Missouri House of Representatives
I don't see anything about autism or disabilities on here.
200995th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Legislation Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Grisamore
COSPONSOR
HB27
Authorizes an income tax deduction from a taxpayer's Missouri adjusted gross income for 100% of any military retirement income, regardless of age or income
HB27 -- (LR# 0200L.01I)
Prefiled (H)
HB111
Allows unclaimed remains of veterans to be collected by a veterans' service organization for the purpose of internment in a veterans' cemetery under certain circumstances
HB111 -- (LR# 0668L.01I)
Prefiled (H)
HB126
Requires all employers in the state who provide paid or unpaid leave for the birth of a child to provide the same leave for the adoption of a child
HB126 -- (LR# 0573L.01I)
Prefiled (H)
HB149
Requires certification of law enforcement canine teams
HB149 -- (LR# 0128L.01I)
Prefiled (H)
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Alliance For Orphans and Widows
Jeff Grisamore Launches ALLIANCE FOR ORPHANS AND WIDOWS
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Children of Promise International has commissioned our president, Jeff Grisamore, to launch a new initiative, hereby known as, the Alliance for Orphans and Widows. As President of Children of Promise since 2000, Jeff's legacy has been a consistent passion for the care of orphans and widows, a quality that will serve him well in this new endeavor. Jeff will assume his new duties as founder and president of Alliance for Orphans and Widows in April 2006.
The vision of the Alliance for Orphans and Widows is to help catalyze and enable more organizations to actively engage in orphan and widow care. Because of his commitment to this vision, Jeff will seek funding and programming opportunities not only for Children of Promise, but also for other organizations who share God's heart to care for orphans and widows. Children of Promise and Alliance for Orphans and Widows will seek continued partnership to care for orphans and widows, the poor, and those who have never heard the Gospel.
Dr. Lynn Wiens will be the interim President of Children of Promise International until a more permanent position can be arranged. Dr. Wiens, along with his wife, Dr. Ann Wiens, have been members of our Board of Directors since 2002. Dr. Wiens is a physician in Hutchinson, Kansas where he resides with his wife and five children, Peter, Josiah, Abigail, Evangelina, and Amber Joy.
We are thankful to God for Jeff's six years of faithful service to Children of Promise International. Please join us in praying for Jeff, his wife Mary, and their children in this new venture.
Thank you for your continuing commitment and generosity to the mission of Children of Promise, as we care for orphans, widows, and the poor worldwide, in order to reach the unreached with the Gospel. Your faithfulness is greatly appreciated.
Alliance Charities, the donor advised fund I direct at Servant Christian Community Foundation (SCCF) Contributions are tax-deductible and you will receive tax receipt from SCCF.
Alliance Charitiesc/o Servant Christian Community Foundation
706 N. Lindenwood Drive
Olathe, KS 66062
You can also make secured credit card contributions online at www.alliancefororphans.org
If you have questions, please call Jeff Grisamore at 816.225.5695 or email him at jeff@alliancefororphans.org
Why choose a Giving Fund?
Your SCCF Giving Fund can serve your church or ministry in a wide variety of ways – as a capital fund, endowment, community outreach, or other purpose. Its many benefits include:
Flexibility – Accept all kinds of non-cash gifts – from real estate to business interests to restricted securities – and reduce your legal liability in the process.
Simplicity – Manage all aspects of your Fund online and leave all of the administrative tasks to SCCF (such as liquidation of assets).
Opportunity – Create new opportunities to influence your supporters on planning their giving – and how to get the greatest joy and impact out of their giving.
Privacy – Your Fund is confidential and not subject to public record searches.
Legacy – Deepen the relationship that your supporters have with your church or ministry, and strengthen your church or ministry by implementing a system of financial support for years to come.
Creating A Culture of Generosity
That's the vision behind Servant Christian Community Foundation (SCCF).SCCF helps people give creatively and efficiently. We provide tools, resources and expertise that enable givers to give more generously and to use the most tax-efficient methods for giving.
Our donor advised funds are tailored to accommodate your giving needs. SCCF serves families/individuals, churches, ministries, and professional advisors.
Why a Christian Community Foundation
There are at least ten major reasons why you should seriously consider establishing a Foundation Fund with the Servant Christian Community Foundation. Of course, responsible stewardship and the satisfaction of contributing resources to be used for Christian causes are the most important reasons of all.
1. A Private Foundation Alternative. A Foundation Fund with SCCF is very much like having your own private foundation without the drawbacks. Your Fund can even be personalized, i.e., 'The John Smith Foundation Fund.' By channeling your gifts through SCCF rather than establishing your own private foundation, you avoid costly legal fees, restrictions on contributions, excise taxes, and penalties often associated with private foundations.
2. Give Now, Distribute Later. One of the unique aspects of SCCF is that you can make your charitable contribution, take a current year tax deduction, but elect not to distribute some or all of those funds until a later year. You have up to 10 years before distributions must begin from the SCCF fund you have established.
3. Giving Appreciated Property. You may give non-cash charitable contributions including real property, limited partnerships, stocks, notes, etc. You get your full tax deduction, even if SCCF holds the asset for a period of time before it is converted to cash. To make gifting more simple, SCCF can receive gifts of marketable securities directly into a SCCF brokerage account.
4. Higher Deductions than Private Foundations. Making a donation to SCCF allows you to take a deduction of up to 50% of your adjusted gross income as opposed to 30% if you had your own foundation. Certain gifts to private foundations are limited to cost basis deductions where as the full-appreciated value may be deducted when donated through SCCF.
5. Simplified Giving. SCCF can simplify your giving and save you time by administering the distribution of gifts for you. For instance, should a donor wish to make a large donation of property or stock and wish to divide the proceeds among many different worthy causes, SCCF can sell the property and distribute the proceeds in accordance with your recommendations.
6. Future Giving. SCCF can be named the beneficiary of your Charitable Remainder or Charitable Lead Trusts, and SCCF can be owner and beneficiary of an insurance policy on your life. At your death the proceeds can be used to set up a Foundation Fund for distribution as designated by your children or appointees. The contribution you make to SCCF to pay insurance premiums may be tax deductible.
7. Anonymity. You have the option of making your gift(s) anonymous. The source of a gift to a particular recipient need not be revealed if desired by the donor.
8. Wills/Life Insurance. SCCF can be named in your Will to receive a portion of your estate. In such a case, either your will, or the contract with SCCF signed during your lifetime, can designate the charities to receive the distributions from your Foundation Fund. You can also designate the person, or persons, who will make the distribution decisions regarding your Foundation Fund after your death.
9. Gifts to Needy Individuals. SCCF can assist you in your ministry of benevolence through our affiliate, Helping Hands Ministries, allowing you to make tax-deductible payments to needy individuals who are not related to you
About Servant Christian Community Foundation SCCF is one of a nationwide network of Local Christian Foundations that are affiliated with The National Christian Foundation (NCF). Since 1982, this network has granted more than $1.6 billion to over 15,000 churches and ministries worldwide.SCCF offers expert counsel and innovative, flexible giving solutions to help:
Individuals and families make a greater impact with their charitable giving, give practically any asset entrusted to them, and balance their giving with income needs
Churches and ministries offer their supporters creative ways of giving, which can lead to significant new funding for their organization Professional advisors (financial planners, CPAs, attorneys, and others) present charitable giving expertise to their clients, which turns their practice into a ministry and builds stronger relationships
The National Christian Foundation, with whom SCCF is affiliated, is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).Resource Network.
You will have access to Christian advisors and fellow donors who can help you think through your stewardship or estate questions:
How much should I leave my children?
Is an endowed family foundation wise?
What happens if a ministry or organization to which I've left money changes direction after I die?
Where do I find Christian attorneys and other Christian professionals?
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Children of Promise International has commissioned our president, Jeff Grisamore, to launch a new initiative, hereby known as, the Alliance for Orphans and Widows. As President of Children of Promise since 2000, Jeff's legacy has been a consistent passion for the care of orphans and widows, a quality that will serve him well in this new endeavor. Jeff will assume his new duties as founder and president of Alliance for Orphans and Widows in April 2006.
The vision of the Alliance for Orphans and Widows is to help catalyze and enable more organizations to actively engage in orphan and widow care. Because of his commitment to this vision, Jeff will seek funding and programming opportunities not only for Children of Promise, but also for other organizations who share God's heart to care for orphans and widows. Children of Promise and Alliance for Orphans and Widows will seek continued partnership to care for orphans and widows, the poor, and those who have never heard the Gospel.
Dr. Lynn Wiens will be the interim President of Children of Promise International until a more permanent position can be arranged. Dr. Wiens, along with his wife, Dr. Ann Wiens, have been members of our Board of Directors since 2002. Dr. Wiens is a physician in Hutchinson, Kansas where he resides with his wife and five children, Peter, Josiah, Abigail, Evangelina, and Amber Joy.
We are thankful to God for Jeff's six years of faithful service to Children of Promise International. Please join us in praying for Jeff, his wife Mary, and their children in this new venture.
Thank you for your continuing commitment and generosity to the mission of Children of Promise, as we care for orphans, widows, and the poor worldwide, in order to reach the unreached with the Gospel. Your faithfulness is greatly appreciated.
Alliance Charities, the donor advised fund I direct at Servant Christian Community Foundation (SCCF) Contributions are tax-deductible and you will receive tax receipt from SCCF.
Alliance Charitiesc/o Servant Christian Community Foundation
706 N. Lindenwood Drive
Olathe, KS 66062
You can also make secured credit card contributions online at www.alliancefororphans.org
If you have questions, please call Jeff Grisamore at 816.225.5695 or email him at jeff@alliancefororphans.org
Why choose a Giving Fund?
Your SCCF Giving Fund can serve your church or ministry in a wide variety of ways – as a capital fund, endowment, community outreach, or other purpose. Its many benefits include:
Flexibility – Accept all kinds of non-cash gifts – from real estate to business interests to restricted securities – and reduce your legal liability in the process.
Simplicity – Manage all aspects of your Fund online and leave all of the administrative tasks to SCCF (such as liquidation of assets).
Opportunity – Create new opportunities to influence your supporters on planning their giving – and how to get the greatest joy and impact out of their giving.
Privacy – Your Fund is confidential and not subject to public record searches.
Legacy – Deepen the relationship that your supporters have with your church or ministry, and strengthen your church or ministry by implementing a system of financial support for years to come.
Creating A Culture of Generosity
That's the vision behind Servant Christian Community Foundation (SCCF).SCCF helps people give creatively and efficiently. We provide tools, resources and expertise that enable givers to give more generously and to use the most tax-efficient methods for giving.
Our donor advised funds are tailored to accommodate your giving needs. SCCF serves families/individuals, churches, ministries, and professional advisors.
Why a Christian Community Foundation
There are at least ten major reasons why you should seriously consider establishing a Foundation Fund with the Servant Christian Community Foundation. Of course, responsible stewardship and the satisfaction of contributing resources to be used for Christian causes are the most important reasons of all.
1. A Private Foundation Alternative. A Foundation Fund with SCCF is very much like having your own private foundation without the drawbacks. Your Fund can even be personalized, i.e., 'The John Smith Foundation Fund.' By channeling your gifts through SCCF rather than establishing your own private foundation, you avoid costly legal fees, restrictions on contributions, excise taxes, and penalties often associated with private foundations.
2. Give Now, Distribute Later. One of the unique aspects of SCCF is that you can make your charitable contribution, take a current year tax deduction, but elect not to distribute some or all of those funds until a later year. You have up to 10 years before distributions must begin from the SCCF fund you have established.
3. Giving Appreciated Property. You may give non-cash charitable contributions including real property, limited partnerships, stocks, notes, etc. You get your full tax deduction, even if SCCF holds the asset for a period of time before it is converted to cash. To make gifting more simple, SCCF can receive gifts of marketable securities directly into a SCCF brokerage account.
4. Higher Deductions than Private Foundations. Making a donation to SCCF allows you to take a deduction of up to 50% of your adjusted gross income as opposed to 30% if you had your own foundation. Certain gifts to private foundations are limited to cost basis deductions where as the full-appreciated value may be deducted when donated through SCCF.
5. Simplified Giving. SCCF can simplify your giving and save you time by administering the distribution of gifts for you. For instance, should a donor wish to make a large donation of property or stock and wish to divide the proceeds among many different worthy causes, SCCF can sell the property and distribute the proceeds in accordance with your recommendations.
6. Future Giving. SCCF can be named the beneficiary of your Charitable Remainder or Charitable Lead Trusts, and SCCF can be owner and beneficiary of an insurance policy on your life. At your death the proceeds can be used to set up a Foundation Fund for distribution as designated by your children or appointees. The contribution you make to SCCF to pay insurance premiums may be tax deductible.
7. Anonymity. You have the option of making your gift(s) anonymous. The source of a gift to a particular recipient need not be revealed if desired by the donor.
8. Wills/Life Insurance. SCCF can be named in your Will to receive a portion of your estate. In such a case, either your will, or the contract with SCCF signed during your lifetime, can designate the charities to receive the distributions from your Foundation Fund. You can also designate the person, or persons, who will make the distribution decisions regarding your Foundation Fund after your death.
9. Gifts to Needy Individuals. SCCF can assist you in your ministry of benevolence through our affiliate, Helping Hands Ministries, allowing you to make tax-deductible payments to needy individuals who are not related to you
About Servant Christian Community Foundation SCCF is one of a nationwide network of Local Christian Foundations that are affiliated with The National Christian Foundation (NCF). Since 1982, this network has granted more than $1.6 billion to over 15,000 churches and ministries worldwide.SCCF offers expert counsel and innovative, flexible giving solutions to help:
Individuals and families make a greater impact with their charitable giving, give practically any asset entrusted to them, and balance their giving with income needs
Churches and ministries offer their supporters creative ways of giving, which can lead to significant new funding for their organization Professional advisors (financial planners, CPAs, attorneys, and others) present charitable giving expertise to their clients, which turns their practice into a ministry and builds stronger relationships
The National Christian Foundation, with whom SCCF is affiliated, is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).Resource Network.
You will have access to Christian advisors and fellow donors who can help you think through your stewardship or estate questions:
How much should I leave my children?
Is an endowed family foundation wise?
What happens if a ministry or organization to which I've left money changes direction after I die?
Where do I find Christian attorneys and other Christian professionals?
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Half Truths and Half Answers
Dear Sherri,
Thank you for your e-mail. I am sorry you continue to feel animosity toward me. I certainly do not toward you and welcome your correspondence as a constituent. I would also suggest—as Bill Regan, one my supporters, has suggested—that we meet sometime soon with him and Debbie Shaumeyer. I would welcome that opportunity. There is no way that this is ever going to happen. I will not let him use us one more time. Bill Regan will have to continue looking for people to get on the Grisamore bandwagon because he's not using us anymore.
First and foremost, Sherri, I want to assure you that if you were offended I did not acknowledge you when you attended the Autism Day at the Capitol or the Autism Blue Ribbon Panel meeting in Kansas City, I am sorry. I did not get a chance to talk to you at either event. I think I recall Debbie alerting me she would be at the Blue Ribbon panel meeting, but I went in late after it had started and had to leave early for another meeting. We were very happy to have had you attend the legislative ball as our guest. Debbie didn't alert him that she would be at this meeting. He asked me to get him an invitation and I did it. He was not invited and knew nothing about it until I invited him. Anyone can attend the Legislative Ball. You don't have to have an invitation. Anyone can walk into the door at any time. He just wanted me to believe that I was his guest.
As for your misunderstanding of my relationship to the Blue Ribbon Panel on Autism, my fuller discussions about having missed appointment to that panel were not with Senator Justus, but with Senator Gibbons. He appointed that panel and when he learned of my personal and legislative interest in autism he suggested I speak to Senator Rupp about being added to the panel, which I did. Senator Gibbons had expressed interest in me being added to the panel and wished he had known earlier so I could have been appointed. It worked out just as well as my responsibilities as Chairman of the Missouri Children’s Services Commission have taken up a lot of my time. Once again, he lies. He asked Jolie Justus to be on that panel and he was told that there were only Senators on that Panel. I was there and I saw it happen. It continues to amaze me how he can tell someone that something didn't happen when they were right there to witness it.
Sponsoring three autism related bills this year and helping oversee appropriations that more than doubled funding for autism in each of the last two budget years has also consumed much of my time. I relied on the recommendations of the panel to formulate legislation and continue to do so as we continue to pursue future autism legislation and increased funding and services.
Whenever you are at the Capitol or an event I am attending, please let me know so I can acknowledge you. Others from Lee’s Summit came up to me after I spoke at the Autism Day Rally and/or came to my office at the Capitol. I simply did not see you and know you were there. I spoke at that rally on very little sleep the night before—frankly because I was so excited about and thinking about the rally the next day. With hundreds of people at rallies at the Capitol, we cannot always know constituents are at the Capitol unless they let us know. In the future when you are there, please let us know or come by my office or call ahead of time. We can also introduce you and LSASG on the House floor during session. Wouldn't it be great if he could introduce the Lee's Summit Autism Support Group and take credit, again, for all that we have done? No thanks. I'll only be used once and then I learn. He walked within two feet of me at the Rally. He saw me and he knows it. He chose to ignore me.
Sherri, I would also like to re-clarify the truth about some evident misunderstandings you have that you expressed in your letter.
First, you stated, “You don’t have a mortgage on your house. Bill Kenney paid for your house.” I have no idea where you got that assumption. In truth, we have two mortgages on our house. The first from when Bill Kenny sold us the house as a builder/developer and friend and the second we assumed after our daughter died to cover unexpected bills and expenses following her death. Bill did not pay for our house and did not contribute one penny to the purchase contract. He did discount the house from the list price of about $220,000 to just over $200,000 and we do have two mortgages on our home. Please do not perpetuate the false assumption that he paid for our house and we do not have a mortgage. You previously told me that your house was offered to you right after your daughter died. Now you are saying that you got the second mortgage after your daughter died. You also said that a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family, and a foundation. I will say to answer your questoin of how we live in a $200,000 house with such a low salary, we were offered the house right after our daughter died and a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family and a foundation. We do not make $100,000 a year as you claimed and never have. We bought that house in 2003 when my salary was much higher and it is difficult to keep up with our mortgage. We have considered downsizing, but want to honor the generosity of those who helped us with the home by trying to stay in it and it is a bad sellers market anyway.
You don't have a mortgage. All mortgages are on the Jackson County, Missouri website and can be looked up. This is all that they have for you.
https://records.co.jackson.mo.us/results.asp?id=0FNT1JgSg%3D%3D%21%1FR1JJUZ%2EtioQkCM1%2F%21kZSRVkcCU4u%03FIEpFR&cabinet=opr&fld=Tee&id2=WVJZHguYmVzdWx0cm9yIE5hb%2FziQiLh%21y5hc3A%3DqmsgdG8gUUX%21%21F%033RXNwIExpb
Criteria: Grantee Begins with GRISAMORE JEFFREY J
Search Results - 1 match
Displaying Records 1 to 1
Instrument Number Book-Page # Pgs Date Filed Document Type Grantor
(+) = More Names Grantee
(+) = More Names Legal Description Index Status Image
2003I0010364 2 01/28/2003 WARRANTY DEED BKS CONSTRUCTION LLC GRISAMORE JEFFREY J (+) SUBDIVISION; CITY LEES SUMMIT; SBD MEADOWS AT SUMMIT RIDGE 1ST PLAT I69/97 LE; LT 17-17 Perm
Secondly, you seem to misunderstand my statements in campaign literature about helping lead the fight to defeat legislation that would have required Lee’s Summit public schools to accept students from the Kansas City School District. I did lead that floor fight with Rep. Yates while we debated the sponsor from St. Louis. Rep. Yates and I both inquired of the bill sponsor and spoke against the bill before it was defeated in a roll call vote. What was that legislation? What was the bill number? I can't find it. I have searched and I can only find the bill sponsored by Rep. Schamhorst.
HB 2376 Changes the laws regarding the identification, assessment, and education of children with autism spectrum disorder
Sponsor: Grisamore, Jeff (47) Proposed Effective Date: 08/28/2008
CoSponsor: Lampe, Sara (138) ..........etal. LR Number: 5420L.01I
Last Action: 03/27/2008 - Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H)
HB2376
Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled
Calendar: Bill currently not on a calendar
http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/F_SumRpt.asp?EIN=431027276
http://www.gonemild.com/COPI2005/2005-431027276-02976830-9.pdf
CHILDREN OF PROMISE INTERNATIONAL
COPI
Mr. Jeff Grisamore, President
102 West Third StreetP.O. Box 200Alma, MO 64001-0200TEL: (660) 674-2262FAX: (660) 674-2755EMAIL: info@promise.orgWEB: www.promise.org
Cares for orphans, widows, and destitute children world-wide by establishing community-based residential facilitiesand providing needy children with feeding and nutritionprograms, free schools and higher education opportunities, and family assistance. COPI sees itself as a catalyst tomobilize thousands of individuals, families, churches, faith-based organizations, businesses, civic groups, and foundations into an "Alliance for Orphans"partnership.With allof these groups collaborating, COPI’s goal is to establishtens of thousands of orphan homes to rescue and restorethe lives of millions of orphans, widows, and destitute children around the world
http://alliancefororphans.org/
Under construction for at least two years.
Your e-mail below refers to a different bill and piece of legislation—HB 1886—sponsored by Rep. Scharnhorst. I sponsored HB 2376, the Autism and Special Needs Education Act designed to serve all students with autism and other developmental disabilities.
HB 2376 -- Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sponsor: Grisamore
This bill changes the laws regarding the identification, assessment, and education of children with autism spectrum disorder. In its main provisions, the bill:
(1) Requires the state to provide early intervention services to children with autism under Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act, sometimes known as the First Steps Program;
(2) Requires course work in teacher training programs to include recognition of the characteristics and special needs of students with disabilities or autism and students who are gifted;
(3) Adds autism spectrum disorder to the definition of "children with disabilities"; IDEA has already done that. It is one of the 13 categories for special education.
(4) Adds consideration of children with autism to the duties of state and area advisory commissions on special education; Already done.
(5) Raises the ending age for early childhood special education from four to five years of age;
(6) Allows schools to contract for services for children with autism; This is part of the Federal guidelines.
(7) Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide a comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to the individualized education plan process to help parents be effective in admission, review, and dismissal committee meetings. A notice about the availability of the guide must also be included in student handbooks and on school web sites; It will take far more than this to help families. Accountability is the key and you can't do that when the superintendents and teachers are endorsing you.
(8) Requires the Missouri Advisory Council of Certification for Educators to make recommendations on training and best practices for teachers of children with autism; Project Access is already doing this.
(9) Requires the department to appoint an autism ombudsman and to develop best practice guidelines for the assessment and evaluation of handicapped children from three to five years of age. Regional professional development centers must have an autism specialist available. Early childhood centers will be created, upon appropriations, giving priority to regions where
there is significant need and limited resources. Children who are receiving early childhood services on or after August 1, 2010, will be monitored for educational outcomes until they complete third grade; The ombudsman must be an expert and understand every little aspect of autism. This is impossible and could potentially cause more damage than good.
(10) Adds standards for the identification, assessment, and interventions for children with autism to the Parents as Teachers Program; This should not be done by lay persons. It takes a qualified physician to really make this diagnosis and should not be put into the hands of someone that might use it in a wrong way.
(11) Creates categorical funding for special needs identification and education and authorizes a tax credit for unreimbursed training expenses that exceed the categorical funding. All instructional employees from kindergarten to second grade and parent educators for the Parents as Teachers Program must be trained in autism early detection by July 1, 2012.
Instructional personnel for the remaining grades, nurses, and counselors must complete training by July 1, 2014; and There is already funding for this. It is not being used properly and there is no accountability.
(12) Establishes the Autism Spectrum Disorder Commission in the Department of Mental Health which must prepare a 10-year plan by December 1, 2009.
Finally, I find it perplexing as to why you feel I have let you down or those in the LSAG. In November of 2006 shortly after you formed the LSASG I met with you and some of your members and had other follow up meetings with you and others in your group that lasted cumulatively for multiple hours. It is unusual for any legislator to have multiple meetings over many hours with any one person or group. I was happy and most willing to do so because I am so passionately committed to fighting and advocating for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities and those that care for them, especially autism. Five of the bills I sponsored this year and six I co-sponsored were disabilities related and three were autism specific. They certainly earned you a lot of publicity and served to further your political career. Did you follow up on those and were any of them successful?
In one term we established the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Office of Autism and more than doubled funding for autism in each of the last two budgets. I sponsored the House version of the bill to establish the Autism Commission and assisted Senator Rupp with his Senate version in advocating for it in the House. I am at a loss to understand how you feel all those efforts make you or the LSASG feel let down. No legislator is more committed or pro-active on autism issues than Senator Rupp and Rep. Scharnhorst and I. As for your assumption I have made false and misleading statements in my literature or correspondences, I am sorry you feel that way. All the statements to which you refer as false and misleading have been, in fact, truthful. You have simply misunderstood them. I didn't misunderstand anything. You are spinning the your lies to make everyone believe that you are something that you are not.
I would encourage you to not make false assumptions, such as assuming wrongly that Bill Kenney paid for our house and I do not have a mortgage—which I do (2)—or assume you know the background on the Blue Ribbon Panel on autism based on limited contact with Senator Justus when you do not know the fuller context of my discussions with Senators Gibbons or Rupp.
I have very strong, positive working relationships with many other individuals, advocates and groups in the autism and disabilities communities, such as EFECT and MCDD and others. I can assure you we will be continuing to advocate for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, especially autism in the upcoming and future terms. EFECT does not advocate for families. They have parties. They won't allow information about autism to be posted on their listserve. When is the last time that they went to an IEP meeting with a family that was struggling? When did they take phone calls from mothers that are crying because of the damage that the district is doing to their child? When did they offer information on how to fight Lee's Summit for the FAPE that their children are entitled to? When did they use false information, with your cooperation, to make themselves look good to the school district at the opening of the Adminstration Center? They won't let anything negative about Lee's Summit School District to be posted on their listserve. They allow information that parents post on there to be used by school districts and legislators against those families. They even take information that parents post on there and send it to newspaper and impersonate the person that posted it. I have also been told that you went to the Missouri Department of Mental Health and spread false information about LSASG.
I hope to get a constitutional amendment passed governing funding and services for those with physical and developmental disabilities and create a cabinet level department for developmental/disabilities services. I would suggest you speak to Judy Green of MCDD or Tracy Damario of EFECT if you would be open to understand more of what I have done and am doing for those with autism and other special needs as a legislator. I am perfectly capable of doing my own investigation without being coached by those that support you without regard to those in their own community. I am not interested in furthering your political career. I am interested in helping families that are being destroyed by the school district that you so solidly support. You made promises to help families with the school district and instead you took their confidential information to the district and shared it.
Those efforts are part of why I was honored this year as Freshman Legislator of the Year for Disabilities Advocacy. Debbie had suggested I visit your LSASG again and I would be happy to do that and update them on developments in Jefferson City on autism and receive questions and comments. She suggested that many months ago and then you used her to try and make a division in our group. After that she told you that she didn't appreciate you using her and would not allow you to use her any further.
Thank you for your passion and all you do for children with autism and their families.
Respectfully,
Jeff Grisamore
State Representative, District 47
Missouri House of Representatives
State Capitol - Room 201CA
201 West Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806
Office: 573.751.1456
Cell: 816.225.5695
Fax: 573.526.8184
E-Mail: jeff.grisamore@house.mo.gov
You chose not to address the items below that I have emails for. Perhaps that is because you can't deny what you put into print.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"With five of our children that are school age attending Lee's Summit schools, I am passionately committed to support and defend the quality of education that our students enjoy," he said. "I co-led the fight in the Missouri House to defeat legislation this year that would have required Lee's Summit Schools to accept students from the Kansas City school district."
On another note, Grisamore told the Tribune that "One aspect of the bill that was "lost to compromise," Grisamore said, "were tax credits for parents to send their children to another school if their local public school wasn't able to provide an adequate education."
"We couldn't find common ground between the public educators and the school-of-choice folks," Grisamore said.
Grisamore said some lawmakers were nervous about the potential of public funding going to private schools.
That hardly says that you co-led the fight to defeat that legislation.
That is hardly a bill that was designed to make Lee's Summit schools accept students from Kansas City. We both know that no one would send their special needs child to Lee's Summit. Yet, you sent out mailings and have continued to state that it was. That was very misleading and I would expect more from a minister and definitely from my legislator.
The input I have received from them has influenced the three autism related bills I have filed this year—two of which are being heard in the health care policy committee this Tuesday. Many other autism and disabilities advocates and groups I work with are greatly dismayed by this and understand that no Missouri legislator is more pro-active on autism and special needs than me—and I am just getting started.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lee's Summit, Missouri on Apr 12th, 2008, 15:16 pm
While I have gained much inspiration to advocate for Autism through the multiple meetings and hours I have spent with Sherri Tucker's autism support group, the three bills I am sponsoring did not come from them. Two of them are recommendations of the Missouri Blue Ribbon Panel and the other autism bill on education was developed in collaboration with educators.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lees Summit on Apr 15th, 2008, 22:44 pm
As for a committee on autism and special needs in R-7, I have spoken to the Superintendent and Board, which relates to why he spoke to you. If that committee is formed, you will have one voice, although I would like to see D on it too, along with others, such as J. That will be up to R-7. Given your antagonism toward me and them, you are most fortunate you are being considered to be on such a committee. I would encourage you to consider changing your approach for the sake of LSASG's credibility and influence with R-7 and beyond. Your current approach is only isolating and alienating yourself from me and others who are doing much to help children with autism and their families.
"Rep grisamore is getting ahead of himself. There have been no follow up discussions about any ideas that may have been mentioned in some setting. Honestly, I do not recall discussing this committee but I may have forgotten. It happens. My invitation to discuss the issues is for you only at this time. You and I can discuss together where all of this goes from there. I hope this clarifies my intention. I do not go into this knowing where we will end up but do feel our dialogue has the potential to make us a better district and help you better understand our challenges. I am really looking forward to our meetings."
Thank you for your e-mail. I am sorry you continue to feel animosity toward me. I certainly do not toward you and welcome your correspondence as a constituent. I would also suggest—as Bill Regan, one my supporters, has suggested—that we meet sometime soon with him and Debbie Shaumeyer. I would welcome that opportunity. There is no way that this is ever going to happen. I will not let him use us one more time. Bill Regan will have to continue looking for people to get on the Grisamore bandwagon because he's not using us anymore.
First and foremost, Sherri, I want to assure you that if you were offended I did not acknowledge you when you attended the Autism Day at the Capitol or the Autism Blue Ribbon Panel meeting in Kansas City, I am sorry. I did not get a chance to talk to you at either event. I think I recall Debbie alerting me she would be at the Blue Ribbon panel meeting, but I went in late after it had started and had to leave early for another meeting. We were very happy to have had you attend the legislative ball as our guest. Debbie didn't alert him that she would be at this meeting. He asked me to get him an invitation and I did it. He was not invited and knew nothing about it until I invited him. Anyone can attend the Legislative Ball. You don't have to have an invitation. Anyone can walk into the door at any time. He just wanted me to believe that I was his guest.
As for your misunderstanding of my relationship to the Blue Ribbon Panel on Autism, my fuller discussions about having missed appointment to that panel were not with Senator Justus, but with Senator Gibbons. He appointed that panel and when he learned of my personal and legislative interest in autism he suggested I speak to Senator Rupp about being added to the panel, which I did. Senator Gibbons had expressed interest in me being added to the panel and wished he had known earlier so I could have been appointed. It worked out just as well as my responsibilities as Chairman of the Missouri Children’s Services Commission have taken up a lot of my time. Once again, he lies. He asked Jolie Justus to be on that panel and he was told that there were only Senators on that Panel. I was there and I saw it happen. It continues to amaze me how he can tell someone that something didn't happen when they were right there to witness it.
Sponsoring three autism related bills this year and helping oversee appropriations that more than doubled funding for autism in each of the last two budget years has also consumed much of my time. I relied on the recommendations of the panel to formulate legislation and continue to do so as we continue to pursue future autism legislation and increased funding and services.
Whenever you are at the Capitol or an event I am attending, please let me know so I can acknowledge you. Others from Lee’s Summit came up to me after I spoke at the Autism Day Rally and/or came to my office at the Capitol. I simply did not see you and know you were there. I spoke at that rally on very little sleep the night before—frankly because I was so excited about and thinking about the rally the next day. With hundreds of people at rallies at the Capitol, we cannot always know constituents are at the Capitol unless they let us know. In the future when you are there, please let us know or come by my office or call ahead of time. We can also introduce you and LSASG on the House floor during session. Wouldn't it be great if he could introduce the Lee's Summit Autism Support Group and take credit, again, for all that we have done? No thanks. I'll only be used once and then I learn. He walked within two feet of me at the Rally. He saw me and he knows it. He chose to ignore me.
Sherri, I would also like to re-clarify the truth about some evident misunderstandings you have that you expressed in your letter.
First, you stated, “You don’t have a mortgage on your house. Bill Kenney paid for your house.” I have no idea where you got that assumption. In truth, we have two mortgages on our house. The first from when Bill Kenny sold us the house as a builder/developer and friend and the second we assumed after our daughter died to cover unexpected bills and expenses following her death. Bill did not pay for our house and did not contribute one penny to the purchase contract. He did discount the house from the list price of about $220,000 to just over $200,000 and we do have two mortgages on our home. Please do not perpetuate the false assumption that he paid for our house and we do not have a mortgage. You previously told me that your house was offered to you right after your daughter died. Now you are saying that you got the second mortgage after your daughter died. You also said that a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family, and a foundation. I will say to answer your questoin of how we live in a $200,000 house with such a low salary, we were offered the house right after our daughter died and a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family and a foundation. We do not make $100,000 a year as you claimed and never have. We bought that house in 2003 when my salary was much higher and it is difficult to keep up with our mortgage. We have considered downsizing, but want to honor the generosity of those who helped us with the home by trying to stay in it and it is a bad sellers market anyway.
You don't have a mortgage. All mortgages are on the Jackson County, Missouri website and can be looked up. This is all that they have for you.
https://records.co.jackson.mo.us/results.asp?id=0FNT1JgSg%3D%3D%21%1FR1JJUZ%2EtioQkCM1%2F%21kZSRVkcCU4u%03FIEpFR&cabinet=opr&fld=Tee&id2=WVJZHguYmVzdWx0cm9yIE5hb%2FziQiLh%21y5hc3A%3DqmsgdG8gUUX%21%21F%033RXNwIExpb
Criteria: Grantee Begins with GRISAMORE JEFFREY J
Search Results - 1 match
Displaying Records 1 to 1
Instrument Number Book-Page # Pgs Date Filed Document Type Grantor
(+) = More Names Grantee
(+) = More Names Legal Description Index Status Image
2003I0010364 2 01/28/2003 WARRANTY DEED BKS CONSTRUCTION LLC GRISAMORE JEFFREY J (+) SUBDIVISION; CITY LEES SUMMIT; SBD MEADOWS AT SUMMIT RIDGE 1ST PLAT I69/97 LE; LT 17-17 Perm
Secondly, you seem to misunderstand my statements in campaign literature about helping lead the fight to defeat legislation that would have required Lee’s Summit public schools to accept students from the Kansas City School District. I did lead that floor fight with Rep. Yates while we debated the sponsor from St. Louis. Rep. Yates and I both inquired of the bill sponsor and spoke against the bill before it was defeated in a roll call vote. What was that legislation? What was the bill number? I can't find it. I have searched and I can only find the bill sponsored by Rep. Schamhorst.
HB 2376 Changes the laws regarding the identification, assessment, and education of children with autism spectrum disorder
Sponsor: Grisamore, Jeff (47) Proposed Effective Date: 08/28/2008
CoSponsor: Lampe, Sara (138) ..........etal. LR Number: 5420L.01I
Last Action: 03/27/2008 - Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H)
HB2376
Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled
Calendar: Bill currently not on a calendar
http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/F_SumRpt.asp?EIN=431027276
http://www.gonemild.com/COPI2005/2005-431027276-02976830-9.pdf
CHILDREN OF PROMISE INTERNATIONAL
COPI
Mr. Jeff Grisamore, President
102 West Third StreetP.O. Box 200Alma, MO 64001-0200TEL: (660) 674-2262FAX: (660) 674-2755EMAIL: info@promise.orgWEB: www.promise.org
Cares for orphans, widows, and destitute children world-wide by establishing community-based residential facilitiesand providing needy children with feeding and nutritionprograms, free schools and higher education opportunities, and family assistance. COPI sees itself as a catalyst tomobilize thousands of individuals, families, churches, faith-based organizations, businesses, civic groups, and foundations into an "Alliance for Orphans"partnership.With allof these groups collaborating, COPI’s goal is to establishtens of thousands of orphan homes to rescue and restorethe lives of millions of orphans, widows, and destitute children around the world
http://alliancefororphans.org/
Under construction for at least two years.
Your e-mail below refers to a different bill and piece of legislation—HB 1886—sponsored by Rep. Scharnhorst. I sponsored HB 2376, the Autism and Special Needs Education Act designed to serve all students with autism and other developmental disabilities.
HB 2376 -- Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sponsor: Grisamore
This bill changes the laws regarding the identification, assessment, and education of children with autism spectrum disorder. In its main provisions, the bill:
(1) Requires the state to provide early intervention services to children with autism under Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act, sometimes known as the First Steps Program;
(2) Requires course work in teacher training programs to include recognition of the characteristics and special needs of students with disabilities or autism and students who are gifted;
(3) Adds autism spectrum disorder to the definition of "children with disabilities"; IDEA has already done that. It is one of the 13 categories for special education.
(4) Adds consideration of children with autism to the duties of state and area advisory commissions on special education; Already done.
(5) Raises the ending age for early childhood special education from four to five years of age;
(6) Allows schools to contract for services for children with autism; This is part of the Federal guidelines.
(7) Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide a comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to the individualized education plan process to help parents be effective in admission, review, and dismissal committee meetings. A notice about the availability of the guide must also be included in student handbooks and on school web sites; It will take far more than this to help families. Accountability is the key and you can't do that when the superintendents and teachers are endorsing you.
(8) Requires the Missouri Advisory Council of Certification for Educators to make recommendations on training and best practices for teachers of children with autism; Project Access is already doing this.
(9) Requires the department to appoint an autism ombudsman and to develop best practice guidelines for the assessment and evaluation of handicapped children from three to five years of age. Regional professional development centers must have an autism specialist available. Early childhood centers will be created, upon appropriations, giving priority to regions where
there is significant need and limited resources. Children who are receiving early childhood services on or after August 1, 2010, will be monitored for educational outcomes until they complete third grade; The ombudsman must be an expert and understand every little aspect of autism. This is impossible and could potentially cause more damage than good.
(10) Adds standards for the identification, assessment, and interventions for children with autism to the Parents as Teachers Program; This should not be done by lay persons. It takes a qualified physician to really make this diagnosis and should not be put into the hands of someone that might use it in a wrong way.
(11) Creates categorical funding for special needs identification and education and authorizes a tax credit for unreimbursed training expenses that exceed the categorical funding. All instructional employees from kindergarten to second grade and parent educators for the Parents as Teachers Program must be trained in autism early detection by July 1, 2012.
Instructional personnel for the remaining grades, nurses, and counselors must complete training by July 1, 2014; and There is already funding for this. It is not being used properly and there is no accountability.
(12) Establishes the Autism Spectrum Disorder Commission in the Department of Mental Health which must prepare a 10-year plan by December 1, 2009.
Finally, I find it perplexing as to why you feel I have let you down or those in the LSAG. In November of 2006 shortly after you formed the LSASG I met with you and some of your members and had other follow up meetings with you and others in your group that lasted cumulatively for multiple hours. It is unusual for any legislator to have multiple meetings over many hours with any one person or group. I was happy and most willing to do so because I am so passionately committed to fighting and advocating for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities and those that care for them, especially autism. Five of the bills I sponsored this year and six I co-sponsored were disabilities related and three were autism specific. They certainly earned you a lot of publicity and served to further your political career. Did you follow up on those and were any of them successful?
In one term we established the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Office of Autism and more than doubled funding for autism in each of the last two budgets. I sponsored the House version of the bill to establish the Autism Commission and assisted Senator Rupp with his Senate version in advocating for it in the House. I am at a loss to understand how you feel all those efforts make you or the LSASG feel let down. No legislator is more committed or pro-active on autism issues than Senator Rupp and Rep. Scharnhorst and I. As for your assumption I have made false and misleading statements in my literature or correspondences, I am sorry you feel that way. All the statements to which you refer as false and misleading have been, in fact, truthful. You have simply misunderstood them. I didn't misunderstand anything. You are spinning the your lies to make everyone believe that you are something that you are not.
I would encourage you to not make false assumptions, such as assuming wrongly that Bill Kenney paid for our house and I do not have a mortgage—which I do (2)—or assume you know the background on the Blue Ribbon Panel on autism based on limited contact with Senator Justus when you do not know the fuller context of my discussions with Senators Gibbons or Rupp.
I have very strong, positive working relationships with many other individuals, advocates and groups in the autism and disabilities communities, such as EFECT and MCDD and others. I can assure you we will be continuing to advocate for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, especially autism in the upcoming and future terms. EFECT does not advocate for families. They have parties. They won't allow information about autism to be posted on their listserve. When is the last time that they went to an IEP meeting with a family that was struggling? When did they take phone calls from mothers that are crying because of the damage that the district is doing to their child? When did they offer information on how to fight Lee's Summit for the FAPE that their children are entitled to? When did they use false information, with your cooperation, to make themselves look good to the school district at the opening of the Adminstration Center? They won't let anything negative about Lee's Summit School District to be posted on their listserve. They allow information that parents post on there to be used by school districts and legislators against those families. They even take information that parents post on there and send it to newspaper and impersonate the person that posted it. I have also been told that you went to the Missouri Department of Mental Health and spread false information about LSASG.
I hope to get a constitutional amendment passed governing funding and services for those with physical and developmental disabilities and create a cabinet level department for developmental/disabilities services. I would suggest you speak to Judy Green of MCDD or Tracy Damario of EFECT if you would be open to understand more of what I have done and am doing for those with autism and other special needs as a legislator. I am perfectly capable of doing my own investigation without being coached by those that support you without regard to those in their own community. I am not interested in furthering your political career. I am interested in helping families that are being destroyed by the school district that you so solidly support. You made promises to help families with the school district and instead you took their confidential information to the district and shared it.
Those efforts are part of why I was honored this year as Freshman Legislator of the Year for Disabilities Advocacy. Debbie had suggested I visit your LSASG again and I would be happy to do that and update them on developments in Jefferson City on autism and receive questions and comments. She suggested that many months ago and then you used her to try and make a division in our group. After that she told you that she didn't appreciate you using her and would not allow you to use her any further.
Thank you for your passion and all you do for children with autism and their families.
Respectfully,
Jeff Grisamore
State Representative, District 47
Missouri House of Representatives
State Capitol - Room 201CA
201 West Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806
Office: 573.751.1456
Cell: 816.225.5695
Fax: 573.526.8184
E-Mail: jeff.grisamore@house.mo.gov
You chose not to address the items below that I have emails for. Perhaps that is because you can't deny what you put into print.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"With five of our children that are school age attending Lee's Summit schools, I am passionately committed to support and defend the quality of education that our students enjoy," he said. "I co-led the fight in the Missouri House to defeat legislation this year that would have required Lee's Summit Schools to accept students from the Kansas City school district."
On another note, Grisamore told the Tribune that "One aspect of the bill that was "lost to compromise," Grisamore said, "were tax credits for parents to send their children to another school if their local public school wasn't able to provide an adequate education."
"We couldn't find common ground between the public educators and the school-of-choice folks," Grisamore said.
Grisamore said some lawmakers were nervous about the potential of public funding going to private schools.
That hardly says that you co-led the fight to defeat that legislation.
That is hardly a bill that was designed to make Lee's Summit schools accept students from Kansas City. We both know that no one would send their special needs child to Lee's Summit. Yet, you sent out mailings and have continued to state that it was. That was very misleading and I would expect more from a minister and definitely from my legislator.
The input I have received from them has influenced the three autism related bills I have filed this year—two of which are being heard in the health care policy committee this Tuesday. Many other autism and disabilities advocates and groups I work with are greatly dismayed by this and understand that no Missouri legislator is more pro-active on autism and special needs than me—and I am just getting started.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lee's Summit, Missouri on Apr 12th, 2008, 15:16 pm
While I have gained much inspiration to advocate for Autism through the multiple meetings and hours I have spent with Sherri Tucker's autism support group, the three bills I am sponsoring did not come from them. Two of them are recommendations of the Missouri Blue Ribbon Panel and the other autism bill on education was developed in collaboration with educators.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lees Summit on Apr 15th, 2008, 22:44 pm
As for a committee on autism and special needs in R-7, I have spoken to the Superintendent and Board, which relates to why he spoke to you. If that committee is formed, you will have one voice, although I would like to see D on it too, along with others, such as J. That will be up to R-7. Given your antagonism toward me and them, you are most fortunate you are being considered to be on such a committee. I would encourage you to consider changing your approach for the sake of LSASG's credibility and influence with R-7 and beyond. Your current approach is only isolating and alienating yourself from me and others who are doing much to help children with autism and their families.
"Rep grisamore is getting ahead of himself. There have been no follow up discussions about any ideas that may have been mentioned in some setting. Honestly, I do not recall discussing this committee but I may have forgotten. It happens. My invitation to discuss the issues is for you only at this time. You and I can discuss together where all of this goes from there. I hope this clarifies my intention. I do not go into this knowing where we will end up but do feel our dialogue has the potential to make us a better district and help you better understand our challenges. I am really looking forward to our meetings."
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
My Letter To Jeff Grisamore
Representative Grisamore,
As our elected official I would like to make you aware of the issues that your constituents face. I have tried in the past, but I feel that I should make you aware of them again.
I am sure that you know that I endorsed Jason Norbury. I'm disappointed that he didn't win. I felt that we had finally found someone that would truly address our children's issues.
However, Jason didn't win and our needs have not changed. Therefore, I am turning to you , as your constituent and a taxpaying citizen, for real solutions to real problems.
I read your article in the Lee's Summit Tribune. I don't believe that you were completely honest in your response. I wish that, in the future, you would state the facts and not lead people to believe something that isn't true.
"With five of our children that are school age attending Lee's Summit schools, I am passionately committed to support and defend the quality of education that our students enjoy," he said. "I co-led the fight in the Missouri House to defeat legislation this year that would have required Lee's Summit Schools to accept students from the Kansas City school district."
On another note, Grisamore told the Tribune that "One aspect of the bill that was "lost to compromise," Grisamore said, "were tax credits for parents to send their children to another school if their local public school wasn't able to provide an adequate education.""We couldn't find common ground between the public educators and the school-of-choice folks," Grisamore said.Grisamore said some lawmakers were nervous about the potential of public funding going to private schools.
That hardly says that you co-led the fight to defeat that legislation.
Bryce's Law
What is Bryce's Law? This is a bill currently being considered in the Missouri legislature that creates the Missouri Special Needs Scholarship Tax Credit Program. (House Bill 1886 and Senate Bill SS/SCS/SBs 993 & 770) . Please play the quick video below from Representative Scharnhorst in which he shares why this bill is so important:This program gives parents of special needs children with an IEP in a public school the choice to move their child to another public or private school using a special needs scholarship that will cover all or part of the costs as well as transportation to certain public schools.
Beginning with tax year 2008, a taxpayer would be able to claim a tax credit against a state tax liability equal to 80 percent of his/her contribution to a scholarship-granting organization. To read the current bill summary, click here
That is hardly a bill that was designed to make Lee's Summit schools accept students from Kansas City. We both know that no one would send their special needs child to Lee's Summit. Yet, you sent out mailings and have continued to state that it was. That was very misleading and I would expect more from a minister and definitely from my legislator.
The input I have received from them has influenced the three autism related bills I have filed this year—two of which are being heard in the health care policy committee this Tuesday. Many other autism and disabilities advocates and groups I work with are greatly dismayed by this and understand that no Missouri legislator is more pro-active on autism and special needs than me—and I am just getting started.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lee's Summit, Missouri on Apr 12th, 2008, 15:16 pm
While I have gained much inspiration to advocate for Autism through the multiple meetings and hours I have spent with Sherri Tucker's autism support group, the three bills I am sponsoring did not come from them. Two of them are recommendations of the Missouri Blue Ribbon Panel and the other autism bill on education was developed in collaboration with educators.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lees Summit on Apr 15th, 2008, 22:44 pm
I will say to answer your questoin of how we live in a $200,000 house with such a low salary, we were offered the house right after our daughter died and a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family and a foundation. We do not make $100,000 a year as you claimed and never have. We bought that house in 2003 when my salary was much higher and it is difficult to keep up with our mortgage. We have considered downsizing, but want to honor the generosity of those who helped us with the home by trying to stay in it and it is a bad sellers market anyway.
You don't have a mortgage on your house. Bill Kenny paid for your house.
As for the Autism Blue Ribbon Panel, I did not speak to Senator Justus about letting me on the Commission. Senator Gibbons, who leads the Senate told me he had wished he had known of my interest in autism before the apointments because he would have wanted to appoint me. We did discuss having me added to the panel after the appointments, but I instead plan to serve on the Autism Commission as a House member. It would have been difficult for me though to make all their hearings with my interim commitee and service on the Missouri Children's Services Commission of which I am now serving as Chairman.
You did ask her. I was at the meeting and she told me afterwards. Also, the list for the Autism Commission came out and your name was not on it. I also saw the notes that you were writing about that. It happened when I walked over to address you because you purposely sat several seats away from Debbie and I.
As for a committee on autism and special needs in R-7, I have spoken to the Superintendent and Board, which relates to why he spoke to you. If that committee is formed, you will have one voice, although I would like to see D on it too, along with others, such as J. That will be up to R-7. Given your antagonism toward me and them, you are most fortunate you are being considered to be on such a committee. I would encourage you to consider changing your approach for the sake of LSASG's credibility and influence with R-7 and beyond. Your current approach is only isolating and alienating yourself from me and others who are doing much to help children with autism and their families.
"Rep grisamore is getting ahead of himself. There have been no follow up discussions about any ideas that may have been mentioned in some setting. Honestly, I do not recall discussing this committee but I may have forgotten. It happens. My invitation to discuss the issues is for you only at this time. You and I can discuss together where all of this goes from there. I hope this clarifies my intention. I do not go into this knowing where we will end up but do feel our dialogue has the potential to make us a better district and help you better understand our challenges. I am really looking forward to our meetings."
While there is animosity between us, that still doesn't release you from the responsibilities that you have as my legislator. I am going to be following things much closer the next two years and I plan to hold you to your word.
I am still very disappointed in the inaccurate statements and false information that you continue to distribute, but you are all that I have. Therefore, I will work with you because my child's life depends on it. But, make no mistake, I am not as naive as I was two years ago and I will not make the same mistakes.
I am holding you to your word and I will make sure that you live up to it. The people of Lee's Summit deserve it and you should provide it.
Good luck in your position and don't let us down again. You owe it to us to do the things that you claim that you do and that you promise you will do.
As our elected official I would like to make you aware of the issues that your constituents face. I have tried in the past, but I feel that I should make you aware of them again.
I am sure that you know that I endorsed Jason Norbury. I'm disappointed that he didn't win. I felt that we had finally found someone that would truly address our children's issues.
However, Jason didn't win and our needs have not changed. Therefore, I am turning to you , as your constituent and a taxpaying citizen, for real solutions to real problems.
I read your article in the Lee's Summit Tribune. I don't believe that you were completely honest in your response. I wish that, in the future, you would state the facts and not lead people to believe something that isn't true.
"With five of our children that are school age attending Lee's Summit schools, I am passionately committed to support and defend the quality of education that our students enjoy," he said. "I co-led the fight in the Missouri House to defeat legislation this year that would have required Lee's Summit Schools to accept students from the Kansas City school district."
On another note, Grisamore told the Tribune that "One aspect of the bill that was "lost to compromise," Grisamore said, "were tax credits for parents to send their children to another school if their local public school wasn't able to provide an adequate education.""We couldn't find common ground between the public educators and the school-of-choice folks," Grisamore said.Grisamore said some lawmakers were nervous about the potential of public funding going to private schools.
That hardly says that you co-led the fight to defeat that legislation.
Bryce's Law
What is Bryce's Law? This is a bill currently being considered in the Missouri legislature that creates the Missouri Special Needs Scholarship Tax Credit Program. (House Bill 1886 and Senate Bill SS/SCS/SBs 993 & 770) . Please play the quick video below from Representative Scharnhorst in which he shares why this bill is so important:This program gives parents of special needs children with an IEP in a public school the choice to move their child to another public or private school using a special needs scholarship that will cover all or part of the costs as well as transportation to certain public schools.
Beginning with tax year 2008, a taxpayer would be able to claim a tax credit against a state tax liability equal to 80 percent of his/her contribution to a scholarship-granting organization. To read the current bill summary, click here
That is hardly a bill that was designed to make Lee's Summit schools accept students from Kansas City. We both know that no one would send their special needs child to Lee's Summit. Yet, you sent out mailings and have continued to state that it was. That was very misleading and I would expect more from a minister and definitely from my legislator.
The input I have received from them has influenced the three autism related bills I have filed this year—two of which are being heard in the health care policy committee this Tuesday. Many other autism and disabilities advocates and groups I work with are greatly dismayed by this and understand that no Missouri legislator is more pro-active on autism and special needs than me—and I am just getting started.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lee's Summit, Missouri on Apr 12th, 2008, 15:16 pm
While I have gained much inspiration to advocate for Autism through the multiple meetings and hours I have spent with Sherri Tucker's autism support group, the three bills I am sponsoring did not come from them. Two of them are recommendations of the Missouri Blue Ribbon Panel and the other autism bill on education was developed in collaboration with educators.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lees Summit on Apr 15th, 2008, 22:44 pm
I will say to answer your questoin of how we live in a $200,000 house with such a low salary, we were offered the house right after our daughter died and a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family and a foundation. We do not make $100,000 a year as you claimed and never have. We bought that house in 2003 when my salary was much higher and it is difficult to keep up with our mortgage. We have considered downsizing, but want to honor the generosity of those who helped us with the home by trying to stay in it and it is a bad sellers market anyway.
You don't have a mortgage on your house. Bill Kenny paid for your house.
As for the Autism Blue Ribbon Panel, I did not speak to Senator Justus about letting me on the Commission. Senator Gibbons, who leads the Senate told me he had wished he had known of my interest in autism before the apointments because he would have wanted to appoint me. We did discuss having me added to the panel after the appointments, but I instead plan to serve on the Autism Commission as a House member. It would have been difficult for me though to make all their hearings with my interim commitee and service on the Missouri Children's Services Commission of which I am now serving as Chairman.
You did ask her. I was at the meeting and she told me afterwards. Also, the list for the Autism Commission came out and your name was not on it. I also saw the notes that you were writing about that. It happened when I walked over to address you because you purposely sat several seats away from Debbie and I.
As for a committee on autism and special needs in R-7, I have spoken to the Superintendent and Board, which relates to why he spoke to you. If that committee is formed, you will have one voice, although I would like to see D on it too, along with others, such as J. That will be up to R-7. Given your antagonism toward me and them, you are most fortunate you are being considered to be on such a committee. I would encourage you to consider changing your approach for the sake of LSASG's credibility and influence with R-7 and beyond. Your current approach is only isolating and alienating yourself from me and others who are doing much to help children with autism and their families.
"Rep grisamore is getting ahead of himself. There have been no follow up discussions about any ideas that may have been mentioned in some setting. Honestly, I do not recall discussing this committee but I may have forgotten. It happens. My invitation to discuss the issues is for you only at this time. You and I can discuss together where all of this goes from there. I hope this clarifies my intention. I do not go into this knowing where we will end up but do feel our dialogue has the potential to make us a better district and help you better understand our challenges. I am really looking forward to our meetings."
While there is animosity between us, that still doesn't release you from the responsibilities that you have as my legislator. I am going to be following things much closer the next two years and I plan to hold you to your word.
I am still very disappointed in the inaccurate statements and false information that you continue to distribute, but you are all that I have. Therefore, I will work with you because my child's life depends on it. But, make no mistake, I am not as naive as I was two years ago and I will not make the same mistakes.
I am holding you to your word and I will make sure that you live up to it. The people of Lee's Summit deserve it and you should provide it.
Good luck in your position and don't let us down again. You owe it to us to do the things that you claim that you do and that you promise you will do.
Jeff's Comments On Article
http://www.pitch.com/2008-04-10/news/missouri-state-rep-jeff-grisamore-uses-the-death-of-his-infant-daughter-to-ask-for-campaign-cash/#Comments
Jeff had a lot of friends and people that he works with write in and stand up for him. These people have their own agenda and are not working within the autism community. They won't even allow someone to disagree with them.
Dear David,I saw your article online and in print and have received calls and e-mails on it. As I said during the interview that I granted you in my office at the Capitol when you confronted me last week—with no notice—you are, no doubt, a good writer. Like a colleague in the House who knows you said, you ought to be writing for a bigger paper. For a Pitch article, which is known for being alternative and on the edge, I thought you were pretty fair and balanced and quoted me very accurately.
While some of my Republican colleagues (Democrats too) and friends have been the target of outright hit pieces by the Pitch and were grossly misrepresented, I thought you would be more fair and reflect the genuineness of my passion to fight for the disabled after our 30 to 40 minute interview.
I think you did bring out the sincerity of my motives to advocate for the disabled that is inspired by my daughter who died. During the year we had with her, it is as if time stood still. She required 24/7 around the clock care with oxygen, monitors and alarms by the bedside. But, as my oldest son said, who was 12 when she died, it was the best year of our lives when we had Rebekah with us—perhaps the hardest, but the best.
I could never have comprehended losing a child—and still can’t. After Rebekah died, a man who lost his daughter gave me some wise advice—what he was told by another many who lost a daughter too—that you can fall into bitterness and pull everyone around you down with you or rise up and make your life a memorial and tribute to your child that died.
During the year we had with Rebekah—for which we hoped would be a lifetime—we experienced just a little of what families with special needs children go through and it does, as you wrote, “inform” my passion for what I do now for them in the Missouri House and will continue to do to fight, advocate and legislate for the disabled.
I would offer a few observations in response to your article. First, let’s remember the context. You received a forward of an e-mail that I sent to four trusted allies in the disabilities community whom I work with for the disabled. They wanted to forward out a letter to their family and friends in the disabilities community. Someone who received that e-mail obviously forwarded to the Pitch.
Secondly, I would submit that your article took my letter out of context. You quoted my letter as saying, "Fighting for individuals with disabilities — especially children — and their families is my highest priority. This passion is driven by our 7th child, Rebekah, who died November 26th, 2002 from complications of Prader-Willi Syndrome at 11 months and 18 days."
I, and many in the disabilities community, who take strong exception with the article (and I hope the Pitch will publish their responses), do not at all see my above quote as “connecting my request for money to the death of my daughter” as your headlines in print/online and the article imply. I would see doing so as inappropriate and am careful as to when and how I mention Rebekah. The only reason I included her picture in the e-mail is because the Kansas City Star had told me that same day I wrote and sent the e-mail that her story would be on the cover of their Sunday edition the next day—on March 30th.
What I was doing is simply sharing that the basis of my passion for the disabled is driven by my disabled daughter—period. I would have wanted anyone who might receive that forward to understand my genuineness and sincerity—that I am not simply some stereotypical politician telling them what they want to hear to get money, but that I am passionate and driven for the disabled from personal experience.
As you quoted, “to continue my fight for the disabled and their families, I need to raise significant funds for my re-election” and it is a “reality of politics that in order to be re-elected, you’ve got to raise money.” The four allies for the disabled that received my e-mail—three of which have developmentally disabled children and one a grandchild—forwarded my letter out with a cover letter from themselves. We would have thought the recipients would be more trustworthy than as to forward the e-mail to the Pitch. Oh well. I am glad you got the story. I think others would have been far less fair.
As I told you, I love public service and disdain politics. I refuse to exercise the luxury some of my colleagues from both parties do of receiving tens of thousands from special interests. I would rather receive 1000 $30 contributions from grassroots in the disabilities communities—thereby giving them a stronger influence in Jeff City—than to receive 100 checks for $325 from special interest. The most meaningful contributions we ever received in my non-profit work were not the six-figure donations, but the 50 cents a month for nearly 20 years received faithfully from a single woman with disabilities—like the widows mite.
Where I think the real crassness and exploitation in this story may have happened is when the Pitch editors chose to sensationalize your storyline with a headline to “hustle” papers at the expense of my daughter’s death and my public service. I often share her story—whether encouraging organ donation for lifesaving transplantation or research or for the disabled—because it honors her and impacts my hearers and readers and helps them understand my personal experience and passion for those issues.
The only big disappointment in your article is quotes attributed from an autism advocate and constituent as saying I refuse to meet with that group unless the event is held in public and that I take credit for the work they are doing and that everything I do is to further my political career. I have devoted multiple meeting and countless hours to meetings with that person and their group.Many others in the autism and disabilities community knows those assertions and mischaracterizations you attributed to that person are not at all accurate. I have met with that person and group multiple times—at the Capitol more than once, repeatedly three or more times in area restaurants and at a church where they meet, and have communicated with them by phone and e-mail as well as in education forums—dozens of hours in all.
The input I have received from them has influenced the three autism related bills I have filed this year—two of which are being heard in the health care policy committee this Tuesday. Many other autism and disabilities advocates and groups I work with are greatly dismayed by this and understand that no Missouri legislator is more pro-active on autism and special needs than me—and I am just getting started.
As far as your words of wisdom to consider Ann Coulter’s slams on John Edwards talking about his son who died, I would not view Edwards honoring his son’s memory as politicizing like Glenn Beck implies Cindy Sheehan did. In either case, I would guess neither Ann Coulter or Glenn Beck—nor the Pitch editors—have ever lost a child like John Edwards, Cindy Sheehan or I have. If they had, they might not be so crass and disrespectful themselves. But, Ann Coulter sells books and the Pitch “hustles” newspapers.
Apart from the disappointment in the article, I thought you did a pretty good—fair and balanced—job. It would be tempting to become angry at the Pitch for exploiting my daughter's death, but I realize the Pitch has done much worse against others, and--as public servants--we are often the targets of such misprepresentations. So, write on David.
Jeff Grisamore
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lee's Summit, Missouri on Apr 12th, 2008, 15:16 pm
I stand by my comments. I just spoke with Representative Grisamore on Saturday and he was asking me to send him more information so that he could write more bills.
I recently ran for school board and my platform was special education. My only issue was the education that our children are not getting. It was the perfect opportunity to help children with special needs. Representative Grisamore didn't help at all with my campaign. When I asked him why he said that I didn't ask. I recently had an event at Beauchamp's and Representative Grisamore found out about it. When I found out that he was coming I asked him to not use this night as a night to campaign. He didn't respond to my email and he went from table to table talking about Rebekah and campaigning. I told him that night that my campaign could use help.
Here is what I wrote to him."I'm glad to see that you plan to come to dinner and support the Autism Alliance. It is a worthy cause. Will your whole family be attending? It will be a nice evening out for the family. The event is from 6:30-9:30. Folks are coming and going as they please. There is no certain time to be there. Hopefully the place will be full, but the wait shouldn't be too long. It will be dinner as usual, but with a smaller menu. That way it will be easier for the staff to get people in and out. There isn't going to be a formal meeting or time for speaking. We will just be serving food and giving a portion of the proceeds to charity. The Alliance will be signing people up for the walk and Royals tickets.
I sure could have used your help with my campaign to help children with special needs in the Lee's Summit district. As you know, that's how I ran my campaign and I have gotten slammed a lot. There haven't been a lot of public officials willing to stand up for our kids and I feel like the campaign could have been better if people weren't so afraid of standing up for what is right instead of standing with the majority. But, I feel like I have done what I know is right in my heart and that I can sleep at night knowing that I didn't let the administration beat me into being silent. At least I got the message out that Lee's Summit is not doing a good job with special needs. Even if everyone says that those kids just don't matter.
We are going to have some celebrities at our event. They are mostly from the Chiefs and Royals. I'm so pleased that we were able to get some faces that folks will recognize. It will really help out the Alliance. See you on Thursday."
Comment by Sherri Tucker from Lee's Summit, MO on Apr 15th, 2008, 10:03 am
In response to the above comments under number six, I am disappointed to read Sherri Tucker stands by her comments in the article. The many other autism groups, advocates and service providers know the sincerity of my passion to fight and advocate for children with autism and their families and those who care for them. This is my highest legislative priority and I am currently sponsoring three bills on autism.
To read that Mrs. Tucker "stands by her comments" that I have refused to meet with them was thoroughly rebutted in my 1st comment above. To read that those I have worked so hard to serve think "everything I do is to further my political career" is indeed disappointing.
I told Sherri that I have been "helping her by working 18 hours a day in Jefferson City to pass autism legislation since January." I also told her I would be e-mailing various autism groups as we continue to work on legislation, especially related to IEPs.
While I have gained much inspiration to advocate for Autism through the multiple meetings and hours I have spent with Sherri Tucker's autism support group, the three bills I am sponsoring did not come from them. Two of them are recommendations of the Missouri Blue Ribbon Panel and the other autism bill on education was developed in collaboration with educators.
Concerning the event at Beauchamps, I received an invitation to the event at my Capitol office and was eager to attend to show support for the autism community that we are working so hard to serve in Jefferson City. I was not told anything about not using the night to campaign and would not have--and did not do so. The election is seven months away. I am workind day and night to serve my constituents and, especially, those in the autism communities.
I have thoroughly responded to Sherri's e-mail that I received after that event and she received before writing the above post. During the event at Beauchamps, I did not "go from table to table talking about Rebekah and campaigning."
What I did do was talk to Bill Regan, a friend I know through mutual friends and Langsford Boys Home at one table, talked to Chase, a reporter from the Journal, who wanted to ask me some questions, and said hi to other friends I knew at another table, then spent the rest of my time there sitting at one table with Mike Allen and others who I know through EFECT (Encouraging Families with Exceptional Children Together). My campaign and Rebekah were not discussed.
It is very sad to be be so grossly and repeatedly misrepresented in a public forum like this by those I have worked so hard to serve. However, I can assure you this, no matter how much misrepresentation and antagonism I experience from a few in the autism community, I will continue to fight and advocate for children with autism and their families and those that care for them and am encouraged by how many groups in the greater autism community support our efforts on their behalf in Jefferson City.
We had a very encouraging hearing and press conference today on my autism insurance bill (HB 2265) and the NBC Today Show was here to film all of it for a story they are doing on Molly Schad, who was featured with her son with autism in a cover story in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lees Summit on Apr 15th, 2008, 22:44 pm
Jeff had a lot of friends and people that he works with write in and stand up for him. These people have their own agenda and are not working within the autism community. They won't even allow someone to disagree with them.
Dear David,I saw your article online and in print and have received calls and e-mails on it. As I said during the interview that I granted you in my office at the Capitol when you confronted me last week—with no notice—you are, no doubt, a good writer. Like a colleague in the House who knows you said, you ought to be writing for a bigger paper. For a Pitch article, which is known for being alternative and on the edge, I thought you were pretty fair and balanced and quoted me very accurately.
While some of my Republican colleagues (Democrats too) and friends have been the target of outright hit pieces by the Pitch and were grossly misrepresented, I thought you would be more fair and reflect the genuineness of my passion to fight for the disabled after our 30 to 40 minute interview.
I think you did bring out the sincerity of my motives to advocate for the disabled that is inspired by my daughter who died. During the year we had with her, it is as if time stood still. She required 24/7 around the clock care with oxygen, monitors and alarms by the bedside. But, as my oldest son said, who was 12 when she died, it was the best year of our lives when we had Rebekah with us—perhaps the hardest, but the best.
I could never have comprehended losing a child—and still can’t. After Rebekah died, a man who lost his daughter gave me some wise advice—what he was told by another many who lost a daughter too—that you can fall into bitterness and pull everyone around you down with you or rise up and make your life a memorial and tribute to your child that died.
During the year we had with Rebekah—for which we hoped would be a lifetime—we experienced just a little of what families with special needs children go through and it does, as you wrote, “inform” my passion for what I do now for them in the Missouri House and will continue to do to fight, advocate and legislate for the disabled.
I would offer a few observations in response to your article. First, let’s remember the context. You received a forward of an e-mail that I sent to four trusted allies in the disabilities community whom I work with for the disabled. They wanted to forward out a letter to their family and friends in the disabilities community. Someone who received that e-mail obviously forwarded to the Pitch.
Secondly, I would submit that your article took my letter out of context. You quoted my letter as saying, "Fighting for individuals with disabilities — especially children — and their families is my highest priority. This passion is driven by our 7th child, Rebekah, who died November 26th, 2002 from complications of Prader-Willi Syndrome at 11 months and 18 days."
I, and many in the disabilities community, who take strong exception with the article (and I hope the Pitch will publish their responses), do not at all see my above quote as “connecting my request for money to the death of my daughter” as your headlines in print/online and the article imply. I would see doing so as inappropriate and am careful as to when and how I mention Rebekah. The only reason I included her picture in the e-mail is because the Kansas City Star had told me that same day I wrote and sent the e-mail that her story would be on the cover of their Sunday edition the next day—on March 30th.
What I was doing is simply sharing that the basis of my passion for the disabled is driven by my disabled daughter—period. I would have wanted anyone who might receive that forward to understand my genuineness and sincerity—that I am not simply some stereotypical politician telling them what they want to hear to get money, but that I am passionate and driven for the disabled from personal experience.
As you quoted, “to continue my fight for the disabled and their families, I need to raise significant funds for my re-election” and it is a “reality of politics that in order to be re-elected, you’ve got to raise money.” The four allies for the disabled that received my e-mail—three of which have developmentally disabled children and one a grandchild—forwarded my letter out with a cover letter from themselves. We would have thought the recipients would be more trustworthy than as to forward the e-mail to the Pitch. Oh well. I am glad you got the story. I think others would have been far less fair.
As I told you, I love public service and disdain politics. I refuse to exercise the luxury some of my colleagues from both parties do of receiving tens of thousands from special interests. I would rather receive 1000 $30 contributions from grassroots in the disabilities communities—thereby giving them a stronger influence in Jeff City—than to receive 100 checks for $325 from special interest. The most meaningful contributions we ever received in my non-profit work were not the six-figure donations, but the 50 cents a month for nearly 20 years received faithfully from a single woman with disabilities—like the widows mite.
Where I think the real crassness and exploitation in this story may have happened is when the Pitch editors chose to sensationalize your storyline with a headline to “hustle” papers at the expense of my daughter’s death and my public service. I often share her story—whether encouraging organ donation for lifesaving transplantation or research or for the disabled—because it honors her and impacts my hearers and readers and helps them understand my personal experience and passion for those issues.
The only big disappointment in your article is quotes attributed from an autism advocate and constituent as saying I refuse to meet with that group unless the event is held in public and that I take credit for the work they are doing and that everything I do is to further my political career. I have devoted multiple meeting and countless hours to meetings with that person and their group.Many others in the autism and disabilities community knows those assertions and mischaracterizations you attributed to that person are not at all accurate. I have met with that person and group multiple times—at the Capitol more than once, repeatedly three or more times in area restaurants and at a church where they meet, and have communicated with them by phone and e-mail as well as in education forums—dozens of hours in all.
The input I have received from them has influenced the three autism related bills I have filed this year—two of which are being heard in the health care policy committee this Tuesday. Many other autism and disabilities advocates and groups I work with are greatly dismayed by this and understand that no Missouri legislator is more pro-active on autism and special needs than me—and I am just getting started.
As far as your words of wisdom to consider Ann Coulter’s slams on John Edwards talking about his son who died, I would not view Edwards honoring his son’s memory as politicizing like Glenn Beck implies Cindy Sheehan did. In either case, I would guess neither Ann Coulter or Glenn Beck—nor the Pitch editors—have ever lost a child like John Edwards, Cindy Sheehan or I have. If they had, they might not be so crass and disrespectful themselves. But, Ann Coulter sells books and the Pitch “hustles” newspapers.
Apart from the disappointment in the article, I thought you did a pretty good—fair and balanced—job. It would be tempting to become angry at the Pitch for exploiting my daughter's death, but I realize the Pitch has done much worse against others, and--as public servants--we are often the targets of such misprepresentations. So, write on David.
Jeff Grisamore
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lee's Summit, Missouri on Apr 12th, 2008, 15:16 pm
I stand by my comments. I just spoke with Representative Grisamore on Saturday and he was asking me to send him more information so that he could write more bills.
I recently ran for school board and my platform was special education. My only issue was the education that our children are not getting. It was the perfect opportunity to help children with special needs. Representative Grisamore didn't help at all with my campaign. When I asked him why he said that I didn't ask. I recently had an event at Beauchamp's and Representative Grisamore found out about it. When I found out that he was coming I asked him to not use this night as a night to campaign. He didn't respond to my email and he went from table to table talking about Rebekah and campaigning. I told him that night that my campaign could use help.
Here is what I wrote to him."I'm glad to see that you plan to come to dinner and support the Autism Alliance. It is a worthy cause. Will your whole family be attending? It will be a nice evening out for the family. The event is from 6:30-9:30. Folks are coming and going as they please. There is no certain time to be there. Hopefully the place will be full, but the wait shouldn't be too long. It will be dinner as usual, but with a smaller menu. That way it will be easier for the staff to get people in and out. There isn't going to be a formal meeting or time for speaking. We will just be serving food and giving a portion of the proceeds to charity. The Alliance will be signing people up for the walk and Royals tickets.
I sure could have used your help with my campaign to help children with special needs in the Lee's Summit district. As you know, that's how I ran my campaign and I have gotten slammed a lot. There haven't been a lot of public officials willing to stand up for our kids and I feel like the campaign could have been better if people weren't so afraid of standing up for what is right instead of standing with the majority. But, I feel like I have done what I know is right in my heart and that I can sleep at night knowing that I didn't let the administration beat me into being silent. At least I got the message out that Lee's Summit is not doing a good job with special needs. Even if everyone says that those kids just don't matter.
We are going to have some celebrities at our event. They are mostly from the Chiefs and Royals. I'm so pleased that we were able to get some faces that folks will recognize. It will really help out the Alliance. See you on Thursday."
Comment by Sherri Tucker from Lee's Summit, MO on Apr 15th, 2008, 10:03 am
In response to the above comments under number six, I am disappointed to read Sherri Tucker stands by her comments in the article. The many other autism groups, advocates and service providers know the sincerity of my passion to fight and advocate for children with autism and their families and those who care for them. This is my highest legislative priority and I am currently sponsoring three bills on autism.
To read that Mrs. Tucker "stands by her comments" that I have refused to meet with them was thoroughly rebutted in my 1st comment above. To read that those I have worked so hard to serve think "everything I do is to further my political career" is indeed disappointing.
I told Sherri that I have been "helping her by working 18 hours a day in Jefferson City to pass autism legislation since January." I also told her I would be e-mailing various autism groups as we continue to work on legislation, especially related to IEPs.
While I have gained much inspiration to advocate for Autism through the multiple meetings and hours I have spent with Sherri Tucker's autism support group, the three bills I am sponsoring did not come from them. Two of them are recommendations of the Missouri Blue Ribbon Panel and the other autism bill on education was developed in collaboration with educators.
Concerning the event at Beauchamps, I received an invitation to the event at my Capitol office and was eager to attend to show support for the autism community that we are working so hard to serve in Jefferson City. I was not told anything about not using the night to campaign and would not have--and did not do so. The election is seven months away. I am workind day and night to serve my constituents and, especially, those in the autism communities.
I have thoroughly responded to Sherri's e-mail that I received after that event and she received before writing the above post. During the event at Beauchamps, I did not "go from table to table talking about Rebekah and campaigning."
What I did do was talk to Bill Regan, a friend I know through mutual friends and Langsford Boys Home at one table, talked to Chase, a reporter from the Journal, who wanted to ask me some questions, and said hi to other friends I knew at another table, then spent the rest of my time there sitting at one table with Mike Allen and others who I know through EFECT (Encouraging Families with Exceptional Children Together). My campaign and Rebekah were not discussed.
It is very sad to be be so grossly and repeatedly misrepresented in a public forum like this by those I have worked so hard to serve. However, I can assure you this, no matter how much misrepresentation and antagonism I experience from a few in the autism community, I will continue to fight and advocate for children with autism and their families and those that care for them and am encouraged by how many groups in the greater autism community support our efforts on their behalf in Jefferson City.
We had a very encouraging hearing and press conference today on my autism insurance bill (HB 2265) and the NBC Today Show was here to film all of it for a story they are doing on Molly Schad, who was featured with her son with autism in a cover story in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Comment by Jeff Grisamore from Lees Summit on Apr 15th, 2008, 22:44 pm
Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore uses the death of his infant daughter to ask for campaign cash
http://www.pitch.com/content/printVersion/577870
Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore uses the death of his infant daughter to ask for campaign cash
By David Martin
published: April 10, 2008
Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore wants to inspire others — and get re-elected.
Upon taking office last year, Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore went to work for the vulnerable. The first bill he sponsored would have expanded the number of families eligible to receive child-care assistance.
Grisamore, a Lee's Summit Republican, didn't let party politics stand in the way of what he likes to call "responsible compassion." More than half of the bill's 56 co-sponsors were Democrats.
The bill died in committee, but Grisamore has continued to work on behalf of people who face adversity. Five of the 10 bills he has sponsored in this session concern the disabled.
Grisamore says the disabled and the mentally ill should receive the first portions of the state budget. "Instead, they end up having to fight for crumbs off the table," he tells me.
It's about 6 p.m., and Grisamore is sitting in a chair in his office at the Capitol, a Diet Coke within reach. The House has broken for dinner. With a long list of bills on the docket, Grisamore expects the workday to last until midnight.
This is a busy time for state lawmakers. In addition to their legislative duties, there's an election to consider. Grisamore recently sent out an "urgent message" asking for campaign contributions.
"Fighting for individuals with disabilities — especially children — and their families is my highest priority," the e-mail began.
Grisamore then connected his request for money to the death of his daughter.
"This passion is driven by our 7th child, Rebekah, who died November 26th, 2002 from complications of Prader-Willi Syndrome at 11 months and 18 days." A picture of Rebekah appears at the top of the e-mail, along with Grisamore's head shot.
Prader-Willi syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by obesity and decreased mental capacity and muscle tone. At birth, children who suffer from the condition appear small and floppy. An intense desire for food develops later, leading to excessive weight gain and associated health problems.
Rebekah suffocated after her body failed to digest a bottle of milk. Grisamore and his wife, Mary, arranged for her organs and tissue to be used for research. A feature story last month in The Kansas City Star explained that she was the only infant with Prader-Willi available for study.
Grisamore tells me that Rebekah's life and death inform a lot of what he tries to do in Jefferson City. A Bible-school graduate who is active in mission and nonprofit work, Grisamore says he wants to be an "advocate for the elderly," "a champion for children" and a "defender of the disabled." Grisamore says his daughter's plight "took [his] empathy and commitment for families with special needs to a whole new level."
Grisamore's commitment is admirable on its face. But at what point does his talking about his daughter become exploitive?
Last November, Grisamore wrote an "As I See It" piece for the Star stressing the importance of organ donation. The column began with a description of the Grisamore family weeping, praying and launching balloons at Rebekah's grave site.
The recent feature story about Rebekah's gift to science closed with Grisamore talking about organ-donation legislation he's trying to pass.
And then comes the fundraising letter.
"To continue my fight for the disabled and their families, I need to raise significant funds for my re-election this year," Grisamore writes.
Encouraging people to donate their organs is one thing. Using Rebekah's story to hustle for campaign cash seems to be quite another.
Grisamore tells me that he sent the message to four people who work with and on behalf of those with special needs. But with a boldface request that readers forward it, the e-mail was obviously intended for a wider audience.
He says he's trying to appeal to a base of the disabled and their families. What others might find crass he describes as an effort to build grass-roots support. "The reality of politics is that in order to be re-elected, you've got to raise money," he says.
A suburban evangelical and father of eight, Grisamore can surprise you. His coherent rejoinders to criticism on left-leaning blogs suggest a brand-name law degree, not matriculation at Trinity International University, a divinity school in Deerfield, Illinois. (Last fall, lawyer and Democrat Steve Bough lauded Grisamore for responding “thoughtfully, intelligently and professionally” to a post on Blog CCP that took Grisamore to task on a variety of issues, including his pay as a nonprofit executive.) Grisamore's gelled hair and five o'clock shadow bring to mind a raffish lobbyist more than a churchgoing Republican.
And unlike many conservatives, Grisamore believes that government can accomplish things.
He talks about a constitutional amendment to mandate spending for those with disabilities and special needs. "I'm here to create a revolution for these folks," he says.
But one advocate for autism awareness regards Grisamore with the mistrust that nonbelievers hold for televangelists.
Sherri Tucker, co-founder of the Lee’s Summit Autism Support Group, says Grisamore has refused to meet with her group unless the event is held in public and he takes credit for work that her group is doing.
"Everything he does is to further his political career," she says.
Tucker says she's also put off by the frequency with which Grisamore talks about Rebekah. She says he mentioned Rebekah at a rally for disability rights in Jefferson City last month.
Grisamore says he hopes that his family's experience can be an inspiration to others.
Grisamore tells me that he regrets having offended anyone with the letter. But given the chance to second-guess his decision to include Rebekah's story in a solicitation for donations, Grisamore says he would not have done anything differently.
"Rebekah is very much a part of all this," he tells me.
Still, Grisamore might be wise to consider the hell that some right-wing commentators have unleashed on other public figures who have lost children. Ann Coulter once suggested that because John Edwards spoke about his son Wade so much, he needed an "Ask me about my son's death in a horrific car accident" bumper sticker. Glenn Beck called grieving Iraq War mother Cindy Sheehan a "tragedy pimp."
These attack artists might not be the most mainstream Republicans. But they've undoubtedly helped members of Grisamore's party dominate many statehouses — where, collectively, they've made life tougher for the vulnerable people for whom Grisamore says he's fighting.
Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore uses the death of his infant daughter to ask for campaign cash
By David Martin
published: April 10, 2008
Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore wants to inspire others — and get re-elected.
Upon taking office last year, Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore went to work for the vulnerable. The first bill he sponsored would have expanded the number of families eligible to receive child-care assistance.
Grisamore, a Lee's Summit Republican, didn't let party politics stand in the way of what he likes to call "responsible compassion." More than half of the bill's 56 co-sponsors were Democrats.
The bill died in committee, but Grisamore has continued to work on behalf of people who face adversity. Five of the 10 bills he has sponsored in this session concern the disabled.
Grisamore says the disabled and the mentally ill should receive the first portions of the state budget. "Instead, they end up having to fight for crumbs off the table," he tells me.
It's about 6 p.m., and Grisamore is sitting in a chair in his office at the Capitol, a Diet Coke within reach. The House has broken for dinner. With a long list of bills on the docket, Grisamore expects the workday to last until midnight.
This is a busy time for state lawmakers. In addition to their legislative duties, there's an election to consider. Grisamore recently sent out an "urgent message" asking for campaign contributions.
"Fighting for individuals with disabilities — especially children — and their families is my highest priority," the e-mail began.
Grisamore then connected his request for money to the death of his daughter.
"This passion is driven by our 7th child, Rebekah, who died November 26th, 2002 from complications of Prader-Willi Syndrome at 11 months and 18 days." A picture of Rebekah appears at the top of the e-mail, along with Grisamore's head shot.
Prader-Willi syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by obesity and decreased mental capacity and muscle tone. At birth, children who suffer from the condition appear small and floppy. An intense desire for food develops later, leading to excessive weight gain and associated health problems.
Rebekah suffocated after her body failed to digest a bottle of milk. Grisamore and his wife, Mary, arranged for her organs and tissue to be used for research. A feature story last month in The Kansas City Star explained that she was the only infant with Prader-Willi available for study.
Grisamore tells me that Rebekah's life and death inform a lot of what he tries to do in Jefferson City. A Bible-school graduate who is active in mission and nonprofit work, Grisamore says he wants to be an "advocate for the elderly," "a champion for children" and a "defender of the disabled." Grisamore says his daughter's plight "took [his] empathy and commitment for families with special needs to a whole new level."
Grisamore's commitment is admirable on its face. But at what point does his talking about his daughter become exploitive?
Last November, Grisamore wrote an "As I See It" piece for the Star stressing the importance of organ donation. The column began with a description of the Grisamore family weeping, praying and launching balloons at Rebekah's grave site.
The recent feature story about Rebekah's gift to science closed with Grisamore talking about organ-donation legislation he's trying to pass.
And then comes the fundraising letter.
"To continue my fight for the disabled and their families, I need to raise significant funds for my re-election this year," Grisamore writes.
Encouraging people to donate their organs is one thing. Using Rebekah's story to hustle for campaign cash seems to be quite another.
Grisamore tells me that he sent the message to four people who work with and on behalf of those with special needs. But with a boldface request that readers forward it, the e-mail was obviously intended for a wider audience.
He says he's trying to appeal to a base of the disabled and their families. What others might find crass he describes as an effort to build grass-roots support. "The reality of politics is that in order to be re-elected, you've got to raise money," he says.
A suburban evangelical and father of eight, Grisamore can surprise you. His coherent rejoinders to criticism on left-leaning blogs suggest a brand-name law degree, not matriculation at Trinity International University, a divinity school in Deerfield, Illinois. (Last fall, lawyer and Democrat Steve Bough lauded Grisamore for responding “thoughtfully, intelligently and professionally” to a post on Blog CCP that took Grisamore to task on a variety of issues, including his pay as a nonprofit executive.) Grisamore's gelled hair and five o'clock shadow bring to mind a raffish lobbyist more than a churchgoing Republican.
And unlike many conservatives, Grisamore believes that government can accomplish things.
He talks about a constitutional amendment to mandate spending for those with disabilities and special needs. "I'm here to create a revolution for these folks," he says.
But one advocate for autism awareness regards Grisamore with the mistrust that nonbelievers hold for televangelists.
Sherri Tucker, co-founder of the Lee’s Summit Autism Support Group, says Grisamore has refused to meet with her group unless the event is held in public and he takes credit for work that her group is doing.
"Everything he does is to further his political career," she says.
Tucker says she's also put off by the frequency with which Grisamore talks about Rebekah. She says he mentioned Rebekah at a rally for disability rights in Jefferson City last month.
Grisamore says he hopes that his family's experience can be an inspiration to others.
Grisamore tells me that he regrets having offended anyone with the letter. But given the chance to second-guess his decision to include Rebekah's story in a solicitation for donations, Grisamore says he would not have done anything differently.
"Rebekah is very much a part of all this," he tells me.
Still, Grisamore might be wise to consider the hell that some right-wing commentators have unleashed on other public figures who have lost children. Ann Coulter once suggested that because John Edwards spoke about his son Wade so much, he needed an "Ask me about my son's death in a horrific car accident" bumper sticker. Glenn Beck called grieving Iraq War mother Cindy Sheehan a "tragedy pimp."
These attack artists might not be the most mainstream Republicans. But they've undoubtedly helped members of Grisamore's party dominate many statehouses — where, collectively, they've made life tougher for the vulnerable people for whom Grisamore says he's fighting.
The Voters Have Believed The Lies That Grisamore Spewed
Disappointed doesn't begin to describe it. Jeff Grisamore has literally made a living out of lying. He has never listed any occupation other than minister and charity work. He makes a six figure salary from his position in his charity. That is until he started using a "Christian" clearing house and no longer has to make public his donations. His charity also provided him with a car and a boat.
I have been told that his children receive free lunches and yet he insists that he understands the struggles of families. Really? How could you? You've never held a real job. You make money from a charity for widows and orphans. Your family has health insurance paid for by tax payers. Tax payers are paying for your children's lunches. And now you are having another child for the tax payers to support.
You reach out to families that have children with disabilities and tell them that you understand because you had a child with a disability. Prader Willi doesn't manifest itself until the child is older. You never had to fight a school district for services for your child. You have no idea what our families go through and how dare you suggest that you do. Your daughter's death was a terrible loss and I truly feel a great deal of sympathy for your family. However, don't use your child to make others believe that you understand their struggles. You don't have a clue.
You have lied, manipulated, and scammed honest families into supporting you. You tell them that you will be their voice. You raise their hopes. Then you do nothing. You lie and tell them what you think that they want to hear. You are good. But, you're not that good. You leave trails and intelligent people are finding them.
I'm so disappointed that your smear campaign and lies have once again netted you a place in Missouri politics. It just goes to show that voters do a poor job of finding out the truth about their candidates. Hopefully in two years they will do a better job. They won't have all of the big elections to think about and they might actually do their homework and find out that all is not what it seems.
I will continue to keep an eye on what is going on. I will continue to report on the issues that come up. I will not simply stand by and watch Jeff Grisamore lie and manipulate families so that he can work his way up the political ladder.
I have been told that his children receive free lunches and yet he insists that he understands the struggles of families. Really? How could you? You've never held a real job. You make money from a charity for widows and orphans. Your family has health insurance paid for by tax payers. Tax payers are paying for your children's lunches. And now you are having another child for the tax payers to support.
You reach out to families that have children with disabilities and tell them that you understand because you had a child with a disability. Prader Willi doesn't manifest itself until the child is older. You never had to fight a school district for services for your child. You have no idea what our families go through and how dare you suggest that you do. Your daughter's death was a terrible loss and I truly feel a great deal of sympathy for your family. However, don't use your child to make others believe that you understand their struggles. You don't have a clue.
You have lied, manipulated, and scammed honest families into supporting you. You tell them that you will be their voice. You raise their hopes. Then you do nothing. You lie and tell them what you think that they want to hear. You are good. But, you're not that good. You leave trails and intelligent people are finding them.
I'm so disappointed that your smear campaign and lies have once again netted you a place in Missouri politics. It just goes to show that voters do a poor job of finding out the truth about their candidates. Hopefully in two years they will do a better job. They won't have all of the big elections to think about and they might actually do their homework and find out that all is not what it seems.
I will continue to keep an eye on what is going on. I will continue to report on the issues that come up. I will not simply stand by and watch Jeff Grisamore lie and manipulate families so that he can work his way up the political ladder.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)