MOScout Daily Update: HB 126 Timeline - Med Expansion Committee - Lucas in the Lou - Dems Contra Keller - Shawan Kickoff? and more...

Timeline on HB126

Press release from Ashcroft:  In accordance with state law, the public comment period has officially ended on a referendum of House Bill 126. Section 116.334.1, RSMo., clearly describes how a referendum or initiative petition may be approved.  “Now that the 15-day public comment period has ended, my office is legally allowed to finalize the ballot language by reviewing and taking into account the more than 1,000 comments provided by Missouri citizens,” said Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.

The law requires the secretary of state to accept public comments for a period of 15 days, which concluded on Saturday, July 27. Within eight days of the end of the public comment period, the ballot language shall be transmitted to the attorney general. As stated in law, the attorney general shall approve the legal content and the form of the petition within 10 days from receipt.

What It Means

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Attorney General Eric Schmitt are presumably in no hurry to expedite the referendum challenge.  It’s expected they will take the full amount of time offered them under the law.

That means the ACLU won’t have an approved petition for which to gather signatures until mid-August.  The deadline for the 100,000+ signatures is August 28.  It’s an almost impossible task to accomplish in that short timeframe.

ACLU could sue for relief asking for an injunction against the law taking effect and a new deadline.  I’m completely incapable of handicapping the likelihood of success of such an action.

Announcement Day for Shawan

Rep. Jeff Shawan holds his “Red, White, & Blue Ice Cream Social” this evening in Poplar Bluff.  He’s expected to announce for Senate 25, where Sen. Doug Libla is term limited.

What It Means

• One more red district which with feature a spirited Republican primary. 

• These districts are safe GOP seats.  But they’ll capture the attention of building denizens because they’ll determine the composition of the Republican Senate Caucus in 2021.

• Especially, how would these candidates fit in the Senate’s various blocs and coalitions?  For example, would they join the Conservative Caucus or be part of the Regulars?

Medicaid Expansion Committee Formed

In the new committees (below), there’s a campaign committee formed to support a Medicaid expansion ballot question.  The treasurer is Joe Pierle. He’s the executive director of Missouri Primary Care Association.  See his bio here.

What It Means

·         One more indication that the forces rallying to expand Medicaid are serious about putting the issue before voters next year.

·         Similar campaigns have worked in other states.

·         And there’s national money interested in making it happen.

Lucas Does the Lou

With less than a week before he is sworn in, Kansas City Mayor-Elect Quinton Lucas looked to the Nexus Group (Rodney Boyd, Kate Casas, Brian Grace and Kelvin Simmons) to introduce him to St. Louis. The Nexus Group hosted a series of events for him on Sunday and squired him to a handful of meetings with St. Louis business leaders as well as Mayor Lyda Krewson and County Exec Sam Page on Monday.

What It Means

The State’s two metro areas have been criticized often for not working together. It’s a good sign that Lucas has the foresight and connections to reach across the State this early in his mayoral tenure. 

Dems Contra Keller

Missouri Democratic Party called on Governor Mike Parson to remove Greg Keller as chair of the Missouri Victory Committee.

Press release: “In his time at the American Conservative Union, it appears that Mr. Keller was involving himself in dark money schemes, outright scams, and willful violations of campaign finance laws. He is the very embodiment of the corrupt political operative, yet has been elevated into the highest ranks of the Governor’s campaign effort,” said Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Lauren Gepford. “If Governor Parson doesn’t already see the political liability Mr. Keller will cause him in his campaign effort, we call upon Parson and the Missouri GOP to remove Keller from his position as chairman of the Missouri Republican 2020 election effort.”

Here's the article they’re referring to.

Clout for Cameroon

Politico’s Influence reports… Two former aides to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have signed on to represent Cameroon's government in Washington despite recent allegations of serious human rights abuses by the government. David Polyansky, Cruz's former chief of staff; Catherine Frazier, another former Cruz aide; and Jimmy Soni, a former Huffington Post managing editor who later worked for former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, will advise Cameroon's government on public relations. They'll promote a "positive and favorable image" of Cameroon's government through digital ads and "by placing targeted op eds in conservative-oriented outlets in order to foster a robust and growing partnership narrative into the future," according to a contract filed with the Justice Department… There's a long history, of course, of Washington lobbyists and public relations hands representing governments accused of committing atrocities, dating back to Paul Manafort's work for Ferdinand Marcos, the infamous Filipino dictator. Polyansky, Frazier and Soni are representing Cameroon through Clout Public Affairs, a division of Axiom Strategies, a consulting firm run by Jeff Roe, who managed Cruz's presidential campaign. Cameroon also retains Squire Patton Boggs to lobby on its behalf… The contract is worth $55,000 a month.

Cannabis Bits

·         Springfield News-Leader reports that 4,500 Missourians have applied for medical marijuana cards and “almost all… have been approved.”  See it here.

·         But meanwhile, a Springfield marijuana dispensary in Springfield was turned down by local officials. See it here.  “A zoning application to convert In the Garden of Eden at 734 W. Kearney St. into a medical marijuana dispensary was turned down by city officials because they say it's too close to Watkins Elementary School.”

·         And on BizBuySell.com there’s a dispensary for sale in KC.  Not sure how that works with the application process.  See it here. “Excellent business opportunity to be a part of the Cannabis market in an explosive industry. Tremendous profits. Everything in place for success and smooth market entry. Investment level from $750K…”

New Committees

Kurtis Gregory formed a candidate committee (Citizens To Elect Kurtis Gregory) to run for House 51 as a Republican.  The current incumbent, Rep. Dean Dohrman, is term limited.

Grain Valley Democrats was formed.  It’s a PAC.  Its treasurer is Michele Pycior.

Missourians For Healthcare was formed.  It’s a campaign committee to support Medicaid expansion in the November 2020 ballot. Its treasurer is Joe Pierle.

Wick Pickard formed a candidate committee (Pick Wick 4 Clay County Sheriff Wick Pickard) to run for Sheriff of Clay County as a Republican.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jessica Petrie and David Winton added Greene Fox Holdings.

Tom Rackers added Presidio Environmental LLC.

Mark Habbas deleted Missouri State Council of Firefighters.

David Willis added Secure Elections Project, Harvest, Curador Holdings Inc., and Clovr; and deleted Omnigo Software, Simple Contacts, Warby Parker, Seven Points Cultivation, SHI International Corporation, and KCP&L.

$5K+Contributions

UFCW Local 655 Elect Club - $5,950 from UFCW Local 655.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Bruce Darrough.

Condolences

To Richard Moore on the passing of his mother, Frances Moore.  Visitation will be from 9-11 followed by the service at 11AM at Rainey Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Thursday.