Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Rundown of IP Committees’ Quarters
Active Marijuana Committees?
Missouri Research: Cures, Jobs, Health & Lower Taxes (treasurer Bradley Ketcher) raised $7,500 in its October quarter, all of it from Brad Bradshaw (the Democratic candidate for LG). It spent $3,925 this quarter, all of on legal services. Some at Ketcher’s firm and some at AuBuchon Law Firm LLC where Rich AuBuchon punches the clock. It has $8,363 on-hand and $5K in debt.
Missouri Medical Marijuana (treasurer Bradley Ketcher) just as the above committee raised $7,500 from Brad Bradshaw and spent its money at the same law firms.
Smaller Government (treasurer Bradley Ketcher) also raised $7,500 from Brad Bradshaw and spent its money at the same law firms.
New Approach Missouri (treasurer Bradley Ketcher) rasied $30,000 from Thomas Smith of Flat Branch Brewing Company in Columbia, and received in-kind donations from Show-Me Cannabis, Inc. They spent $25K on a poll, as well as paid Ketcher’s Ballot Measure Group LLC, and Tightline Strategies, where Jack Cardetti works. See the New Approach Missouri website here.
Go MO (treasurer Bradley Ketcher) filed a Limited Activity report for October, but did report a $7,500 contribution after the quarter’s deadline from Brad Bradshaw.
And
Tax Cut for Growth (treasurer Brad Ketcher) is another committee to which Brad Bradshaw gave $7,500 last quarter.
Tobacco Tax Committees
Raise Your Hand for Kids (treasurer: Erin Brower) has raised $163K so far, and has $49K on-hand. As I’ve written before Missouri Promise hasn’t formed a campaign committee yet. And MO Petroleum Marketers + Convenience Store Assoc PAC (treasurer Ron Leone) is gathering ammo. Will they put money behind a confusion increase, or will they outright oppose a tax increase? They raised $150K this quarter and spent $5K, hiring Jeff Roe’s Axiom Strategies.
Wages
Give Missourians a Raise (treasurer: Lew Prince, former owner of Vintage Vinyl) is in support of a raise in the minimum wage. It’s only filed Limited Activity reports.
Meanwhile the opponents have Missourians for Fair Wages (treasurer: David Jackson, Gate Way Group lobbying firm) raised $66K last quarter (mostly from restaurant associations) and spent over $50K to National Petition Management.
Care and Dignity at Home (treasurer: Jeff Mazur) is to support minimum wages and beneits to in-home service employees and personal care attendants. They didn’t raise any money this quarter and now have $30K on-hand.
Others
Realtors’ Missouri for Fair Taxation appears to marshalling their resources to make sure there’s no expansion of the sales tax in Missouri. They’ve raised over $1 million, and spent a lot of it on signature collection. Charton Consulting, Barklage & Knodel, and Stinson Leonard Street (aka Chuck Hatfield).
Government by the People Fund. This is a vehicle for Winton Apple’s many initiative petition ideas. They raised $100 and have $81 on-hand.
Cole Countians To Preserve Fair And Impartial Courts (treasurer: George Hartsfield) raised $1,600.
I’ve previously written about Returning Government to the People which is Fred Sauer’s vehicle to create campaign contributions. He’s contributed over $300K to it.
Protect the Vote is the committee filed by GOP SOS candidate Jay Ashcroft to push voter ID. The committee was seeded with $1,000 from the Ashcroft for Missouri committee on July 8, but hasn’t garnered any other contributions since then.
I’ve written about Citizens Committee for Soil, Water and State Parks before. It’s the vehicle for the sales tax renewal which splits its proceeds between the park and conservation. The treasurer is Ron Coleman, from the Conservation Federation of Missouri. They’ve raised about $10K and haven’t spent any money.
Missourians for Accountability and Ethics (treasurer: Edward Keenan) was filed last month to support ethics reform.
St. Louis City to Try Bond Issue Again?
Reinvest STL, the campaign committee, which unsuccessfully attempted to pass a $180 million bond issue last summer, put its remaining cash into a new Reinvest STL campaign committee, one nominally purposed for running a $180 million bond issue in November 2016.
Watson Does Times in Munzy Office
The Senate website shows Amber Watson joining the staff of Sen. Brian Munzlinger. Watson is the wife of beloved lobbyist Trent Watson. Word is that Amber Watson is just there part-time, and Munzlinger’s new legislative assistant will be Bonnie Linhardt.
Gardner Fundy
Rep. Kim Gardner is having a fundraiser next month. It’s rumored she’ll be running for St. Louis Circuit Attorney.
Subject: Join us for an evening with State Representative Kimberly Gardner
Join us at Troy’s Jazz Gallery on November 10th as we celebrate Kim Gardner over light refreshments and Hors d'oeuvres. Troy's Jazz Gallery is located at 4519 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63108.
This event is being hosted by:
The Honorable Darlene Green, St. Louis City Comptroller
The Honorable Tishaura Jones, St. Louis City Treasurer
The Honorable Jamilah Nasheed, Missouri State Senator – 5th District
Observer: Odd right? What is she raising money for? Doesn’t quite say does it?
Nixon Outlines Ethics Agenda
The governor’s office released an op/ed on ethics reform…
[W]hile there are a great many dedicated public servants in the Missouri General Assembly, their efforts are often tarnished by a culture in which some lose their way. That is why, when legislators return to the capital in January, few issues are more important than restoring the public's trust…
I have called for comprehensive ethics reform, including strict campaign finance limits, every year since I took office. And while I understand that many elected officials in Missouri do not share my support for curbing unlimited campaign contributions, this cannot be an excuse for inaction. That is why, in addition to restoring strict limits on campaign contributions, I look forward to working with legislators from both parties to pass the following specific reforms into law next year:
Banning all gifts from lobbyists – period…
Shortening the legislative session….
Enhancing transparency….
Banning officeholders from hiring their fellow legislators as political consultants…
Closing the revolving door by prohibiting legislators from serving as lobbyists for a reasonable cooling-off period after they leave office…
Enacting reasonable limitations on the campaign accounts of former officeholders…
Creating a safer, healthier, more respectful working environment in the legislature…
And
Brad Ketcher's IPs dealing with ethics were certified for circulation yesterday. Find them here.
They would: change process and criteria for redrawing state legislative districts during reapportionment; establish limits on campaign contributions that candidates for state legislature can accept from individuals or entities; establish a limit on gifts that state legislators, and their employees, can accept from lobbyists; prohibit state legislators, and their employees, from serving as paid lobbyists for a period of time or being paid for campaign work; prohibit political fundraising on general assembly property; require legislative records and proceedings to be open to the public; and prohibit sexual harassment by state legislators and their employees.
Diehl’s Typo
Months ago I wrote about an ethics complaint that then-speaker John Diehl had contributed to $500 to a terminated committee of a Democrat.
The Missouri Ethics Commission has dismissed the complaint. See it here.
In their investigation, Diehl determined it was a typo in his December report, which has now been amended. The check actually went to Jeff Newberry, a resident of Illinois, not Newberry for Missouri committee.
World Series Bits
First, the real question: Who scheduled MOChamber’s trip to Cuba for the week of the World Series?
Second, why no lobbyists for the Royals? Same as the Rams who also don’t have a lobbyist in Jefferson City. Cardinals’ lobbyists: Lou Hamilton, Steve Jackson, Kimberly Tuttle, Jacqueline Bardgett, John Parris, John Bardgett, and Trent Ford. Chiefs’ lobbyists: Jennifer Durham, James Durham, and Richard AuBuchon.
And finally, the requisite betting politicians… “If the Royals win, Schumer has pledged to tweet a photo of himself wearing a Royals t-shirt while riding a bike through New York City. Schumer has also pledged a $100 donation to MLB Urban Youth Academy at 18th and Vine in Kansas City. If the Mets win, McCaskill has pledged to tweet a photo of a Mets flag flying outside her home. McCaskill has also pledged a $100 donation to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Corona, Queens. Our Lady of Sorrows Church, which serves thousands of parishioners, tragically burned down in January of this year. The beloved church is in the process of being rebuilt and this donation will go towards the restoration efforts.”
Help Wanted
The Department of Mental Health is seeking a Director of Human Resources. This is an unclassified position reporting to the Department Director. The Director of HR is responsible for developing, implementing and coordinating human resources policies, procedures and functions for the Department, including but not limited to recruitment, compensation, classification, employee development, labor relations, workplace safety, and compliance with state and federal employment laws. The Department employs over 7,000 staff located in facilities and offices statewide including 7 state-operated psychiatric facilities and 4 habilitation centers for individuals with developmental disabilities… Salary: $70,000 to $80,000 annually, depending on qualifications…
eMailbag on Landfill
I noticed a couple shots at Koster about the landfill issue. Pretty ironic… In 2015 Republic Services has given $27,500 to the House Republican Campaign Committee and the Speaker. Democrats in the legislature have received $0 (zero) dollars. So it’s not shocking that Republicans are suddenly shilling for a trash company with a burning landfill that doesn’t affect their constituents. What is surprising is seeing Missouri Republicans standing up for Barack Obama’s EPA.? Do they think the Attorney General should end his lawsuit against Republic?
eMailbag on: The Case for Kraus
Ashcroft needs to lure a third primary candidate in to the race, which would assure him victory with his name ID advantage.
$5K+ Contributions
MO Petroleum Marketers + Convenience Store Assoc PAC - $10,413 from Xcaliber International LTD LLC.
MO Petroleum Marketers + Convenience Store Assoc PAC - $10,413 from LPC Inc.
MO Petroleum Marketers + Convenience Store Assoc PAC - $10,413 from Cheyenne International LLC.
Better Schools for Missouri - $10,000 from Missouri EdCounsel LLC.
Friends of Todd Richardson - $15,000 from RightCHOICE Managed Care Inc.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $10,000 from Comprehensive Health Management Inc.
Friends of Rory Rowland - $7,584 from Missouri Democratic State Committee.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Katie Steele Danner.