Kansas Meadowlark: Kansas Democratic Party Pollsters from DC Find Kansans Reject Coal-Fired Plants

Today's Lawrence Journal-World quoted a poll in which Kansans supposedly reject coal-fired power plants:

Kansans support the state’s recent rejection of two coal-fired power plants by a two-to-one margin, according to a poll released today.

In addition, three out of four Kansans want the state to increase its commitment to wind-powered energy, according to the poll conducted on behalf of The Land Institute, a Salina-based organization that focuses on renewable forms of energy and agriculture.

On Oct. 18, Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Roderick Bremby rejected the plants in western Kansas proposed by Sunflower Electric Power Corp., citing concerns about carbon dioxide emissions and global warming.

The poll, done in November by Cooper and Secrest Associates of Alexandria, Va., showed that 62 percent of Kansans support Bremby’s decision and 31 percent oppose it.

But why didn't the Lawrence Journal-World give any of the the connections between Cooper and Secrest Associates and the Kansas Democratic Party and the hundreds of thousands the KDP has paid Cooper and Secrest over more than a decade? Even a KU press release from late last year identified the head of this company as a Democratic pollster:

KU press release: Media advisory: Dole Institute to host conference on midterm election results, Dec 6, 2006

— Alan Secrest, president and CEO, Cooper & Secrest Associates Inc.; Democratic pollster

Who is Alan Secrest and what are his political leanings?

Alan Secrest: all in the numbers -- Democratic pollster -- Movers & Shakers, Campaigns & Elections, Oct-Nov, 1993.

Democratic pollster Alan Secrest first "caught the political bug" in the 1972 George McGovern presidential campaign

Secrest is one of the most successful Democratic pollsters because of his devotion to in-depth questionnaires and analysis.

Here's an overview of Secrest's company:

Cooper and Secrest Associates Inc.

Private Company, Headquarters Location
228 S Washington St., Ste. 330, Alexandria, VA, United States
(703)683-7990, (703)739-0079 fax,
Primary SIC: Services, Not Elsewhere Classified, Primary NAICS: Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
Description: Services: Political consulting firm which specializes in public opinion polls for Democratic candidates. Firm also does polling work for non-candidates, such as associations and lobbying organizations.

Cooper and Secrest has a domain name registered, coopersecrest.com, but has no known web site:

Domain Name: COOPERSECREST.COM
Administrative Contact
Cooper & Secrest Associates, Inc
ascrest@aol.com

The following gives a summary by election cycle of all the money Kansas Democrats have funneled to Cooper & Secrest:

2005-2006

In the 2005-2006 election cycle the Kansas Democratic Party used a complicated money scheme to funnel money through congressional district committees and $125,300 of that money ended up with Cooper & Secrest:

The treasurer for ALL the following Kansas Democratic Party committees is one person: Dan Lykins

DLVF (Democratic Legislative Victory Fund) to Cooper & Secrest ($53,700)

DLVF District 1, 9/29/2006, $17,900 (State Poll - in kind to Kathleen Sebelius Committee)
DLVF District 2, 9/11/2006, $17,900 (Tracking Poll in kind to Kathleen Sebelius Commitee)
DLVF District 3, 10/04/2006, $17,900 (Tracking Poll - in kind to Morrison)

KDP (Kansas Democratic Party) to Cooper & Secrest for “Statewide polling” ($71,725)

KDP, 10/13/2006, $17,900
KDP, 10/20/2006, $17,900
KDP, 10/20/2006, $125.62 (why such an odd amount?)
KDP, 10/24/2006, $17,900
KDP, 10/30/2006, $17,900

KDP (Kansas Democratic Party) to Cooper & Secrest Reported to FEC ($21,025)

KDP, 10/6/2006, $21,025, Statewide Poll

Sebelius for Governor Reports ($97,230)
[also possible connections via Tiffany Muller -- see below]

6/2/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "Research", $29,900
6/8/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "Research", $6,090
6/22/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "Travel Expenses", $1950
8/4/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "Research", "$29,900
8/14/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "Research", $7,990
10/5/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "Shipping charges", $180
10/31/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "Shipping Charges", $165
11/16/2006, Cooper & Secrest, “Contract Payment”, $20,000 (after election?)
12/20/2006 , Cooper & Secrest, “Travel Expenses, $1,055

Blue Stem Fund PAC (Kathleen Sebelius) Report (Jan 10, 2007) $35,990

12/5/2006, Cooper & Secrest, $35,990 Why after the election? [see p. 7 of 11, Schedule C]

Morrison for Attorney General Reports ($70,768)
[also possible connections via Tiffany Muller -- see below]

3/2/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "research", $35,990
3/21/2006, Cooper & Secrest", "research", $2,000
5/8/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "research", $2,968
6/1/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "research", $2,000
9/20/2006, Cooper & Secrest, "research", $17,900 [same amount as KDP District Committees, see above]
11/15/2006, Cooper & Secrest, “research”, $10,000 Why after the election?

KNEA Report (Jan 10, 2006) [participated in KDP money scheme in 2005-2006 cycle]

10/10/2005, Cooper & Secrest, $5,000, Polling

ProKanDo PAC Report (Jan 10, 2006) [raised and spent more than any PAC in 2005-2006 but wasn't in "Top 20" list of PACs]

10/10/2005, Cooper & Secrest, $15,000 (no purpose given) [p. 6 of Schedule C]

Was it only a coincidence that KNEA PAC and ProKanDo PAC sent Cooper & Secrest money on the same date?

The IRS 8872 filed by Emily's List Non-Federal on Jan 16, 2006 showed "Cooper Secrest" donated $350 on 8/16/2005.

Tiffany Muller is a founding partner of Muller & Associates. During the 2006 cycle, Muller was the Research Director for Governor Kathleen Sebelius (Kansas) and the Kansas Democratic Party. Muller was responsible for the day-to-day research and tracking responsibilities that helped secure a victory for Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Paul Morrison for Attorney General in Kansas.

References
Mr. Alan Secrest
Partner
Cooper and Secrest Associates

2003-2004

Kansas Democratic Party, Top Recipients
Cooper & Secrest Associates, Total Amount Contributed $114,732

2001-2002

Kansas Democratic Party, Top Recipients
Cooper & Secrest Associates, Total Amount Contributed $42,150

1997

The Kansas 3rd District: The "Pros from Dover" Set Up Shop, by Burdett A. Loomis, "Money, Media and Madness: Inside the 1998 Elections" conference, Washington, DC, Dec 4, 1998.

...in September, 1997, the Kansas Democratic party hired the Cooper and Secrest polling firm to conduct a survey that would demonstrate to Moore that the seat was winnable.

1994

Sebelius "connected" with Cooper & Secrest long ago when she received a $500 contribution from them in 1994 and $250 in 1997.

Summary: In the last election cycle Kansas Democrats sent Cooper & Secrest a lot of money: $350,438

$146,450 Kansas Democratic Party, including District Committees
$133,220 from Kathleen Sebelius for Governor and her Blue Stem Fund PAC
$70,768 from Paul Morrison for Attorney General

In previous election cycles Kansas Democrats sent Cooper & Secrest at least $156,882, for a known total of $507,320.

Shouldn't the Lawrence-Journal World mention the political leanings of the polling company, Cooper & Secrest, in their story about Kansans and coal-fired power plants?

Postscript (Jan 9, 2007):

Shouldn't Engineering And Economic Analysis Come First?
In the late 1970s and early 1980s during the “energy crisis” I worked at a research firm in Manhattan, KS on various alternative energy projects, including wind energy and gasohol – I have an energy-related degree. Most of these projects were funded by the federal government, but some had state government funding too (State of Nebraska, if I remember correctly, on a gasohol project). Economists and engineers were the main contributors on those projects, not polling companies, not politicians. The goal was to identify energy saving measures – politics was kept out of these projects. Shouldn’t engineering and economic analysis and planning, and public education about alternatives, come before a public poll if we want a real solution to Kansas energy needs?

While a change in energy policy will be political, a telephone poll about these issues may be little more than a way to generate random numbers. This recent poll did little for the process of finding energy solutions. If wind is to replace coal or nuclear, will citizens tolerate brown outs or black outs during prolonged periods of no wind? Power generation must deal with peak capacity, and wind may not reduce peak demands that much during prolonged cold or hot periods. How can Kansas stand as an island with its separate energy policy when we’re part of a national electrical grid?

The poll is really irrelevant and doesn’t help the long-term solution for energy in Kansas. Or, is the plan just to turn off the lights and heating/cooling when we don’t have power?

Limited water in Western Kansas, and demands on the Ogallala Aquifer, make more sense to me about not having this power plant in Western Kansas, than some of the coal arguments.