Former Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi Fined by Missouri Ethics Commission

Former Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi has been fined $1,000 by the Missouri Ethics Commission for his involvement with a corporation that lobbied to bring a technical college to the city of Wentzville.

Lambi was the CEO of Winning Endeavors LLC, a corporation that tried to influence the city in its pursuit of a technical college, while Lambi was also serving as the city’s mayor. Winning Endeavors also used the name WE News and Graduate America Priority 1 (GAP-1).

In the decision, dated July 2, 2013, the commission quoted a Missouri statute that says that “no elected official of a political subdivision of Missouri, serving in an executive or administrative capacity shall perform services the time of his or her office . . . for any consideration from any person, firm or corporation . . . in which he or she attempts to influence a decision of any agency of the state, or any political subdivision in which he or she is an officer . . .”

Although Lambi was fined $1,000, a provision allows him to pay only $200 if that payment is made within 45 days.

Last month, the Missouri Ethics Commission fined Ed Watkins, the founder and owner of WE News, LLC, and Graduate America Priority 1 (GAP-1), the companies originally involved in negotiations to bring Ranken Tech to Wentzville, for failure to register as a lobbyist.

The commission stated that Watkins approached Ranken Technical College about opening a Wentzville campus, and offered his fundraising services to them. Those services would have also provided Lambi with a $60,000 a year salary.

When Ranken declined that offer, Lambi recused himself from further city negotiations with Ranken.