Former state representative begins serving federal sentence
(01/31/08)
Southeast Missourian Former state representative Nathan Cooper began his 15-month federal prison sentence for immigration fraud this week at the U.S. penitentiary in Marion, Ill. The former lawmaker is confined to the minimum-security camp adjacent to the main prison in keeping with his request when sentenced in December. Under federal law, Cooper could receive up to 54 days off for good behavior for every year he is in prison, meaning he could be released in as little as 13 months...
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Nathan Cooper
Trucking firms involved in Nathan Cooper case may face civil penalties
(01/11/08) The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri is negotiating possible civil penalties with the trucking firms that benefited from the immigration fraud scheme that resulted in criminal charges against former state representative Nathan Cooper...
Cooper to receive sentence today
(12/10/07) Four months after pleading guilty to two federal immigration fraud counts, former state representative Nathan Cooper will learn today whether he will spend time in prison. Cooper will go before U.S. District Judge Jean C. Hamilton at 12:30 p.m. in St. Louis. The sentencing, delayed three times, will be the final action in the fall of an ambitious Republican politician and lawyer...
Cooper gets 15 months in prison
(12/10/07) ST. LOUIS -- Former state Rep. Nathan Cooper was sentenced Monday to 15 months in a federal prison by a U.S. District Judge Jean C. Hamilton. From her St. Louis courtroom, Hamilton also ordered Cooper to pay a $6,000 fine and go on supervised release for two years following his prison term. Hamilton handed down the sentence in a short court hearing attended by dozens of Cooper's family and friends...
Charges dropped against woman in Nathan Cooper case
(10/25/07) The Philippine-born businesswoman accused of selling immigration documents to former state representative Nathan Cooper won't face federal charges. Federal prosecutors last week filed to dismiss the single felony count in the indictment against Omega Paulite, who was arrested in Seattle in August soon after Cooper pleaded guilty to two felony counts of immigration fraud... 
Cooper's sentence postponed
(10/03/07)With his lawyer pleading for more time because of a conflict with another case, U.S. District Judge Jean C. Hamilton granted former state representative Nathan Cooper's request for a delay in his sentencing on federal immigration charges. But Hamilton didn't grant the full delay sought by Cooper and his attorney, Joel Schwartz of St. Louis. Instead of 30 days, Hamilton delayed the sentencing by a week, from Oct. 19 to Oct. 26...
Kasten enters race for 158th
(09/20/07) Cape Girardeau Republicans will reach back into their past for a nominee in the Feb. 5 special election to replace Nathan Cooper in the Missouri House. Former state representative Mary Kasten, 79, will ask the 158th District House Republican Committee for the GOP nomination this evening during a meeting at Dexter Bar-B-Que. Kasten, who first won the seat in 1982, stepped aside in 2000 when her late husband, Dr. Melvin Kasten, fell ill...
Former rep asks judge for passport
(08/30/07) Former state representative Nathan Cooper, free on bond pending sentencing on immigration charges, on Wednesday asked U.S. District Judge Jean C. Hamilton for permission to take a two-week trip to the Philippines. Hamilton did not rule on the request, but Cooper's attorney said government opposition to the request will kill it...
Republicans looking for candidate to fill seat
(08/28/07) Cape Girardeau Republicans will have a strong advantage in the February election to replace Nathan Cooper but potential candidates aren't hurrying to take on the race. During a meeting of the county's Republican Central Committee on Monday evening, Diane Diebold, vice-chairwoman of the committee, said no one has stepped up and told her they definitely want to run. ...
Gov. Blunt picks date for special election
(08/25/07) Party leaders seem content with Gov. Matt Blunt's decision to put off until Feb. 5 a special election for Cape Girardeau's seat in the Missouri House. Blunt announced the election date late Friday. In an e-mail response to a telephone message, spokeswoman Jessica Robinson pointed out that Feb. 5 is the next date when voters across the state will be going to the polls. The special election in Cape Girardeau and two other vacant districts will coincide with the presidential primary election...
Court suspends Cooper's law license
(08/17/07) The Missouri Supreme Court suspended former state Rep. Nathan Cooper's law license today citing his guilty plea to two federal felonies. The order came just hours after the court accepted Cooper's late response to its Wednesday demand that he show cause why his license should not be suspended.
Missouri Supreme Court receives no word from Cooper
(08/16/07) Former state Rep. Nathan Cooper did not respond to a Missouri Supreme Court order directing him to provide reasons why his law license should not be suspended, high court communicationns counsel Beth Riggert said. Cooper, who pleaded guilty to two federal felony counts of immigration fraud, was ordered on Wednesday to "show cause" why he should not be subject to an interim suspension of his license while he is awaiting sentencing. ...
Court: Cooper must give reasons to keep law license
(08/16/07) Former state Rep. Nathan Cooper has until 5 p.m. today to respond to a Missouri Supreme Court order directing him to present reasons why his law license should not be suspended. The action, called an "order to show cause," was issued in response to a motion for interim suspension filed by Sharon Weedin of the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, the agency responsible for monitoring actions by attorneys...
Possible replacements considering whether to run
(08/15/07) While state law directs Gov. Matt Blunt to call a special election "without delay" following the resignation of Nathan Cooper on Tuesday, the political reality is that Cape Girardeau voters won't know for some time when they will cast ballots. But possible candidates aren't waiting for the governor to make up his mind on a date. ...
Campaign treasurer could lose control of political fund
(08/15/07) Victor Gunn, Nathan Cooper's campaign treasurer, could be forced to give up control of a $66,000 political fund he helped Cooper create. Last Monday, Gunn worked for several hours closing the books on Cooper's campaign account without knowing why, according to statements he made to the Southeast Missourian Thursday after Cooper pleaded guilty to two federal felonies. ...
Missouri Supreme Court acts to suspend Cooper's law license
(08/15/07) The Missouri Supreme Court issued an order late today giving former state representative Nathan Cooper 24 hours to present reasons why his law license should not be suspended. The action, called an "order to show cause," directs Cooper to respond by 5 p.m. Thursday. The order was signed by Chief Justice Laura Denvir Stith. Judge Stephen Limbaugh of Cape Girardeau did not participate in the decision... 
Affidavit reveals details of investigation
(08/14/07)State Rep. Nathan Cooper said Monday that he will resign his seat in the Missouri House today, six days before lawmakers are scheduled to return to Jefferson City for a special session. Cooper's decision, revealed in a short interview with the Southeast Missourian, came as new court documents emerged giving additional details of the scheme he used to illegally provide immigration visas for employees of trucking companies that employed him as an attorney...
Cooper resigns; former postmaster mulls campaign
(08/14/07) Former Cape Girardeau postmaster Mike Keefe said today that he will look closely at running for state Rep. Nathan Cooper's Missouri House seat as a Democrat. Cooper, who pleaded guilty Thursday in St. Louis to two federal felony charges of immigration fraud, resigned his post effective at 5 p.m. ...
Cooper will resign Tuesday
(08/13/07) State Rep. Nathan Cooper said today he will resign his seat in the Missouri House Tuesday. Cooper, a Cape Girardeau Republican who pleaded guilty Thursday to two federal felonies for immigration fraud, was under pressure from public statements by Gov. Matt Blunt and others to step down. Blunt, during an appearance Friday in Cape Girardeau, said Cooper should quit his post or stay away from the state Capitol during a special session scheduled to begin next Monday...
The fall of a political insider
(08/12/07) State Rep. Nathan Cooper loved being on the inside. In his three years in the Missouri House, Cooper hadn't amassed too much power, but the way he approached the job showed he was happy to be in the room when the big issues were discussed. He approached questions about legislative issues in a helpful, but cautious way. ... 
Governor calls for guilty representative to resign his seat
(08/11/07)With a special session looming to handle bills for economic development and bridge repair, Gov. Matt Blunt on Thursday said admitted felon Nathan Cooper should resign his legislative seat. If he does not resign by the time lawmakers convene Aug. 20, Blunt said during a visit to Cape Girardeau, Cooper should stay away from the state Capitol...
Special election needed to fill 158th District seat
(08/10/07) State Rep. Nathan Cooper's pending resignation from the Missouri House will force a special election to fill the seat, but Gov. Matt Blunt will set the date for the contest. Local political parties will choose the candidates. Cooper has represented the 158th District of the Missouri House since January 2005. The district, which leans strongly Republican, includes most of Cape Girardeau's voters...
Political leaders 'shocked' by charges and guilty plea
(08/10/07) Mary Kasten was Nathan Cooper's political mother. When he was a student at Southeast Missouri State University in the 1990s, he lived in Kasten's home. In 2004, he won the Missouri House seat Kasten held from 1983 to 1995. And when his life, both politically and professionally, was unraveling this week, he visited her to tell her he would plead guilty to federal crimes...
Immigration fraud snares state representative
(08/10/07) A New Zealand trucker. A letter from the office of Nathan Cooper. And a skeptical federal border guard. Those were the ingredients that eventually led to the political and professional demise of a state representative Thursday when a federal prosecutor announced that Cooper pleaded guilty to two federal felonies...
Blunt calls on Cooper to resign soon
(08/10/07) State Rep. Nathan Cooper should resign from "all positions of public trust," Gov. Matt Blunt said Thursday. During an appearance in Cape Girardeau, Blunt said he received very little advance notice that Cooper would plead guilty to two federal felonies for immigration law violations. In a statement issued soon after he entered the guilty plea, Cooper said his resignation from the Missouri House "would be forthcoming."... 
Cooper pleads guilty to immigration fraud
(08/09/07)State Rep. Nathan Cooper pleaded guilty to immigration fraud Thursday morning and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in an ongoing investigation. One arrest, in Seattle, Wash., has already taken place as a result of information supplied by Cooper, said assistant U.S. attorney Jim Crowe. Cooper, 33, is a Cape Girardeau Republican in his second term in the Missouri House... |