MOScout Daily Update: What Stenger Sentencing Means - Galloway Starts Dems' Snap - Schmitt Hesitates - Globe for Gun Laws and more...
Stenger Sentencing Back and Forth
Post-Dispatch reports on the Steve Stenger sentencing. See it here.
Federal prosecutors say 37 months in prison is not enough for former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, and the $130,000 that he's seeking to repay to county coffers "does not come close to identifying the overall harm caused to the residents of St. Louis County."
"In no way should defendant’s restitution payment be considered 'payment in full' for the intangible harm he has caused through his criminal scheme," Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith wrote in a memo filed late Tuesday…
What It Means
My reading of this is that Stenger didn’t/couldn’t help the Feds enough. If he’d been cooperative and brought information and testimony to land a bigger fish, I imagine Goldsmith wouldn’t be hammering away.
This could be the end of the show, folks.
Galloway Starts Demographer Process
Auditor Nicole Galloway “announced the application timeline for the position of nonpartisan state demographer… The application for nonpartisan state demographer will be available at auditor.mo.gov on Sept. 5, 2019, and will be open for a 90-day period. To ensure transparency, all submitted applications will be posted online. Qualifications for the position will be identical to the state's current requirements for the existing position of state demographer, which is assigned to and employed by the Office of Administration.”
What It Means
· This is the beginning of the Dems’ Snap, CLEAN Missouri’s change to the redistricting process which some expect will result in an instantaneous swing of a couple dozen House seats from the Rs to the Ds.
· Stopping The Snap will be priority number 1 for the Republican supermajority next session.
Galloway Pokes Schmitt on 1A Sunshine Flimflam
Press release: Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a statement on the status of her request for a legal opinion from Attorney General Eric Schmitt. On May 7, Auditor Galloway submitted a formal request for an opinion on whether it is appropriate for a government entity to redact information related to individuals conducting business with, lobbying or attempting to influence that government entity. On May 9, the Attorney General's Office notified the Auditor's Office they would be in contact within 90 days. Based on that letter, 90 days passed on Monday, August 5. As of this release, the State Auditor's Office has received no response….
Auditor Galloway issued the following statement: "The Attorney General is charged with enforcing the Sunshine Law. I would expect that he would give an opinion as to whether it is appropriate to redact the information of those attempting to conduct business with or lobby a government entity. Missourians deserve to know who is influencing their government."
What It Means
· Schmitt doesn’t want to tell the governor – who appointed him – to stop the nonsense.
· Galloway, knowing this, is just going to keep poking him.
Medicaid Expansion Debate
House Budget Chair Cody Smith on Twitter reiterated the consensus Republican position… Medicaid expansion is wrong for Missouri. We simply can’t afford it. Our robust program is already too expensive. We’ve taken important steps to reform it (millions invested), and we must see those through before we consider making it bigger…
Dems that this point are shrugging. They think they will win expansion at the ballot box in November 2020.
We’ll see…
Rodriguez to Helm Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri announced that “effective August 12, 2019, Yamelsie Rodriguez will become the organization’s new President and CEO. Rodriguez brings to the position over 15 years of experience of health care and management experience, serving most recently as Chief Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood of Illinois…”
Joplin Globe for Gun Laws
Joplin Globe editorial offer three steps toward stemming gun violence. See it here.
A serious conversation about America’s gun laws is overdue. Long overdue. It will be a tough conversation, but we can think of three first steps:
• Large-capacity magazines: Google “100-round drum” for .223. It’s what the Dayton shooter used to kill nine people and wound 27 others in under 30 seconds. Had he gotten inside a nearby bar, the body count would have been worse…
• Background checks: According to the organization Everytown for Gun Safety, 93% of American voters support requiring background checks on all gun sales, including 87% of gun owners. Still, countless guns are sold each year without a background check…
• Preemption laws: Currently, 40 states have passed some type of preemption law that prohibits local communities from adopting gun laws they think are necessary and that will work for them. The result is a wilder West than even in the days of the Wild West…
What It Means
In itself, not much. But obviously the Joplin Globe isn’t a liberal paper, and its editorial adds one more voice – the Southeast Missourian was another – to give legislators some cover if they want to debate the issue.
Lobbyists Registrations
Sean Michael Whiting deleted Advocates of Planned Parenthood of The St Louis Region & Southwest Missouri, and Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes.
$5K+Contributions
Merck & Co., Inc. Employees Missouri PAC Federal Committee - $7,000 from Merck & Co., Inc. Employees Political Action Committee.
Sharpe For Rep - $20,000 from Greg Sharpe.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Shawn Furey, Robbyn Wahby, Greta Bax, and Casey Millburg.