Monday, August 10, 2015
Rowland Wins Dem Nod in House 29
Rory Rowland was nominated to be the Democratic candidate in the November special election for House 29, filling the vacancy created by Noel Torpey’s resignation.
From the press release: [Rowland] currently works as a professional speaker and consultant to businesses and financial institutions and is an active member of St. Mark’s Parish… Rory has lived in Independence for 34 years with his wife, Tedi. Their four children were raised in Independence and attended school in the Independence School District. Rory and Tedi are members of St. Mark's Catholic Church where he has served on the Finance Committee for 20 years. In 1986, he completed his MBA from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and went on to serve as President of two credit unions in the Kansas City area. After that, Rory started Rowland Consulting where he speaks to business groups all over the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
MEC: No Evidence on Redmon Complaint
The Missouri Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint against Rep. Craig Redmon that he allowed lobbyists’ gifts to others be reported in his name. This is what Redmon said he did. But despite his public admission of wrong-doing, the MEC couldn’t find reasonable grounds for a violation. See the letter here.
Ethics Coming Finally??
Rep. Bill Lant, reviewing the Republican summer caucus, says that the House will take up Ethics reform legislation that (they) didn’t “have time to finish last session.” See it here.
It’s said that Speaker Todd Richardson gave a “fire and brimstone” speech on ethics during summer caucus. It’s unclear if that was before or after Rep. Dave Hinson explained away his DWI…
And
Rep. Jay Barnes writes about scandals on his blog, endorsing a lobbyist gift limit among other remedies. It was written after Hinson’s DWI, but before the full tangled story of his misrepresentations came to light. Barnes – together with Rep. Paul Curtman – were outspoken in the Republican caucus following revelations of John Diehl’s behavior with an intern, saying that he should resign. At the time others were circling the wagon around the speaker.
Best Guess: No Specials in Senate
The best guess is that Governor Jay Nixon won’t call a special election for Senate 11 or Senate 23. First there are political considerations – keeping the nomination out of the control of Paul LeVota in 11, and keep the Republican committee from picking a far-right winger in 23.
And with each passing week, the calendar strengthens the case for just waiting until 2016 for the normal electoral process to proceed. The next potential dates after November are next year, and then you’re already in session and you could ask whether tax-payers pay for two elections within six months of each other?
Carnahan Follow-up
Seems to be something to the rumor of Russ Carnahan running statewide though it’s not certain and there’s no imminent announcement… tipster: “I know he’s getting lots of inquiries and encouragement…”
Politico Looks at SB5
Politico Magazine writes a piece on the municipal reform bill sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt. The gist of it is that there was a preexisting desire to consolidate munis in North St. Louis County which used the Ferguson crisis as an opportunity to advance their agenda.
Quotes from Sens. Schmitt and Maria Chappelle-Nadal, Reps. Michael Butler, Brandon Ellington, Rochelle Walton Gray, and Clem Smith, former Sen. Jeff Smith, Municipal League’s Richard Sheets, Beyond Housing Chris Krehmeyer, and Better Together’s Dave Leipholtz and Nancy Rice. See it here.
Post: No “Ferguson Effect”
And the Post’s Jim Gallagher says that there’s no quantifiable data showing a negative impact on the St. Louis economy because of Ferguson. See it here.
Pull Quote: More than eight months after the last big outbreak of destruction in Ferguson and Dellwood, it’s hard to detect an impact on the St. Louis economy much beyond the immediate riot zones. An economic Ferguson effect is not obvious in the data now available on jobs, tourism, real estate sales for the broad metro area or in comments from people who monitor the region’s business…
Violence Returns to Ferguson
Post-Dispatch reports on a police shooting last night in Ferguson. See it here.
Pull Quote: A peaceful day of protest and remembrance dissolved into chaos late Sunday when a man fired multiple shots at four St. Louis County plainclothes detectives in an SUV. The detectives fired back and the shooter was struck, said county Police Chief Jon Belmar. He was in critical condition. Tyrone Harris identified the victim as his son, Tyrone Harris Jr., 18, of St. Louis. Harris said shortly after 3 a.m. that his son had just gotten out of surgery. He said his son graduated from Normandy High School and that he and Michael Brown Jr. "were real close."
Curtis on The Domesticated
Rep. Courtney Curtis tweets… @curtisformo: Too many domesticated respectable negro politicians believe it's better on the plantation, than to be off of it!
Barnes Seeks Third Way on PDMP
Rep. Jay Barnes outlines a compromise position on the prescription drug monitoring program. See it here. Essentially, the database wouldn’t include everyone, only those who have history or suspicion of drug problems – or opt-in themselves.
Something Fishy?
Because when you’re a fish, everything smells fishy. Or – if you’re a politician everything looks political… Rudi Keller reports that both sides of the Republican attorney general primary are suspicious that the University of Missouri was tilting the old pin ball machine. See it here.
Pull Quote: A Washington, D.C.-based conservative group suspects Sen. Kurt Schaefer put pressure on the University of Missouri to keep MU law Associate Professor Josh Hawley out of the race for attorney general, according to a Sunshine Law request submitted in June. Two of Schaefer’s supporters, a state senator and a former House member, have also filed Sunshine Law requests indicating they think the university took extraordinary actions to help Hawley enter the 2016 Republican primary against Schaefer.
eMailbag on Weekly Poll: Senate 19
“Hard road for Caleb Rowden… Medicaid is a killer in a district with several hospitals including a struggling rural hospital… Not sure what the path forward is and how he wins a district Barack Obama won twice in a Pres year…”
Today’s Events
From Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Congressman Sam Graves Golf – National Golf Club – KC – 9AM.
Lobbyists Registrations
Chris Molendorp deleted ConnectCass.
Tom Coburn added Convention of States Action.
Fredrick Palmer deleted Peabody Energy.
Pam Sumners deleted Naral Pro-choice Missouri.
$5K+ Contributions
Citizens for Vicki Lorenz Englund - $5,001 from Scott Sifton for State Senate.
Returning Government to the People - $30,000 from Fred N Sauer.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $7,500 from Bahr for State Rep.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $6,943 from John Bardgett Jr.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $6,540 from UGas Inc.
A Better Missouri with Governor Jay Nixon - $20,000 from UA Political Education Committee.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to former Sen. Gary Nodler (65), former Rep. Jason Grill, Cheryl Dozier (54), and Mindy Mazur.