Thursday, September 5, 2013
Jones: I’d Be One and Done
With a week remaining, Rep. Caleb Jones had added a new plank to his pitch for speaker. It’s said that Jones has started telling fellow caucus members that he has decided if elected speaker, he would only serve one term in that leadership position. Furthermore, Jones is pledging, like his opponent John Diehl, not to run for higher office after his House service.
Jones is saying that he would spend his single term focused on reforming the way the majority caucus and the House works. He wouldn’t be pushing any special legislation, and he wouldn’t be angling for higher office.
Koster Gives Dems Cover?
Koster’s letter on HB 436 (gun nullification) continues to reverberate. It has put the momentum on the side of those trying to sustain the governor’s veto. One result of it seems to be to give conservative Democrats cover to switch over and stick with the governor. If an NRA-endorsed, law-and-order attorney general is worried the bill will create obstacles for law enforcement, you got a case to stand on.
Eli Gives Dems Cover?
And PoliticMO’s Eli Yokley drops a bomb in the sixth paragraph of his gun story (see it here). The NRA opposed this bill!
“Last month, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association told PoliticMo they oppose the bill because it would prohibit “federal officials from enforcing federal law in states.”
FOP Gives Dems Cover?
Almost piling on, the Fraternal Order of Police issued a statement against bill as well.
The Names You Shall Not Print
Finally the Missouri Press Association lawyer, Jean Maneke, reads the bill to say that illegal to publish a person’s name – if they own a gun. (Read it here).
The provision
571.011.1. No person or entity shall publish the name, address, or other identifying information of any individual who owns a firearm or who is an applicant for or holder of any license, certificate, permit, or endorsement which allows such individual to own, acquire, possess, or carry a firearm.
2. For purposes of this section, "publish" means to issue information or material in printed or electronic form for distribution or sale to the public.
3. Any person or entity who violates the provisions of this section by publishing identifying information protected under this section is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
Maneke explains: “Nothing in this law says you are excused if the person gives you permission to use his name! The publication of the name alone means you have committed a crime. If your legislator wants you to run his column, and if he is a gun owner, you could be prosecuted. If a local resident wants to run an ad, and he owns a gun, it will be a crime if you include in the ad his name, phone number, address or any other identifying information.”
Doe Run Left Standing?
With the tax cut bill (HB 253) seemingly out of reach, and the gun bill losing momentum, one wonders how many bills are left for the Republicans to override and if any will have “substance.” Taking the center stage may be HB 650 (aka Doe Run bill)…
Pousosa For County Executive
Tony Pousosa, an alderman in the city of Green Park, has started a campaign committee to run for St. Louis County Executive as a Republican.
Pousosa is a nurse at Barnes Jewish Hospital Center for Advanced Medicine. He ran for St. Louis County Council last year, losing to Democrat Steve Stenger (55%-45%).
Greenmail Comes to the Ballot Box
Like a variation on Brewster’s Millions, Hallmark topper pledges $75 million to build a first-class facility – IF voters approve the 20-year ½-cent sales tax. Read it here.
Tony’s KC calls it a “ransom note to Jackson County taxpayers!!!”
In other words: if you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding.
And
See big checks which came in yesterday ($100K from JE Dunn, and $100K from Civic Council in large contributions below) for the campaign.
Committee to Stop A Cure
Meanwhile Jim Fitzpatrick isn’t buying it. He’s started a campaign committee to oppose the new tax yesterday. It’s called “Committee to Stop a Cure.”
Who is Jim Fitzpatrick? He’s a former Kansas City Star reporter – with a lively blog. Read his explanation for starting the opposition campaign here.
The heart of his argument: “The tax proposal amounts to the rich trying to foist on taxpayers the cost of trying to make Jackson County a leader in translational medical research…Translational research essentially amounts to converting treatment and pharmaceutical advances into business ventures. In my opinion, private funds should pay for most or all of a speculative venture like this.”
Barnes Watch
Apparently, he’s watching now. Just act cool like nothing’s going on….
$5K+Contributions
Committee for Research Treatments and Cures - $100,000 from JE Dunn.
Committee for Research Treatments and Cures - $100,000 from The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City.
MO Republican Party - $29,000 from HRCC Inc.
MO Republican Party - $25,000 from Emerson’s Missouri Responsible Government Fund.
Missourians for Koster - $50,000 from Red-Card Systems LLC.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kanas City Political Action Committee for Missouri - $67,000 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Steven R Carroll added Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City; and deleted ACLU-EM.
George L Oestreich added Apexus.
Barbara Enneking deleted Center for Emerging Technologies.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to CEAM’s Katie Casas (33), St. Louis Alderman Fred Wessels (67), Matt Teter, and former Reps. Jenee Lowe, and Rachel Storch.
Congratulations
To lobbyists Deanna and Brent Hemphill on the birth of their daughter, Landrie Lewis Hemphill… 20 ¼ inches, 8 lbs 12 oz.