Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Scooplette: King to Gate Way Group
Tracy King is leaving The Missouri Chamber. She’s been with the business organization for over a decade. As the Vice President of Governmental Affairs, she’s often been the face of the Chamber in the hallways, in offices and at hearings.
Word is that King will be joining Travis Brown’s Gate Way Group, the lobbying arm of Pelopidas.
In some ways, it’s a natural fit. The Chamber and Pelopidas, Rex Sinquefield’s go-to firm, have been on the same side of several pro-business battles.
King becomes the second member of the Chamber’s legislative team to be hired away. Brian Bunten left for United HealthCare last month. One observer remarked that after the Chamber’s huge session this year – right to work, and various tort reform and labor reform items – they were akin to a Super Bowl team that sees their offensive coordinator hired after a championship season.
No word yet on who will be taking King’s place.
US Senate Talk: Hartzler Out
USAToday reported that Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler decided not to enter into the Senate race. See it here. This was read by many as one more tea leaf that Josh Hawley had firmed up his decision to run.
And
Making the rounds yesterday is this Hawley campaign ad from last year in which he denounces career politicians just “climbing the ladder.” Some Dems think it’ll be a potent ad to use against him as he tries to climb to the US Senate after six months in office at the attorney general’s office.
First in MOScout: MEC Fines Curtis $114K
The Missouri Ethics Commission has fined Rep. Courtney Curtis $114,050 for various violations of campaign finance laws. See the 34-page order here.
Curtis filed many reports late; he failed to reports contributions and expenditures; and generally his book-keeping was a mess with eleven different bank accounts.
The worst of the findings are in Count III and IV of the order: that Curtis used campaign funds to pay for travel expenses for which he was also being reimbursed, and that he comingled campaign funds with his personal funds.
This is not a consent order like many of the MEC cases, so perhaps Curtis is planning an appeal.
Gov’s Dark Money Into RTW Fight
In the large contributions (below), the governor’s dark money organization, A New Missouri, makes a $250,000 contribution to Missourians for Worker Freedom, a James Thomas committee formed to fight any right to work repeal.
There’s clearly no surprise that the governor is fighting to keep his legislative achievements from being overturned, but once again Missourians will have no idea who is paying for a political campaign. Put the issue of right to work aside, donations without disclosure is creating a very fertile environment for corruption.
And
On Facebook Paul DeGregorio, a Greitens supporter, asks him to end the dark money schemes (and fire Austin Chambers). Read it here.
Greitens EOs PDMP
There had been rumors that Governor Eric Greitens would call a special session later this summer to create prescription drug monitoring program. Instead yesterday he issued an executive order creating one. See the order here.
The governor’s PDMP is not as robust as some in the legislature had been pushing for. This led to opponents of PDMP (like Sens. Rob Schaaf and Will Kraus) to praise the EO, while Rep. Holly Rehder, a supporter of PDMP, to cheer the move while acknowledge a desire for something closer to her proposal… “Now, more than ever, we should continue to push for a state-wide program. Right now we have over 60% of Missouri’s population covered by a PDMP that allows our medical professionals to see the important narcotic history of their patients. We will continue to work across this great state to bring that number to 100%...”
And
Rep. Shamed Dogan compared the EO to President Barack Obama’s last few years in office. That’s not a compliment when it comes from a Republican. See it here. Sen. Ryan Silvey echoed the complaint. See it here.
One MOScout reader remarked, “I watch politics in a lot of states, and you just don’t see [Republican legislators critical of a Republican governor] routinely. It probably won’t hurt him while he’s governor but [wait until] national reporters come to Jefferson City after he starts visiting Iowa...”
Oh And…
It’s a pretty wide swath of Republicans that has Reps. Mike Moon agreeing Dogan and Silvey. Still no chicken was killed in the production of this Moon press release which says the EO puts Greitens “a step closer to becoming a dictator…” See it here.
July Quarters Bits
Rep. Elijah Haahr raised $50,240; and has $105,258 on-hand. For those using it as a scoreboard for the speaker’s race. That compares to $10,880 raised by Rep. Robert Cornejo ($84,830 on-hand), and $9,878 raised by Rep. Holly Rehder (with $154,614 on-hand).
In Senate 34, Tony Luetkemeyer showed a very strong start. He raised $113,941 and has $110,594 on-hand. Meanwhile Rep. Nick Marshall raised $0 and has $18,983 on-hand.
Top 25 COH Committees
According to the July reports, here are the twenty-five committees with the largest cash on-hand.
Greitens For Missouri - $2.38 million
Citizens for Steve Stenger - $1.69 million
Hawley For Missouri - $996,390. (Can’t be used in federal race)
Carpenters Help In the Political Process (CHIPP) - $904,646.
Leadership For America - $764,379 (Speaker Tim Jones’ old committee)
Eastern MO Laborers Education & Benevolent Fund - $751,020
Friends of Gregory FX Daly - $604,313.
Pipefitters Assoc Local Union #533 - $604,151.
Supporters of Health Research and Treatments - $541,981 (pro stem-cell research group).
Nicole Galloway for Missouri - $514,749.
HealthPAC - $499,487 (MO Hospital Association’s PAC)
Callahan for Missouri - $493,415 (former state senator now on Tax Commission).
MO Republican Party - $475,818.
Home Building Industry Political Action Committee - $459,913
Sanders For Jackson County - $436,512 (former Jackson County Executive).
MO National Education Assoc PAC - $428,325.
Schupp for Senate - $402,547.
Mantovani For STL - $387,081 (Stenger opponent).
Missouri Realtors PAC Inc - $358,098.
Committee to Elect Scott Taylor - $353,394. (2019 KC mayoral candidate).
CLEAN Missouri - $343,219 (campaign vehicle for ethic reform ballot initiative).
Midwest Region Laborers’ Political League Education Fund - $335,264.
Friends Of Eric Burlison - $304,187.
Friends of Tood Richardson - $294,248.
Association of MO Electrical Cooperatives PAC - $291,317.
New Committees
Cindy O’Laughlin formed a committee to run in Senate 18 as a Republican. The current incumbent, Sen. Brian Munzlinger, is termed.
Bradley Bakker formed a committee to run in House 84 as a Democrat. The current incumbent, Rep. Karla May, is termed.
Lobbyists Registrations
Christopher DeSimone deleted Aegerion Pharmaceuticals.
$5K+ Contributions
Liberty Alliance - $20,000 from Rudy Farber.
Missourians for Worker Freedom - $250,000 from A New Missouri.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Becky Cook, Gary Otten, Jim Gwinner, and Rep. Charlie Davis.