Thursday, December 28, 2017
More Greene County Misdeeds?
Auditor Nicole Galloway’s initial foray into misdeeds in Greene County may have stir a whole host of problems bubbling beneath the surface. This has the potential to brings a lot of bad headlines in the coming year from one of the largest Republican strongholds in the state.
Springfield News-Leader reports that “the Missouri auditor has received complaints from 12 separate whistleblowers about Greene County, according to auditor's office spokeswoman Steph Deidrick. When state auditor Nicole Galloway first asked for permission to investigate Greene County about possible misuse of public resources on Dec. 6, there was only one whistleblower…
The day the news broke, the auditor's office was contacted about two more complaints, she said. Three weeks later, Galloway's office has been contacted a total of 13 times by 12 different individuals….” See it here.
Pull Quote: By law, Galloway is required to protect whistleblower identities. For that reason, the auditor's office has largely remained silent on what is specifically being alleged.
Galloway has repeatedly asked the Greene County Commission to grant her office permission to investigate those allegations. Two weeks ago, she offered to audit for free — normally counties foot the bill.
The auditor's office must obtain permission from the commission to investigate unless local residents submit a qualified petition asking her to do so… There has been no word from county commissioners on whether they intend to allow Galloway to investigate.
The day after Galloway publicized the whistleblower allegations about the sales tax measure, the commission voted 2-1 to hire a private law firm to advise them on next steps.
Galloway was critical of the commission's decision to hire Kansas City-based firm Graves Garrett, saying her office is the only entity with a legal requirement to protect whistleblowers. Furthermore, a private law firm would have no obligation to release information to the public, she said.
MOScout Readers’ Poll: Legislators Results
Legislator Who Does Their Homework
Scott Fitzpatrick 39.29%
Rob Vescovo 34.18%
Holly Rehder 12.24%
Peter Meridith 8.67%
Becky Ruth 5.61%
Other reader suggestions/comments: McCann Beatty, Lavender, Alferman, Quade, and Swan.
Best on Floor – House
Jay Barnes 32.32%
Kevin Corlew 27.78%
Justin Alferman 20.20%
Kevin Engler 19.70%
Other reader suggestions/comments: McCreery, McCann Beatty, Richardson.
Best on Floor - Senate
Ryan Silvey 39.01%
Jamilah Nasheed 29.12%
Jill Schupp 17.03%
Rob Schaaf 14.84%
Other reader suggestions/comments: Chappelle-Nadal, Kehoe, Onder, Rowden, Schaaf, Schatz, Walsh, and Wasson…
Most Sincere Legislator
Hannah Kelly 46.43%
Allen Andrews 20.41%
Bob Dixon 17.86%
Kirk Mathews 15.31%
Other reader suggestions/comments: Burnett, Hummel, Munzy.
Craftiest Legislator
Shawn Rhoads 28.02%
Phil Christofanelli 23.08%
David Gregory 18.68%
Crystal Quade 18.68%
Dan Houx 11.54%
Other reader suggestions/comments: Cornejo, Mitten, Merideth, Barnes, Sifton, Schaaf, Hoskins, Sater, Haahr, Lavender, and Wasson…
House Freshman Most Likely to be Speaker Someday
Cody Smith 41.67%
Jean Evans 16.15%
Dean Plocher 16.15%
Nick Schroer 13.02%
Curtis Trent 13.02%
Other reader suggestions/comments: This answer is the kiss of death for aspirations, so I choose none.
Senator Most Likely to be Governor Someday
Caleb Rowden 64.06%
Mike Kehoe 17.19%
Bill Eigel 7.29%
Scott Sifton 6.25%
Dave Schatz 5.21%
Other reader suggestions/comments: Bob Onder
Most Effective Leader
Todd Richardson 44.57%
Todd Richardson 33.15%
Todd Richardson 22.28%
Other reader suggestions/comments: Todd Richardson
MOScout Readers’ Poll: Lobbyists
Vote in the MOScout Readers Poll: Lobbyists here.
eMailbag on RTW Referendum
Your wrote on the Freedom to Work committee says: "It will be opposing both the effort to repeal right to work, and the CLEAN Missouri ballot initiative."
That doesn't read quite right since if the committee supports right to work then it supports Proposition A but the way it's phrased makes it sound like it opposes the measure.
I's understandable that there's been so much confusion on this issue given that there hasn't been a referendum petition in 35 years, but a referendum petition doesn't so much repeal an existing law as provide an extra step for a bill to become law. As the Court of Appeals Western District noted in rejecting the ballot language challenge the Republicans brought, the referendum petition essentially substitutes voter approval as the final step in a process that usually ends with the governor's signature.
To be sure, a referendum petition does flip the sides a bit since with the more common initiative petition those using it to put something on the ballot want a "yes" vote whereas those motivated enough to use the petition process to force a legislative act on the statewide ballot want a "no" vote.
Lobbyists Registrations
Jeremy LaFaver and Salvatore Panettiere added Foster Care Technologies.
Sam Licklider deleted Gallagher Consultants, LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
Missourians For O’Laughlin - $20,000 from Cindy O’Laughlin.
Citizens for Steve Stenger - $10,000 from Regional Progress PAC.
Citizens for Steve Stenger - $20,000 from David Glarner.
Citizens for Steve Stenger - $20,000 from Robert Glarner Jr.
Citizens for Tony Manansala - $25,000 from Antonio Manansala.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to former Reps. Sue Entlicher and Michael Spreng, Renee Hulshof, James Harris, and LuAnn Madsen.
MOScout News
Taking another long weekend before we hit the new year and new session. Off tomorrow and Monday (New Year’s Day). Then returning full force on Tuesday….