UPDATE:
CLAYTON • The former chairman of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus has been accused in a felony charge of using the group’s name to steal money, but it’s unclear whether he is stepping down from his seat in the House.
Rep. Steven Webb Sr., 37, D-Florissant, was named Wednesday in Ƶ County Circuit Court on one count of felony stealing by deceit, plus seven misdemeanor charges claiming he violated laws governing reporting and use of campaign money.
House Minority Leader Jake Hummel, D-Ƶ, said Webb told him he would resign Wednesday night. However, in an email to a reporter Wednesday night, Webb said he doesn’t intend to quit. “There are no plans for me to resign,” he said.
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And Webb’s lawyer on Wednesday said only that his client would not resign “today or tomorrow.”
Webb, the House minority deputy whip, was first elected to a two-year term in 2008 in .
The felony charge alleges that on Sept. 19, 2011, Webb solicited a $3,000 donation from Community Loans of America to sponsor a black caucus reception in Washington.
Instead, according to court documents, Webb deposited the money in an account in the name of the Missouri Black Caucus and then transferred it to a personal account for his own use.
The misdemeanor charges claim that Webb:
• Failed to report $25,037.60 in campaign contributions between Nov. 6, 2010, and Oct. 6, 2012.
• Failed to report $36,724.36 in campaign fund expenditures between Nov. 6, 2010, and Nov. 21, 2012.
• Spent a total of $40,538.54 in violation of spending limits between Jan. 7, 2010, and Nov. 20, 2012.
• Illegally commingled $5,166.15 in campaign and other funds between Nov. 6, 1010, and Nov. 21, 2012.
• Illegally converted $6,609.15 in campaign funds to personal use between Nov. 6, 2010 and Nov. 21, 2012.
Webb’s attorney, Paul D’Agrosa, said Webb will surrender once an arrest warrant is issued. Bail was set at $10,000.
D’Agrosa said that neither he nor his client is ready to comment on the charges. “He has no plans of resigning today or tomorrow,” D’Agrosa told a reporter. “That decision is one he will have to make at the appropriate time. And we must remember these are, of course, allegations at this point.”
However, Hummel said Wednesday, “Representative Webb has told me he intends to resign his House seat later today. Given the seriousness of the charges, we believe that is the appropriate decision for himself, his family and, mostly importantly, his constituents.”
In an interview, Hummel said Webb called early Wednesday “to tell me what was going on.”
“He said he wasn’t admitting that he did anything wrong, but for the good of his constituents, that he was going to resign ...”
Hummel also said, “Misappropriation of political donations for personal use cannot be tolerated, and, if guilty of the charges against him, Representative Webb will have to answer for his alleged actions.”
The current chair of the Black Legislative Caucus, state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-Ƶ, called it “an unfortunate situation.” She declined to comment further, citing the pending case.
The charges followed a Missouri Ethics Commission request for an investigation that Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch’s office turned over to Ƶ County police.
Webb, of the 3800 block of Kentucky Derby Drive, has received $28,916 worth of gifts from lobbyists, including expenditures on behalf of his employees and family members. That is the fifth-most of any state official since Webb was elected five years ago, according to data from the Missouri Ethics Commission.
There are no limits on how much he can collect.
Webb serves on the House Utilities Committee, and nearly two-thirds of the value of those gifts — worth about $18,520 — came from utilities, including electric and gas companies, communications companies, and trade organizations that represent telecom or energy businesses.
— more than any Missouri public official had accepted from any single lobbying group.
According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, Webb’s drivers license is suspended due to repeated failures to appear in court on traffic violations stretching back to 2010.
Webb’s legislative Web page describes him as a small business owner and member of the NAACP, North County Inc; Ƶ Spartans Youth Organization, Brown Elementary PTA and Mentor Ƶ. The site also says Webb is a graduate of Lincoln High School and attended Prairie View A&M University.
Missouri Secretary of State filings shows Webb owns SW Portrait Group.
He is married with three children, and a member of the Shalom Church City of Peace.
Kevin McDermott and Walker Moskop of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.