Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Hancock Probes Richard Mouton Connection
Late last week KC Star reporter Jason Hancock wrote about the closeness of Pro Tem Ron Richard and David Humphreys’ man in the capital, Paul Mouton. Read it here.
Pull Quote: The relationship between the Missouri Senate’s leader and an emissary for one of the state’s most prolific political donors is raising eyebrows in the statehouse… Mouton is not a registered lobbyist, but he was routinely seen walking the Capitol corridors early in the 2017 legislative session. At the same time, Richard’s office was regularly providing a parking space for Mouton in the Senate’s private garage. Richard’s connection to Mouton goes beyond a parking spot. His campaign committee has paid Mouton $24,000 since 2014 for consulting and research, including $1,000 in January, February and March this year. No other candidate has reported any payments to Mouton in the last three years…
Trump Bump for New Smelter?
Veteran reporter Jo Mannies tweeted this Washington Post article which highlights how President Donald Trump’s policies may aid the revitalization of the aluminum industry in the United States. Pull Quote: President Trump announced that his administration was considering restricting imports of foreign-forged aluminum in the name of national security, arguing that domestic plants needed to be protected to ensure that the country can make its own war machines… Chinese producers don’t directly export raw aluminum into the United States, so tariffs may have little effect on the country that many in the aluminum industry say is the real culprit. Chinese aluminum production has hurt U.S. producers by flooding global market and depressing prices everywhere.
David Steelman’s Sometimes Paradoxical World
Headline: Missouri Man Sues Hershey for Under-Filling His Box… His lawyer: Greitens’ inner-circler David Steelman. See the article here.
One observer notes the cognitive dissonance of an “unabashed Greitens backer whose wife is commissioner of administration to the governor who spent untold sums blasting Libla” in this tweet from David Steelman’s twitter feed… State of Missouri owes @DougLibla25 a thank you. He understands higher utility rates keep jobs out of Missouri; doesn't bring jobs in.
Follow-Up on Macquarie
Last week I wrote of the Gamble Schlemeier lobbyists registering for Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets Inc. on the possibility of St. Louis City privatizing its airport. In addition it’s said that Lewis Rice’s Dave Sweeney will be quarterbacking Macquarie’s bid since he’s a St. Louis City lobbyist and this is mostly centered around the city and county.
And – from the eMailbag… “This Macquarie deal is going to cement [Gamble Schlemeier’s] David Jackson as a Jeff City power player… Macquarie is one of the biggest P3 (Public Private Partnership) developers in the world… Jackson saw early what everybody else seems to be missing, private equity is the ONLY way to solve our crumbling infrastructure problem. P3 funding mechanisms have been popular overseas for years. America is finally catching on, and it's going to be huge. If St. Louis can manage to get out of its own way, and if Jackson can help Macquarie successfully navigate all the legislative and regulatory land mines, this airport deal will be an economic shot-in-the-arm that will transform the entire region. David Jackson is waaaay out in front on this stuff…”
And
You got pray Rep. Warren Love or others don’t think Missouri needs something like this….
Help Wanted
Office of the Lieutenant Governor seeks Director of Marketing and Tourism. “Salary Range: $40,000 - $50,000 Annual… The position will be responsible for developing and coordinating messaging initiatives of the office, staffing the Lieutenant Governor during his work with the Missouri Tourism Commission and promoting tourism throughout the state in conjunction with the office. We are looking for someone who can connect with various companies, organizations and entities throughout the state to help promote services and products offered and made by Missouri based businesses…” See the ad here.
eMailbag: on Greitens Special Session Retreat
If you are Ameren and Greitens moves away from what you need this fast, what are you thinking right now? What do other corporations think when the Governor talks to you about where he is on policy issues?
$5K+ Contributions
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Friends of Holly Rehder.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Galen Higdon, and Stacy Reliford.