MOScout Daily Update: Readers' Poll Day Three - Thomas Files IPs - Schmitt Hires Stevens and more...
Thomas Files New IPs
Pat Thomas, treasurer for the Missouri Republican Party, filed six new initiative petitions for the 2020 ballot. They are a hodge-podge of conservative issues. It appears that the Republican Party – after seeing Democrats successful use of the IP process in 2018 – are seriously exploring potential winning issues to put before the voters at the next election.
The new filings are: Right to Work (see it here), anti-sanctuary city (see it here), Right to Remember, presumably to protect confederate memorials (see it here), RTW, plus anti-project labor agreements (see it here), election of judges (see it here), and a second variation on election of judges (see it here).
MOScout’s End of Year Readers’ Poll Results
Best Firm to Reach the Second Floor
Strategic Capital Consultants… 55%
Giddens Group… 27.5%
J Harris and Associates… 17.4%
Methodical Worksmanship
GibbonsWorkman… 38.1%
Gamble Schlemeier… 23.6%
Nexus Group… 21.8%
Grote Associates… 14.5%
Burton Liese… 2%
Nice Guys Finish First
Ted Powers… 26%
Randy Scherr… 24.6%
Craig Unruh… 24.6%
Doug Galloway… 15%
Tina Shannon… 9.5%
Seemingly In the Middle of Everything
Chuck Hatfield… 28.3%
Bardgett and Associates… 27%
Axiom Strategies… 21.6%
Jac Cardetti… 12.1%
Husch Blackwell Strategies… 10.8%
Don’t Tread On My Association
REALTORS – Sam Licklider… 53.8%
Convenience Stores – Ron Leone… 14.5%
Insurance – Calvin Call… 12.7%
MATA – Sara Schuett… 9.6%
School Administrators – Mike Lodewegen… 7.7%
The Panache Award
Danny Pfeifer… 35.8%
Susan Henderson Moore… 20.8%
Mark Habbas… 19.4%
Kathi Harness… 13.4%
Steve Carroll… 10.4%
Up and Coming New Shop / Small Shop
Cara Hoover… 38.1%
Jeremy LaFaver… 36.8%
Jeffrey Altmann… 10.5%
Dave Sweeney… 7.9%
Dawn Nicklas… 6.5%
And Part Three Readers Poll Today – Year in Review
Today’s final installment of the readers’ poll is a catch-all “year in review.”
Schmitt Hires Stevens
The press release: “[I]ncoming Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced Cristian Stevens will serve as Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Litigation. Stevens also previously served as an assistant United States Attorney for 15 years. As an assistant U.S. attorney, Stevens prosecuted violent crimes, including homicides, as well as narcotics, white-collar and civil rights violations, from the earliest stages of investigation through appeal. Currently, Stevens is a partner at Armstrong Teasdale…
In 2014, Stevens spearheaded the federal investigation of the high-profile officer-involved shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. The investigation’s report has become the definitive account of the shooting. For his work, Stevens received the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in 2015…. As Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Litigation, Stevens will oversee the criminal litigation divisions of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, including Medicaid Fraud, Criminal Appeals, and Public Safety.”
What It Means
This is the second big hire from Schmitt, nabbing a lot of experience from the US Attorneys’ Office. It bodes well for the professionalism that he’s attracting to the office.
$5K+ Contributions
Citizens to Protect Tax Revenues and Jobs - $101,363 from Penn National Gaming, Inc.
MO Republican Party - $5,415 from Tim Drury.
Freedom PAC - $18,000 from Missouri Senate Conservatives Fund.
Friends of SPS - $21,895 from Quality Schools for Kids.
Lobbyists Registrations
Douglas Stone added KCP Acquisition LLC, and Pivotal Properties LLC; and deleted JRB Properties LLC, Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, and Ray Jagoda.
Nicholas Knoth added Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
Mark Habbas added Me Gaming; and deleted Missourians for Compassionate Care.
Jeffrey Brooks, William Gamble, Jorgen Schlemeier, Sarah Schlemeier, Kathryn Gamble, and Sarah Topp deleted Cigna Healthcare.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Michael Spreng, Sue Entlicher, Renee Hulshof, James Harris, and LuAnn Madsen.
Saturday: Julie Gibson.
Sunday: Irl Scissors, Jared Brown, and Martin Casas.
New Year’s Eve: Josh Hawley, Mike Moon, Ashley Jost, Carol Kemna, Chris Krehmeyer, and Kate Meiners.
New Year’s Day: Clint Tracy, Bill Otto, and Pat Contreras.
MOScout Holiday Schedule
No Weekly Summary today or Weekender tomorrow. Off Monday and Tuesday (New Year’s). See you Wednesday, January 2.
Session starts January 9, folks.