Kenny Hulshof
Encyclopedia
Kenneth C. "Kenny" Hulshof (ˈhʌlsɒf; born May 22, 1958) is a politician
from the U.S. state
of Missouri
, and represented in the United States House of Representatives
. He was the unsuccessful nominee of the Republican Party
for Governor of Missouri in the 2008 election
.
, and attended the University of Missouri
. Hulshof earned his J.D.
from the University of Mississippi School of Law
. Prior to serving in Congress, Hulshof worked in the public defender's office and as a special prosecutor for the Missouri attorney general's office. As a special prosecutor, Hulshof was detailed to capital cases, a matter he has highlighted in his campaigns.
In 1992, Hulshof sought to be nominated by the Boone County Republican Committee as a replacement for Prosecuting Attorney Joe Moseley, who had won election to a legislative seat and had to resign to take his new post. Hulshof was defeated by Kevin Crane. In 1994 the Ninth District Republican Committee selected Hulshof to replace University of Missouri political science professor Rick Hardy as the GOP's candidate for Congress (Hardy withdrew shortly after winning the primary due to exhaustion). Despite a late start in the race, Hulshof captured 45% of the vote and nearly beat the incumbent, Democrat Harold Volkmer
.
Hulshof immediately began preparing to challenge Volkmer again in 1996. Hulshof had to first win the Republican primary against Harry Eggleston. Hulshof won the primary by 168 out of 38,000 votes cast. During the general election, Volkmer attacked Hulshof as being a puppet of Newt Gingrich
and Hulshof said that Volkmer voted twenty times to raise taxes in twenty years. Hulshof won the election by a 49%-47% margin, and was easily re-elected in subsequent elections until 2008, when he did not run for re-election. Hulshof made known his desire to run for Governor of Missouri in 2004, but in the end withdrew in favor of then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt
, who won.
Hulshof's voting record in the House was fairly conservative
; among other issues, he has voted against abortion
and same-sex marriage
, while supporting the death penalty and the Patriot Act. http://ontheissues.org/House/Kenny_Hulshof.htm
Hulshof is Roman Catholic, and is active in the St. Thomas More Newman Center on the campus of his alma mater, the University of Missouri
.
In 2005, Hulshof joined the all-Congressional band the Second Amendments
, to play for U.S. troops stationed overseas during the period between Christmas
and New Year's Eve
. Hulshof played the drums.
There had been rumors in Washington and back in Hulshof's district in Missouri that he might leave Congress to become the University of Missouri president.http://www.stltoday.com/blogs/news-politicalfix/2007/05/hulshof-going-back-to-school/ Hulshof ended up confirming the rumors after his candidacy became common knowledge. However, the University of Missouri Board of Curators ended up voting to offer the position to another University of Missouri graduate, who ultimately turned down the offer. The Board selected Gary D. Forsee
for the President of the University of Missouri System in 2008.http://www.umsystem.edu/ums/president/
With the news that former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt would not be seeking re-election in 2008, Hulshof announced on January 29 that he would run for Governor. Hulshof defeated State Treasurer Sarah Steelman
in the Missouri Republican
Gubernatorial primary, held on August 5, 2008, winning with a margin of 49% to 45%, with Scott Long receiving 5% and Jen Seivers 1%. Hulshof was defeated by four term Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon
, the Democratic
Nominee, in the General Election held on November 4, 2008.
http://www.kmbc.com/politics/feature.html
Hulshof now works for the law firm Polsinelli Shughart.
. Hulshof prosecuted Joshua Kezer for murder. He tried the case without physical evidence, DNA
, fingerprints, a murder weapon, or any eyewitness
es. Kezer was convicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison
, despite the fact that Hulshof withheld key evidence and embellished details in his closing argument
s. Finally, after serving 14 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Kezer was set free after a Cole County Circuit judge overturned the conviction. The judge strongly criticized Hulshof for his courtroom conduct and for withholding evidence in the case, stating that "We now know that none of what Mr. Hulshof said in the final summary was true".
The judge in the Dale Helmig case said Kenny Hulshof was guilty of misconduct as the prosecutor. Dale Helmig was found innocent after serving 15 years in prison.
On June 4, 2011, Kenny Hulshof was questioned in a hearing to determine if Mark Woodworth, convicted of the murder of a Chillicothe, Missouri woman, should receive a new trial. Hulshof was brought in as a special prosecutor in the original trial, and was questioned regarding mishandling and withholding of evidence that could have named another possible suspect.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, and represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. He was the unsuccessful nominee of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
for Governor of Missouri in the 2008 election
Missouri gubernatorial election, 2008
-Polling:-Results:-See also:* U.S. gubernatorial elections, 2008* Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004* Missouri Lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2008-External links:* from the Missouri Secretary of State* at Project Vote Smart...
.
Biography
Hulshof was born in Sikeston, MissouriSikeston, Missouri
Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is geographically situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way of Interstate 55, Sikeston is close to the...
, and attended the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. Hulshof earned his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Mississippi School of Law
University of Mississippi School of Law
The University of Mississippi School of Law, also known as Ole Miss Law, is an ABA-accredited law school located on the campus of the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. The School of Law opened in 1854 and is the fourth-oldest state-supported law school in the country...
. Prior to serving in Congress, Hulshof worked in the public defender's office and as a special prosecutor for the Missouri attorney general's office. As a special prosecutor, Hulshof was detailed to capital cases, a matter he has highlighted in his campaigns.
In 1992, Hulshof sought to be nominated by the Boone County Republican Committee as a replacement for Prosecuting Attorney Joe Moseley, who had won election to a legislative seat and had to resign to take his new post. Hulshof was defeated by Kevin Crane. In 1994 the Ninth District Republican Committee selected Hulshof to replace University of Missouri political science professor Rick Hardy as the GOP's candidate for Congress (Hardy withdrew shortly after winning the primary due to exhaustion). Despite a late start in the race, Hulshof captured 45% of the vote and nearly beat the incumbent, Democrat Harold Volkmer
Harold Volkmer
Harold Lee Volkmer was an American politician from Missouri. He was a Democrat who served 20 years in the United States House of Representatives.-Early life and career:...
.
Hulshof immediately began preparing to challenge Volkmer again in 1996. Hulshof had to first win the Republican primary against Harry Eggleston. Hulshof won the primary by 168 out of 38,000 votes cast. During the general election, Volkmer attacked Hulshof as being a puppet of Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
and Hulshof said that Volkmer voted twenty times to raise taxes in twenty years. Hulshof won the election by a 49%-47% margin, and was easily re-elected in subsequent elections until 2008, when he did not run for re-election. Hulshof made known his desire to run for Governor of Missouri in 2004, but in the end withdrew in favor of then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt
Matt Blunt
Matthew Roy Blunt served as the 54th Governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2009. Before his election as governor, Blunt served ten years in the United States Navy, was elected to serve in the Missouri General Assembly in 1998 and as Missouri's Secretary of State in 2000.A Republican, Blunt was elected...
, who won.
Hulshof's voting record in the House was fairly conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
; among other issues, he has voted against abortion
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
and same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, while supporting the death penalty and the Patriot Act. http://ontheissues.org/House/Kenny_Hulshof.htm
Hulshof is Roman Catholic, and is active in the St. Thomas More Newman Center on the campus of his alma mater, the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
In 2005, Hulshof joined the all-Congressional band the Second Amendments
Second Amendments
The Second Amendments is a bipartisan rock and country band, all of the members of which were also members of the United States House of Representatives...
, to play for U.S. troops stationed overseas during the period between Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
. Hulshof played the drums.
There had been rumors in Washington and back in Hulshof's district in Missouri that he might leave Congress to become the University of Missouri president.http://www.stltoday.com/blogs/news-politicalfix/2007/05/hulshof-going-back-to-school/ Hulshof ended up confirming the rumors after his candidacy became common knowledge. However, the University of Missouri Board of Curators ended up voting to offer the position to another University of Missouri graduate, who ultimately turned down the offer. The Board selected Gary D. Forsee
Gary D. Forsee
Gary D. Forsee was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sprint Nextel Corporation and served as President of the University of Missouri System from 2007-2011. Forsee resides in Columbia, Missouri, the headquarters of the UM System.-Early life:Forsee was born in Kansas City, Missouri and...
for the President of the University of Missouri System in 2008.http://www.umsystem.edu/ums/president/
With the news that former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt would not be seeking re-election in 2008, Hulshof announced on January 29 that he would run for Governor. Hulshof defeated State Treasurer Sarah Steelman
Sarah Steelman
Sarah Steelman is an American politician from Missouri, serving as State Treasurer from 2005 to 2009. She did not run for re-election as State Treasurer in 2008, having run for Governor, and was succeeded in office by Democrat Clint Zweifel on January 12, 2009...
in the Missouri Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Gubernatorial primary, held on August 5, 2008, winning with a margin of 49% to 45%, with Scott Long receiving 5% and Jen Seivers 1%. Hulshof was defeated by four term Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon
Jay Nixon
Jeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon, Sr. is the 55th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Missouri. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Missouri's Attorney General before his election in 2008.-Political career:...
, the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Nominee, in the General Election held on November 4, 2008.
http://www.kmbc.com/politics/feature.html
Hulshof now works for the law firm Polsinelli Shughart.
Controversies
Hulshof has been embroiled in a recent controversy involving a case that he prosecutedProsecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
. Hulshof prosecuted Joshua Kezer for murder. He tried the case without physical evidence, DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
, fingerprints, a murder weapon, or any eyewitness
Eyewitness
Eyewitness may refer to:*Witness, someone who has knowledge about a crime or dramatic event through seeing it firsthand*Eyewitness , natural history television series*Eyewitness *Eyewitness...
es. Kezer was convicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, despite the fact that Hulshof withheld key evidence and embellished details in his closing argument
Closing argument
A closing argument, summation, or summing up is the concluding statement of each party's counsel reiterating the important arguments for the trier of fact, often the jury, in a court case. A closing argument occurs after the presentation of evidence...
s. Finally, after serving 14 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Kezer was set free after a Cole County Circuit judge overturned the conviction. The judge strongly criticized Hulshof for his courtroom conduct and for withholding evidence in the case, stating that "We now know that none of what Mr. Hulshof said in the final summary was true".
The judge in the Dale Helmig case said Kenny Hulshof was guilty of misconduct as the prosecutor. Dale Helmig was found innocent after serving 15 years in prison.
On June 4, 2011, Kenny Hulshof was questioned in a hearing to determine if Mark Woodworth, convicted of the murder of a Chillicothe, Missouri woman, should receive a new trial. Hulshof was brought in as a special prosecutor in the original trial, and was questioned regarding mishandling and withholding of evidence that could have named another possible suspect.
Committee assignments
- House Ways and Means CommitteeUnited States House Committee on Ways and MeansThe Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
- Subcommittee on HealthUnited States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on HealthThe U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Health is a subcommittee within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.-Jurisdiction:The House Subcommittee on Health has general jurisdiction over bills and resolutions relating to issues within the scope of the Subcommittee's jurisdiction, and has...
- Subcommittee on TradeUnited States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on TradeThe House Way and Means Subcommittee on Trade is one of the six subcommittees within the House Ways and Means Committee-Jurisdiction:From the House Rules:...
- Subcommittee on Health
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
External links
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
CongresspediaCongresspediaCongresspedia was a wiki that ran from April 2006 to March 2009, designed to hold information on the workings of the U.S. Congress. It was fully contained within SourceWatch, a larger wiki meant to document the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda. The Congresspedia portion of...