MOScout Daily Update: Greitens' Legal Funds - Evans for Treas? - Millburg to Dems and more...
Greitens Legal Funds
I did a quick circling back to see if there was an activity in the legal funds that were set up during the height of Eric Greitens’ scandals earlier this year.
The Missouri Legal Defense Fund, which was created to help staffers, showed an expenditure of $183,678 to Graves Garrett LLC on October 25.
The source of the funds came a week earlier from Trusted Leadership PAC. Trusted Leadership gave $186,569 to the Defense Fund on October 16.
Trusted Leadership PAC is a SuperPAC in Austin Texas which was reportedly set up to support the presidential candidacy of Ted Cruz.
Of course, the connection between Greitens and Cruz is GOP strongman Jeff Roe.
The ERG Defense Fund, meanwhile, has shown zero activity except for a $5 bank fee charged to it.
And
The Greitens Group Foundation apparently has had its tax status revoked. From Guidestar:
This organization's exempt status was automatically revoked by the IRS for failure to file a Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-N, or 990-PF for 3 consecutive years. Further investigation and due diligence are warranted.
Evans for Treasurer?
Folks are expecting for Governor Mike Parson to appoint a new treasurer before the new year. And just as likely, before Christmas. Rep. Jean Evans is a real contender for the nod. Evans has been on the whisper list since near the beginning, but her name may be floating higher.
One huge positive for Evans is that she would bring a critical demographic to the Republican state-wide slate: suburban woman.
And not just any suburbs, but St. Louis County, a place with a whole lot of swing voters.
Evans only has one term in the legislature, but she’s become an impact player in the House speaking forcefully on women’s issues which culminated in the passage of her bill to raise the minimum age to marry.
And
Aldophus Pruitt II argues for Rep. Shamed Dogan for the spot. See it here.
Millburg to Dems
On Twitter, Casey Millburg says that she starts next week working for the House Democratic Caucus. She’ll be Counsel and Lead Appropriations Staffer. Millburg worked for Penman and Winton for five years before leaving to get her law degree.
Silvey for Judge
On Facebook, Ryan Silvey writes… When I was appointed to the PSC in January, I didn’t expect to be participating in a municipal election next April. As it turns out, 11 months is an eternity in politics. I’m proud to announce this morning that my wife Angela Cuno-Silvey filed to run for Municipal Judge in Jefferson City! Angela grew up there and has deep family roots there. When I accepted my appointment, and we were no longer bound to the residency requirement of the 17th District, she moved her residency back to Jefferson City where her law practice has been headquartered since she started it….
Bits
Zoe Tillman reports that “the Senate has confirmed 8th Circuit nominee Jonathan Kobes 50-50, with VP Pence breaking the tie. Kobes is one of only a handful of Trump judicial nominees to get a "not qualified" rating from the ABA committee that vets picks for the federal bench.” Missouri is in 8th Circuit. In the words of one MOScouter “Ouch!”
In the large contributions (below), the Committee to Keep Houston Smiling was on the losing end of a ballot question whether to keep fluoride in the water at Houston Missouri. See a St. Louis Public Radio article about it here.
Claire McCaskill says that “she definitely will never run for public office again, including Missouri governor, and that she'll never again make a phone call asking for money in any context.”
New Committees
Adrian Plank formed a candidate committee (Friends Of Adrian Plank) to run for House 47 as a Democrat.
$5K+ Contributions
New Approach Missouri - $5,001 from Missouri Essentials, LLC.
New Approach Missouri - $8,419 from Seven Points LLC.
Missouri Realtors PAC Inc - $5,947 from St. Louis Association Realtors.
Missouri Realtors PAC Inc - $10,000 from Missouri Realtors PAC Inc.
Committee To Keep Houston Smiling - $9,000 from American Dental Association.
Uniting Missouri PAC - $22,400 from Roy Pfautch.
Uniting Missouri PAC - $6,000 from Missouri Realtors PAC Inc.
Lobbyists Registrations
David Klarich added The Daily Hybrid LLC.
Arthur Kyle McClure added Kyle McClure.
Alisha Meneely deleted Unspam.
Adam R Davis deleted Missouri Association of Realtors.
Andrew Dziedzic deleted State Treasurer’s Office.
Josh Schisler deleted Access Dental & Dentures.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Noel Torpey, Sal Martinez, Chris Girouard, and Celeste Rueter.