held July 5, No Limit Hold 'Em with a $2,375 buy-in, a $125 entry fee, and a prize pot of $382,200.

Long's July quarterly report, filed on the 14th, indicates he made two trips to Vegas. As I noted in the July 17 Turner Report:

The report appears to show two trips to Vegas for Long since he has a listing for Allegiant Air, Las Vegas, $451.58 on May 21, and lists a meal at Mars Retail, Las Vegas, on April 11, with a cost of $303.74.

The first quarter disclosure report also shows a Vegas trip paid for by Long's campaign contributors, $241.26 for a flight with Allegiant Air, Las Vegas, on March 5.

Long made a fifth Vegas trip, but this was not billed to his campaign account. As I wrote in the Feb. 13 Turner Report:

In-person town hall meetings seem to be a thing of the past for Seventh District Congressman Billy Long, but junkets to Las Vegas, paid for by special interest groups, are on his approved list.

The Washington newspaper Roll Call reports today that the Consumer Electronics Association paid $2,000 for three days of Long's four-day stay in Sin City from Jan. 8-11. Records show Long paid his own expenses for one of the four days:

Travel disclosure reports filed with the House Ethics Committee show that participants used an exemption that permits additional travel time to far-off locations and paid their own hotel bills for an extra day or two, allowing them to spend several days in Vegas and still accept round-trip airfare and other expenses from the association — exactly what a 2007 rules change was supposed to eliminate.

The 110th Congress enacted new rules that bar entities that retain or employ lobbyists from sponsoring most forms of Congressional travel that last more than one day but left open the possibility that an additional night’s lodging would be approved in “exceptional” circumstances and that travelers could extend the trip out of their own pocket. Combined, the two provisions allow a one-day trip to morph into an excursion of four or more days.

“The point is to make sure these trips are business-related and do not turn into vacation junkets,” Public Citizen’s Craig Holman said. “By combining these two, it turns what should be a quick business trip into a junket. This is exactly what we wanted to stop.”

Long's pre-primary report also shows that he has spent $387,834.52 during this election cycle. He still has $389,508.76 in the bank.

Last January The Bus reported on Roll Call's accounting of Long's trip to Vegas: Loopholes Allowed for Long Vacation in Vegas. You gotta love that headline!
You gotta love that headline!

Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), for example, flew to Las Vegas on Jan. 8 for a four-day trip, leaving the city Jan. 11. The association spent about $2,000 on hotel accommodations at the Wynn Casino, airfare and meals for Long and his wife. A post-travel disclosure form filed with the Ethics Committee shows that Long spent Jan. 8 in Las Vegas at his own expense, leaving two and half additional days to attend the conference and sightsee. Long’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

One of these things is not like the other... On the campaign trail with Billy Long.....

On July 21 Herman Cain tweeted about our congressman. It seems Billy went on a local radio show and made a comment which Cain picked up on.


(Billy's quote, as related by Cain: "We don't understand the pressure of being in Congress.")

With that quote in mine, our congressman was spotted at the fair this week taking pictures of the pig races.


Can you imagine the pressure of going to the fair and watching the pig races? Not judging them, but just watching them.

(Maybe he got 'pigford' mixed up with 'pig race'?)

Now, it's time to play "One of these things are not like the other!"

Billy Long's house in a Springfield gated community:


Billy Long supporter's house:


Our congressman, the temporarily on hiatus auctioneer, voted for the Ryan budget which cuts funding for Medicare, social security, planned parenthood, ADC, Pell grants, housing subsidies, and he voted against the Affordable Healthcare Act.

And, as a friend of mine commented,

And when do public school teachers individually realize Republicans have an all-out assault on them, not just some group called teachers? And firefighters? And police? And everyone on Social Security? Medicare? Medicaid? Pell Grants? Student loans? Public housing? And so on. It's always, "those people" and it never comes home to them.

The irony here, of course, is that Billy lives in house that was listed for sale at over 3/4 of a million dollars and he presents himself as a populist and the person who lives in this house supports him.

Why do people vote against their own self interests?

I don't know.

Shane Schoeller's surprising voter comparison.

We always suspected that Schoeller's voter id law, the hinge pin of his Secretary of State campaign was lifted straight from the ALEC playbook.

Schoeller, who has been on the government payroll almost all his adult life (8 years as member of Missouri house, prior to that field representative for Senator John Ashcroft and Senator Kit Bond, Legislative Assistant for Congressman Roy Blunt and Chief Administrative Aide to Secretary of State Matt Blunt)has been a frequent shill for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Missouri.

He was heavily involved in HCR53 which was filed last session in the Missouri House in response to a judge’s ruling that the ballot summary written by GOP leaders for their suppression measure was misleading to voters. The resolution is sponsored by Rep. Shane Schoeller. The GOP ballot language intended to “to suppress the votes of young people, minorities, poor people, elderly people and disabled people.

From the Huffington Post 07/27/2012:

A Republican candidate for Missouri secretary of state sent out a tweet Thursday that compared voter identification to ID cards used in schools so students can eat lunch.

State House Speaker Pro Tempore Shane Schoeller (R-Willard) tweeted that students could not receive lunch without an ID card and that he would similarly like Missouri voters to have to show an ID card to vote. His tweet was accompanied by a picture of a sign that said students needed an ID card for lunch.

The Huffington Post could not find out where the photo came from. Schoeller's campaign did not return a message left for comment.

Missouri's legislature adopted a voter ID law in 2006 that was later struck down by the state Supreme Court. Schoeller has been pushing for a statewide constitutional amendment requiring a voter ID. In April, Schoeller told HuffPost that his voter ID bill would not disenfranchise military voters, which had been claimed by opponents.

Schoeller is locked in a three-way battle for the GOP secretary of state nomination against Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton) and Sen. Scott Rupp (R-Wentzville). The winner of the Aug. 7 primary will face Rep. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City) to replace retiring secretary of state Robin Carnahan (D).

Stouffer has also pushed for the voter ID constitutional amendment. Schoeller is seen as the GOP frontrunner in the race, while Stouffer was reported this week to have received more than $110,000 in free billboard advertisements around the state following his strong support for pro-billboard legislation in the Senate.

Schoeller's tweet has received 10 retweets along with one visible reply opposing his statement. Caleb-Michael Files of Portland, Ore., tweeted in response to Schoeller that the lunch cards also include lunch money on it -- like debit cards -- giving the cards a practical use.

Frequent Bus riders will recall Roy Blunt lamenting in a fundraising letter sent on Shane's behalf that Shane spent $10,121 more than he raised to retain his seat.. Of course, most of that went to donations to other Republican candidates.

And of course we all remember Shane's fiery fundraising letter where he told us how the hair stood up on the back of his head---"Does it seem wrong you that unproductive and wrong-headed policies are about all we see from Washington," This is called 'pandering to the base'.

It was about this time --2010 campaign season-- that Shane hired then fired former Missouri Speaker of the House Rod Jetton, he of the Green Balloons fame, to run his campaign. (Birther Jones, the presumptive speaker, almost makes Jetton look normal.)

And this, from 2008, is MOST Peculiar!

From April, 2012, is this report about Shane and Eric partying in New Orleans on ALEC's dime. Is it any wonder that Shane is carrying ALEC's water on the voter id issue? (We're saving Burlinson's comments on state worker's health care for a later time).

VOTER ID laws are designed to dis-enfranchise and discourage voters. Schoeller is wrong for pushing this issue. THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT SAID THAT PHOTO ID IS “A HEAVY AND SUBSTANTIAL BURDEN ON MISSOURIAN’S FREE EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.”

Shane Schoeller, Secretary of State candidate from Willard, co-sponsored "Birther Legislation" in MO House

From the bus garage, 01/26/2011:

From the Turner Report:

Barack Obama is an American.

It is sad that we still have a large number of wild-eyed conspiracy theory addicts who believe that our president has risen to the top of the political ladder thanks to a bizarre plan that supposedly originated back when a Hawaii newspaper announced his birth nearly five decades ago.

Now that President Obama has been in office for two years, you would think that this issue would have been put to rest and we would stop wasting taxpayers' money on furthering this mythology.

Sadly, that is not the case in Missouri, and it appears that much of the waste is originating in this corner of the state.

HB 283, filed by Rep. Lyle Rowland, R-Cedarcreek, requires state political committees to certify in writing that their candidates for president and vice president shall be certified and "such certification shall include proof of U. S. citizenship for each nominee."

The Springfield News-Leader reports that Rowland says he believes President Obama is a citizen, and that his bill is for future candidates. Future perhaps as in 2012 when Barack Obama is likely to run for re-election.

At a time when Missouri legislators have professed over and over that the number one priority in this session is jobs, it is amazing just how many ways they are finding to deal with nonsense.

Rowland is far from the only southwest Missourian to attach his name to HB 283. Sixteen representatives are co-sponsoring the measure, including Rep. Mike Kelley, R-Lamar, Kevin Elmer, R-Nixa, Don Wells, R-Cabool, Darrell Pollack, R-Lebanon, Don Phillips, Kimberling City, Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, Barney Fisher, R-Richards, and Melissa Leach, R-Springfield.

The other representatives co-sponsoring the measure, all Republicans, are Stanley Cox, Sedalia, Tom Loehner, Koeltztown; Dave Hinson, St. Clair, Lindell Shumake, Hannibal; Jason Smith, Salem, Andrew Koening, Winchester; and Diane Franklin, Camdenton.

The bill was read for the second time today. It is not on the house calendar at the moment and if the House's Republican leadership has any common sense (and it does), this bill will be buried in committee and never see the light of day.

At a time when Missourians are suffering due to the continuing harmful effects of a downward-spiraling economy, the last thing we need to see is our legislators pandering to the extreme fringes of their constituency.

Put Missourians back to work and put the birthers back under the baseboards where they belong.

"FED UP" is born again! The resurrection of Billy Long's slogan. It's better than "Got Milk"!

In 2010 Billy Long won a very crowded primary for the MO7 seat primarily because he was "fed up" with Washington politicians and their cronies. He won with 36% of the vote.

Remember this ad?



It's primary season again and Billy's got some challengers in the primary

Want to know how weak our sitting congressman is--- used to be nobody challenged the incumbent but Billy's got a serious contender. And remember, 2 out of three primary voters did NOT vote for Billy.

This time around Billy can't complain about 'fed up' with Washington Politicians and their cronies because he is one now.

But gosh dang it, that 'fed up' was such a good line that Billy hated to waste it.

Who can he be fed up against?

Roy Blunt?

No, he already tried that and it backfired on him.

Summing up the attitude of many freshmen, Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), a former auctioneer, reportedly told lobbyists early last year that party elders such as Boehner and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a former House leader, should not be trusted. “John Boehner and Roy Blunt are what’s wrong with Washington,” he said. Bret Funk, Long’s spokesman, said Sunday: “Rep. Long denies this incident ever took place and has nothing but the utmost respect for both Speaker Boehner and Senator Blunt.”

How about the Affordable Healthcare Act? Yeah, Obamacare, that's good for something!

No, wait, can't use that.

Billy's on record saying there's a lot of things in there that he likes. Yeah, he said that several times.



Pay attention Billy! Yeah, you do go first every time. And you can't remember the second part of the question?

Ah jeez Billy, look at you.

If you can't pay attention to a debate in Joplin MO, how the heck do you expect us to believe you pay attention to what goes on in Washington, D.C.?

What? He doesn't?

Prove it.

From the bus garage, December 18, 2011, :

Last March, Long co-sponsored a bill because Peter King asked him to, Long later said he didn't know what was in the bill. When bloggers broke the story, the SN-L interviewed Long: "But when asked about the provision in the bill that would sell off the frequency used by amateur radio operators, Long said that was news to him. He said he co-sponsored the bill because King, the homeland security chairman, asked him to and because the bill is supported by many organizations that are committed to public safety, something he values."

C'mon Billy.

Admit it. You know it and we know it.

You are at in over your head.

What the hell were you thinking when you did this?

"I'll be back"? What are you doing?, channeling Arnold now?

Ah jeez, Billy.

Do you remember telling a radio announcer here in Springfield a couple of months ago when you were a guest on his show that we "don't understand the pressures of being a congressman"?

I'm gonna channel Harry S -- If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

You know, they say Washington is Hollywood for ugly people so it was no surprise when we saw Billy in this CNN video after the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Watch this video snippet, especially at the 55- 1:00 second mark. Where do you think Billy's going? He's going somewhere... yes, he's been sitting in a banquet hall for a couple of hours, drinking something and yeah, we know where he's going.

Billy likes D.C. Sure, there's lots of parties, lots of after dinner speeches and expensive meals. I'm sure it's exciting to be in D.C. and it's fun to tweet and not to worry about those who depend on you to be their representative in congress. I mean how can you be fed up with that?

So last January, Billy was in Miami Beach for some meeting. (Billy's traveled a lot since he got elected. He's been to Las Vegas several times Loopholes allow for Long Vegas vacation, he's been to Israel - rumor has it they loved him and his jokes,--he been to California - I mean how can you be "fed up" with all that travel. Miami Beach! WOW!

Anyhow, Billy was in Miami Beach --that's the city made famous by Jackie Gleason...



Ah heck, I'll let The Miami Herald tell the story:

Against the backdrop of the sparkling Atlantic Ocean, a House subcommittee convened a field hearing in Sunny Isles Beach Monday to discuss U.S. readiness if an offshore oil spill in Cuba or the Bahamas reached American waters or drifted ashore.

The hearing of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee came as the Scarabeo 9, an oil rig leased by the Spanish company Repsol, embarks on oil exploration in deep Cuban waters some 70 miles south of the Florida Keys, and the Bahamas contemplates offshore drilling of its own, perhaps by mid 2013.
The temporary hearing room at the Doubletree by Hilton Ocean Point had an ocean view. “We’re not used to seeing breakers like this on the Potomac,’’ noted Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo.

WHAT?!? Billy's point of reference to the Atlantic Ocean breakers on the beach is ?!

Ah jeez, has Long lost touch with where he came from or not? Weepin' Jesus on the cross...The Potomac Riverfer cryin' out loud!

Bus riders, don't you think that he would have, could have, should have used Tablerock Lake, Lake Taneycomo, Bull Shoals Lake or even Stockton Lake as his point of reference to the breakers?

Remember Billy, all or major portions of these lakes are in your district, The Potomac River? That's in Washington D.C. Billy Long's frame of reference ISN'T the beautiful lakes of the MO7, no, it's the Potomac River--which is in WASHINGTON D.C.!
Yeah, Billy, Fed up? quack quack.


So Billy's got this great slogan, "FED UP". Remember, it was on his campaign signs, which the last we heard, ended up in a dumpster behind his office on East Battlefield.

"Fed Up" -- what a shame to waste it.

Then there's the stories we keep hearing on the street about financial affairs-- notices in "The Daily Event", a "request for notice" from Commerce Bank filed with the Greene County Recorder's office, about his FEC report showing a loan of $100,000.00 to $250,000.00 from his father,-- you know, the bank of last resort.



Yes, Billy needs to resurrect "FED UP" and fast.

But he can't be "Fed UP" with career politicians and their cronies because he is one now.

Dang, it's a shame to waste a perfectly good slogan like "FED UP".

Can't it be re-born again?

Billy preyed on it. And he got all sorts of people to prey too.simulated supporters preying for the re-birth of "FED UP"


Then, as Billy got into the big black F150 and headed to Walgreen's for snake bite kits, he had a "Damascus" moment!
(Schiavone, thanks for the pic, bud!)

Ha!

Lay!

Lou!

Yah!

IT'S A MIRACLE!

He effin' nailed it!

YES! This is better than GOT MILK!


He can be "FED UP" with Obama!





What a joke.


Ah jeez.

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Wild Bill Hickok Springfield Public Square

[cid:2DF04D64-1697-4579-A423-CC659F8A195C]
City of Springfield Official News Release

[cid:5133BBB1-2775-4465-870D-61A17CC0FC74]Contact:
Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement
417-864-1009 (office) | 417-380-3352 (cell)
Cscott@springfieldmo.gov

Connect with SGF:
[cid:68538DEE-A873-40DE-AAD9-0D397204EA11]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Immediate Release: July 25, 2012

Wild Bill Hickok story brought back to life in the digital world

The nation’s first one-on-one quick draw duel took place on Springfield's town square between J.B. “Wild Bill” Hickok and Davis K. Tutt, on July 21, 1865.

The City is bringing the story back to life thanks to the use of technology. Markers are placed in the concrete in locations on Park Central Square that indicate where eyewitnesses were likely interviewed by the coroner after the deadly fight. Smart phones can access QR codes on the markers that will load audiovisual files recounting the story from each witness’ perspective. Seven different perspectives, along with Coroner J.T. Brown’s findings and the jury verdict, are included in the tour.

To supplement the QR code tour, Wild Bill has a new digital presence at twitter.com/wildbillsgf and facebook.com/wildbillsgf. For those without a smart phone, or QR code reader, the tour is available at www.springfieldmo.gov/wildbill.

City of Springfield Public Works assistant director Jonathan Gano became interested in the legend of Wild Bill Hickok in Springfield while remodeling Park Central Square last year. Gano uncovered the coroner's inquest in the Greene County archives and thought it would make a good audio story.

“He is probably the most famous person to ever live in Springfield,” Gano said. “The shootout became famous around the world and probably shaped what later became depicted in movies over and again as the Wild West duel.”

What began as an argument over gambling debts, turned deadly when Tutt seized a prize watch of Wild Bill’s as collateral. Warned against wearing the watch in public to humiliate Wild Bill, Tutt appeared on the square on July 21, prominently wearing the watch. The two men then unsuccessfully negotiated the debt and the watch’s return.

Hickok returned to the square at 6 p.m. to again find Tutt displaying his watch. Wild Bill gave Tutt his final warning. “Don’t you come around here with that watch.” Tutt answered by placing his hand on his pistol.

Standing about 75 yards apart and facing each other sideways in dueling positions, Tutt drew his gun first. Wild Bill steadied his aim across his opposite forearm. Both paused,then fired near simultaneously.

Tutt missed. Wild Will’s shot passed through Tutt’s chest. Reeling from the wound, Tutt staggered back to the nearest building before collapsing.

Wild Bill was acquitted of manslaughter by a jury after a three-day trial. Nothing better described the times than the fact that dangling a watch held as security for a poker debt was widely regarded as a justifiable provocation for resorting to firearms.

# # #

About the QR code tour: Greg Burris, Phil Broyles, Jim O'Dell, Mike Peters, Vince Crunk, Ric Buchanan, Tina Stobb and Bob Willenbrink provided the voices behind the retelling. City Public Information Department produced the tour, including visuals of what the eyewitnesses might look like (no illustrations are known to exist). Look closely: the illustrations resemble their vocal counterparts.

When Billy Long says he's "FED UP", means it---literally. And it's on the taxpayers' dime!

Fed UP translates to Well FED.

I had been hearing stories about Long's eating habits in WASHDC. Like how he told a constituent, as the tale was related to me, not to worry about the cost of the entrees at the dining establishment they were eating. Seems old Billy told the gentleman that the 7th district was picking up the tab.

This may just be a tale told out of school, BUT

....and this is a big BUT, I do remember this-- In April 2011 Long spent $1,333 in campaign funds for a membership in the "Capitol Club":

According to his quarterly report filed Tuesday with the FEC, one of the first things Long did in Washington was to spend $1,333 of his campaign funds to join the exclusive "Capitol Hill Club".

Membership in the Capitol Hill Club is by invitation only. The membership process can take four to six weeks. The candidate must submit the completed membership application with the applicable initiation fee.

Pretty Ritzy, huh? Makes the Metropolitan Grill look like Does.

So this Op-Ed piece is all the more interesting.

Billy really, really likes the Capitol Club.

Billy Long: Fed up's many definitions
Updated: 2012-07-13 11:28:14
by Doug Joyce

Billy Long was fed up; now he is well fed.

Two years ago Billy Long was “fed up.” He ran a congressional campaign on needing to get spending under control and to balance the budget. He was fed up with the way Washington, D.C. was operating and promised to change the culture.

Now, two years later, let’s look at what he has accomplished. He has voted along party lines with John Boehner and the Boys. He has voted to increase the debt limit. He has voted to increase spending and he is very proud to be able to bring 2.8 million of your dollars to Joplin to be used by the “volunteer” Americorps program, a make work jobs program for young adults.

Although one person may not bring change alone, each one must hold to his or her principles, stand up, and say, NO MORE, I AM FED UP. If enough people do that, then change can come.

Billy Long has not done that. In fact, he has become a lock-step in-line Boehner Boy.

I was embarrassed to see him stand in front of the nation and auction off the US debt. Some may have thought it to be cute and funny. I was appalled my representative would stoop so low.

In order to see how really conservative Billy Long is and to understand how he will spend our tax dollars, we need to look at how he spends his own money, or, rather, the money folks and out of state political action committees have given him to keep him in office. It doesn't matter who has given the money. Folks are certainly entitled to support whomever they choose, and political action committees are entitled to try and influence elected officials. But let’s look at how Billy has spent this money.

He has reported five quarters of spending. He started real slow, sort of getting to learn the ropes from Boehner and the Boys.

First Quarter 2011 meals, $1,616.47; transportation, $25

Second Quarter 2011 meals, $4,273.44; transportation, $1,280.54

Third Quarter 2011 meals, $1,820.24; transportation, $0

Fourth Quarter 2011 meals, $4,099.25; transportation, $4,751.49

First Quarter 2012 meals, $7,878.97; transportation, $3,867.26

As we can see by and large he has accelerated his spending. And in the first quarter of 2012 most of this meal money has been spent at the Capitol Hill Club and other fine dining areas in Washington, D.C.

This spending of donated money to be used for re election shows me Billy Long is not in touch with us, his constituents. He is in touch with Washington, D.C. and it has only taken him 1 ½ years to learn to play Washington’s game. He learns fast.

Residents of the 7th Congressional District, we have a choice. Mike Moon is a conservative Republican and will be a strong voice in Washington. Get the facts. Fed up? Well, Mike is the answer.

Now, reports of Long's financial insecurity are surfacing. Watch this video: The description of the video:

Billy Long doesn't care if he gets re-elected. He speaks to his business acumen just as his entire 'empire' is about to implode. Billy borrows megabucks from his father - There's nothing wrong with family helping family - but the problem is Billy's habit of overspending is now seen in his Liberal spending of massive amounts of taxpayer funds. Billy's overall Conservative rating is pathetic.

And then there are those 'pesky' request for notice things filed with the recorder's office. What's that all about?

Airstream and liking it!

Columbus Belmont State Park, great spot, Kentucky kept this park nice. The river is behind us.
Big Springs park
Tent campers at Big Springs.

Good barbeque in Memphis.
The river is just behind the trailer



Mammoth Springs, Arkansas, got the last open spot in the park, $20, lights, water, sewer and wi-fi. Great little campground just across the highway bridge!


Tom Sawyer RV Park, West Memphis Arkansas. We came in a day early so our spot was occupied. We opted to move to next loop, no shade but plenty of room for Toby to run. Sat in trailer, drank martinis and watched the boats go by!


Regina boat watching.


Fort Defiance State Park, Illinois between Kentucky and Missouri. Great place to put your feet in the mighty Mississippi River and the Great Ohio River! And Big bridges from the 1940s! Narrow, especially when meeting a semi truck!


Ganey walking down to hte confluence of the Ohio (on the left) and the Mississippi (on the right) Rivers. Great Spot!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE!