Monday, August 22, 2016
Humphreys Sends $500K to Senate Campaigns
Over the weekend, David Humphreys sent $500,000 to the Republican Senate campaign committees. The “Eastern Missouri Senate PAC,” presumably focused on the Senate 1 race between Democratic incumbent Sen. Scott Sifton and Republican Randy Jottee, received $250K. Likewise, the “Central Missouri Senate Republican PAC,” focused on the Senate 19 between Republican Rep. Caleb Rowden, and Democratic Rep. Stephen Webber, received $250K.
These are substantial sums for Senate races, and will once again likely draw criticism of the lack of contribution limits that allow a single individual to have an outsized influence over the electoral process.
The focus on these two races is a result of the defeat of Rep. Anne Zerr – which brings right to work supporters closer to their goal of a veto proof majority in that chamber. But also it’s the result of an incredible lack of competitive races. Democrats left Sen. Gary Romine unopposed in Senate 3; folks don’t take Steven Eagleton seriously in Senate 15; and Democrat Ranen Bechthold seems no match for Sen. Ryan Silvey.
Corlew V Rucker
On Casenet (#16AE-CV02462) it appears that Rep. Kevin Corlew is suing to disqualify his Democratic opponent, Martin Rucker II. Perhaps Rucker has a residency issue?
We’ll see….
Follow-Up on Silvey V Bechthold
In Sen. Ryan Silvey’s lawsuit to have his Democratic opponent, Ranen Bechthold removed from the ballot, there’s an interesting nugget: “On information and belief, Mr. Bechthold did not vote in the August 2, 2016 primary election.”
WHO DOESN’T MAKE IT TO THE POLLS TO VOTE FOR THEMSELVES?! SO WHAT IF YOU’RE UNOPPOSED!?!
Greitens Fudging His Resume?
AP reports that when Eric Greitens started campaigning he changed the location of where his humanitarian work occurred. See it here. (my thanks as always to the peerless John Combest for the link.)
Pull Quote: The discrepancy in Greitens' description of his past is notable because his gubernatorial campaign against Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster is built largely upon his remarkable resume…. Before his victory in the Aug. 2 Republican primary, Greitens stressed his Navy SEAL background with ads showing him shooting large guns and causing a fiery explosion.
But he since has showcased a softer side. His first online video for the general election highlighted his humanitarian efforts, as Greitens declared into the camera: "I went to work in refugee camps in Bosnia."
As a 20-year-old student at Duke University, Greitens was one of several undergraduates who went to Europe on a summer trip organized by professor Neil Boothby to help evaluate the Unaccompanied Children in Exile aid program. Greitens spent a few weeks at a refugee camp near Pula, Croatia, then a few more weeks at a camp near Osijek. Both housed people who had fled ethnic fighting in Bosnia…
When describing his work during a recent speech to Missouri Farm Bureau members, Greitens said he had been invited by a teacher "to go to Bosnia," and he said the "vicious campaigns of ethnic cleansing that were happening in Bosnia." Greitens said the experience taught him important lessons about leadership and led him to take future trips to help children in Rwanda, Cambodia and elsewhere.
"Bosnia was challenging," Boothby said, "but he wasn't close to that; he was in Croatia."
Greitens' descriptions of his refugee work appear to have changed over time. Shortly after returning home, Greitens recounted his six weeks in Croatia for an Aug. 9, 1994, story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In 2005, the Duke Chronicle student newspaper similarly quoted Greitens as saying: "When I was working in Croatia ... it was extraordinarily safe and far from conflict."
His online biographies initially included Croatia on the list of places he did humanitarian work. A search of archived internet sites shows by June 2012, "Croatia" had been replaced by "Bosnia" in biographies on EricGreitens.com and The Mission Continues, a not-for-profit group Greitens founded to provide volunteer opportunities for veterans. Although some biographies then have mentioned Croatia, his current campaign biography lists Bosnia….
One MOScout reader relays from a friend who spent time in Bosnia and working with the Bosnian expatriate community in St. Louis: “Croatia was pretty much untouched by the war. Reminds me of Hillary's claim that she was in the war zone of Bosnia many years after the war.... politicians love to stretch the truth to gain votes - risking the chance it may backfire”
MO Chamber for Greitens
The Missouri Chamber PAC endorsed Eric Greitens for governor apparently for his stances on right to work, and tort reform; he’ll sign any bills sent to him as opposed to Chris Koster. See it here.
Also
The Chamber PAC also endorsed Sen. Mike Parson for lieutenant governor. They traditionally have not endorsed down-ballot races, but made an exception for Parson because of his long-standing support for their agenda.
NYTimes: Think Before You Text
The NYTimes writes about the political dangers in texting. See it here.
Pull Quote: But there is one rule that often gets forgotten: Do not, under any circumstances, write a text message that could cause you, or your boss, shame if it suddenly appeared on the front page of a newspaper… Last year, the Missouri House speaker, John Diehl, a Republican, was forced to resign after trading sexual messages with a college student working as an intern...
Kudos to Richardson
Speaker Todd Richardson deserves some praise for sticking with his efforts on ethics reform. Even though the Ron Hicks episode meandered along longer than necessary, eventually Richardson prevailed upon Hicks to do the right thing and resign.
And with Tony Dugger, one imagines that Richardson knew that Dugger might exit early as his ambitions to join the lobbying corps had been widely rumored. Still Richardson helped push through the revolving door reform.
Both of these examples he followed through with, despite the fact it would cost him votes in the upcoming veto session.
Politico: Missouri in Presidential Chessboard
Politico reports on happenings in Missouri as part of the presidential campaigns’ strategery. See it here.
Pull Quote: [Trump’s] team this month requested ad rates there, too, as well as in other states most Republicans have not often had to worry about defending, such as Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, and Missouri…
After a public-facing campaign swing through North Carolina, Iowa, and Wisconsin earlier in the week and a stop in Missouri on Wednesday, Kaine is due for one closed-doors event in Sun Valley, Idaho and two in Jackson, Wyoming on Thursday…. One obvious destination for this confidence play, then, is Missouri — a state where Kaine went to college and that Obama barely lost in 2008 but which has since continued to trend to the right. Much like Arizona, Missouri has a competitive Senate race where Democrats see real opportunity, giving Clinton operatives extra incentive to drill in or at least force Republicans to pay attention…
RYH4K’s on Big Tobacco $$$: So What?
In an appeal sent out to supporters last week, Raise Your Hand for Kids responded to criticism of their efforts to raise the cigarette tax for early childhood…
Below are the opposition’s ridiculous arguments to vote no…
- Funds may go to private and parochial schools – Newsflash! We’ve been doing this for years! Missouri Preschool Project, Head Start, Title I and Parents as Teachers ALREADY GO TO PUBLIC, PRIVATE and FAITH-BASED SCHOOLS!...
- RJ Reynolds funds the campaign – Who cares?! At the end of the day, this policy benefits thousands of Missouri children. That’s what really matters…
- The policy eliminates protections for stem cell research – Ludicrous! This measure will have ZERO impact on stem cell research. Read this case analysis from retired MO Court of Appeals Judge James Dowd….
- The board is too large – Our policy actually shrinks the existing Coordinating Board for Early Childhood (that is required by federal law to receive Head Start dollars) and reduces the membership from 17 to 13 members….
- The tax is not high enough – Missourians have voted down cigarette taxes 3 times over the last 15 years. Why would we keep making the same mistake over and over again?!...
Bits
In the large contributions, you see the Spire PAC. Spire is the new name of Laclede Gas.
KC Star writes on yet another bad jobs report from Kansas. The evidence mounts month after month that tax cuts are not so magical that you can make them thoughtlessly – like eliminate taxes on one type of business, but not another. See it here.
And Make Saint Louis Safe – the campaign vehicle to ask city voters to eliminate the recorder of deeds and fund police body cameras – reported a $280K in-kind contribution from Rex Sinquefield. Perhaps that’s the amount he paid to collect signatures?
Kip for Whip? Missourinet reports that Democrat Kip Kendrick is seeking the House Dem leadership position. See it here.
Special session for a DWI fix coming to run concurrent with veto session? Missourinet reports on the possibility. See it here.
Governor Jay Nixon pardoned seven Missourians. See it here. “In each of these cases warranting a pardon, the individual has demonstrated the ability and willingness to be a contributing member of society.”
eMailbags
On Dugger’s resignation: Crazy to think Tony Dugger was the main advocate of voter ID and won't be there to override the veto.
On Jay Barnes: I don't know if Barnes' support of the Medicaid 23 will help him become Senator in two years, but it sure is a great example of why he’s one of my favorite people in Jeff City. Principled, smart, and certainly not someone I like to find myself disagreeing with on a big issue.
On Senate 19: I agree with you on Kurt Schaefer possibly tainting the Republican brand in Columbia, but with Schaefer losing the primary, maybe the disgruntlement will diminish over the next couple months.
Today’s Events
From Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Rep. Travis Fitzwater Golf – Meadow Lake Acres CC – New Bloomfield – 8AM.
Changes in Lobbyist Registrations
Gary Burton, Jim Foley, Andrew Foley, Chris Liese, and Mark Bruns deleted Ernst & Young LLP, and Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
Donald Soph deleted Missouri Association Of Area Agencies On Aging.
$5K+ Contributions
Koster for Missouri - $25,000 from Pyramid Home Health Services.
Greitens for Missouri - $10,000 from Elliott Lodging Ltd.
Koster for Missouri - $25,000 from James B Nutter & Company.
Committee to Elect Gary Myers Judge - $13,000 from Gary Myers.
Teresa Hensley for Missouri - $10,000 from Langdon & Emison.
Greitens for Missouri - $20,000 from The Grewe Limited Partnership.
Greitens for Missouri - $30,000 from Crestwood Square Associates.
Spire Political Action Committee - $50,000 from Spire Inc.
NEA Fund for Children & Public Education Non Federal Itemized Account Missouri - $150,000 from NEA Fund for Children and Education Non-Federal Itemized Account.
Make Saint Louis Safe - $280,973 from Rex Sinquefield.
Eastern Missouri Senate PAC - $250,000 from David Humphreys.
Central Missouri Senate Republican PAC - $250,000 from David Humphreys.
Citizens for Stephen Webber - $10,000 from Claire McCaskill.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Glenn Burleigh.