Leonard Hughes, Kansas City state rep, needs $19K to pay off ethics commission

Kansas City state Rep. Leonard Hughes can’t afford to take his seat in the Legislature. He’s like a broke guy standing outside a club, showing his empty, out-turned pockets to the bouncer while his friends bump ‘n’ grind inside. Well, maybe it’s not exactly like that.

But until Hughes, a Democrat, can scrape together the $19,090 he owes the Missouri Ethics Commission, he’ll remain on the outside, The Kansas City Star reports. State law prevents elected officials who owe the commission money from being seated in the Legislature.