Friday, March 27, 2015
The final… “just bits” Spring Break update…
Talent to Walker
Politico’s Morning Playbook points to a CNN report on former Senator Jim Talent joining the Scott Walker for president campaign. See it here. The link between the two would appear to be former Talent aide and current Walker advisor, Gregg Keller.
Pull Quote: Former Sen. Jim Talent, R-Missouri, is joining Scott Walker's nascent presidential campaign as a leading adviser on foreign policy and defense, sources familiar with the move and Talent told CNN… It's a big get for the Wisconsin governor as he draws up a campaign plan and team… Talent was a foreign policy adviser to both of Mitt Romney's presidential bids, and nearly every major potential GOP hopeful this cycle has courted him… Talent was known as a bookish and thoughtful Republican on Capitol Hill, who was respected on both sides of the aisle in his home state. He's well-liked by those who have worked with and for him.
Fox for McCain
Sam Fox will host a fundraiser at his house on April 12 for Senator John McCain. Others on the host committee are: Abby and Roy Blunt, Mary Jane and Jack Bodine, Linda and Kit Bond, Ginger and Don Brandt, August Busch III, Rachel and Jack Oliver, Roy Pfautch, Robin and Steve Roodman, Thelma and David Stewart, and Jan and Scott Zajac, with special guests Sally and Jack Danforth, Brenda and Jim Talent, and Carol and Bert Walker. The invite shows a minimum contribution of $1,000 per person (maximum of $10,800 per couple, by the way).
eMailbag: Schweich Donor Tea Leaf?
Reader: “Bert Walker jumping on the Eric Greitens bandwagon could be huge if Sam Fox follows...could mean the Schweich team has chosen their guy…”
HuffPo on St. Louis County Mess
Huffington Post reports on the ticket and court scam in St. Louis County. See it here.
Pull Quote: “They sent me a letter and said there would be a warrant out for my arrest if I didn’t come back for this,” Scott told The Huffington Post of her court appearance. “For $10. For parking in front of my house.” Such experiences are not uncommon in St. Louis County.
Shield Offers Social Media Screening for Staffers
Shield Research – former Post-Dispatch reporter Jake Wagman’s firm – is offering a new service that shows how social media seems to be creating liabilities for campaigns in addition to benefits…
Shield Political Research, a Democratic opposition research firm with experience researching opponents as well as offering self-research to clients, is pleased to announce the launch of a new service to campaigns and political organizations: self-research on the social media history of potential staffers and other new hires.
The early stages of the 2016 cycle have been filled with stories of what turned out to be short-term campaign hires generating distractions — and embarrassing headlines —with regretful social media posts that were discovered too late, including misogynistic Twitter posts, tweets taking a swipe at early-state voters, and tweets calling officials on both sides of the aisle “idiots,” and worse.
Many of the men and women who will staff and lead campaigns this cycle are from a generation in which virtually their entire adult lives —for better or worse —are reflected on social media accounts.
Shield will examine these social media accounts — Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, among other sites —and flag any potential sources of trouble, including questionable photos, comments, tweets, “likes” or followed feeds.
Our methods go beyond simple searching, using triangulation, archived pages and social-web analysis to guarantee we capture a full picture of the staffer’s social media footprint.
The service will employ the same touchstones that mark Shield’s other research products: speed, accuracy and a price that makes it a shrewd investment for national and local campaigns alike.
Shield’s social media reports for staffers will be completed in three days or less, and be protected by a confidentiality clause… See it here.
eMailbag: Trent for House 133 Follow-Up
A reader notes… “Curtis Trent is also a former campaign and official staffer for Congressman Billy Long. He would join current Rep. Jared Taylor as Long staffers in the General Assembly.”
Raise Your Hand Preps Roll-Out
Next week Raise Your Hand for Kids will release a report from its 12-month listening tour of the state. This is the effort to raise the cigarette tax in order to funs early childhood development. It’s currently in an elbowing-when-parent-aren’t-looking and kicking-under-the-table match with Clint Zwiefel’s Missouri Promise which would use a tax increase for college tuition.
With the release of their report, Raise Your Hand will be subtly pointing out that their effort is a grassroots initiative after listening to stake-holders as opposed to the Promise top-down vision.
Revenue Solid
As we head into the final week of the month, the daily revenue numbers have been solid so far this month with the bellwether individual income tax receipts up about 10%. That’s pushing the year to date number to a positive 6% growth so far.
Schlichter Lands More Whales
Attorney Jerry Schlichter, who is widely credited for authoring the historic tax credit program which has guided hundreds of millions of dollars of state subsidies to downtown St. Louis, continues to build a lucrative law practice. Read it here.
Pull Quote: Schlichter, Bogard & Denton has reached a $27.5 million settlement with Ameriprise Financial over excessive 401(k) fees for employees. The firm is led by Senior Partner Jerry Schlichter, who earlier this year obtained the largest 401(k) settlement for employees in a case against Lockheed for $62 million.
Help Wanted
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights seeks General Attorney (Civil Rights). “Duties include: evaluating complaints; planning investigations; determining legal issues; determining investigation and legal strategy; conducting legal research; providing legal/policy advice; collecting/analyzing/interpreting investigation data/information and conducting necessary interviews; implementing approaches to organizing and conducting evaluation, planning, investigation, resolution and/or enforcement activities; drafting letters (e.g., dismissal letters, notification letters, administrative closures data requests, letters of finding) and other documents (e.g. statements of the case, legal memoranda, resolution agreements); negotiating resolution agreements and/or conducting early complaint resolution; monitoring implementation of resolutions agreements; assisting supervisors/managers with case work; and maintaining a caseload of appropriate size and complexity.” See the ad here.
Lobbyist Registrations
Heath Clarkston and Harry Gallagher added Heart of America Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors.
Parker Bena added The Re-entry Group, Inc.
Charles Pierce added Farmer Companies.
$5K+ Contributions
Property Casualty Insurers Association of America Political Account - $9,840 from Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.
Greitens for Missouri - $5,001 from Rodney and Silvette Bullard.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday to Reps. Mike Kelley (40) and Mike Leara (55), and Show-Me Institute’s David Stokes.
Saturday: Former Reps. Joe Fallert (62) and Scott Lipke (46).
Sunday: Rep. Nathan Beard (37), Sean Grove, Zach Brunnert (28), and former Reps. Ellen Brandom (73) and Neal St. Onge (60).