Monday, August 29, 2016
Huge Checks
There were enormous checks – again – over the weekend.
Largest was $2.5 million check from the Republican Governors Association to Eric Greitens. They previously had sent $1 million as an early down payment on the race. It’s clearly one of their targets.
Chris Koster meanwhile recorded some big checks from unions, but they weren’t of that magnitude. He received $265K from the Carpenters, $150K from the NEA, and $100K from UFCW union.
Sen. Scott Sifton – looking at a battle in Senate 1 – received $117K in large contributions from some trial attorneys and unions.
Bill Eigel, who won the fierce Senate 23 primary, and should win the general election easily, showed some contributions that occurred a month ago, but apparently were only recorded in the 24 hour filings, not in the 48 hour filings that I follow.
And David Humphreys gave $500K to a dozen House Republican candidates. They are all pro-right to work. There may be more coming. Here’s who received money over the weekend.
House 47: Rep. Chuck Basye (against Susan McClintic) - $50K.
House 52: Rep. Nathan Beard (against Kyle Garner) - $25K.
House 55: Rep. Rick Brattin (against Ashley Beard-Fosnow (Nathan’s sister, by the way)) -$50K.
House 70 – Mark Mattheisen (against Byron DeLear) - $50K.
House 94: Rep. Cloira Brown (against former Rep. Vicki Englund) - $50K.
House 95: Rep. Marsha Haefner (against Glenn Koenen) - $25K.
House 99: Jean Evans (against Bill Pinkston) - $25K
House 105: Phil Christofanelli (against Brian Stiens) - $50K.
House 112: Rep. Rob Vescovo (against Robert Butler) - $50K.
House 113: Rep. Dan Shaul (against Karen Settlemoir-Berg) - $50K.
House 135: Steve Helms (against Randy Alberhasky) - $50K.
And $25K to Mary West who lost her primary to Rep. Chrissy Sommer in House 106.
And
Just as a reminder – Missouri’s per capita income is about $26K.
Where the DQ Cases Stand
There are three attempts underway to boot candidates from the ballot. In Senate 17, Sen. Ryan Silvey alleges that Ranen Brachthold doesn’t meet the residency requirement. That case has a Bench Trial this morning 9AM in front of Judge Janet Sutton, Division 2 Courtroom Clay, 11 S. Water, Liberty MO.
In House 14, Rep. Kevin Corlew alleges that Martin Rucker II doesn’t meet the residency requirement. Depositions of Corlew and Rucker will be taken on tomorrow, August 30, at 10:00AM at Husch Blackwell LLP.
And in House 112, Democratic challenger Robert Butler alleges that Rep. Rob Vescovo has delinquent tax issues that should disqualify him. It looks like the first judge in that case recused himself and a new judge has been assigned.
Nixon Stacking Public Defender Commission?
In a Friday afternoon news dump, Governor Jay Nixon appointed three members to the Public Defender Commission. Most observers viewed this as a prelude to a move to oust the current director of the public defenders who has publicly challenged Nixon for their lack of funding.
I wrote about this possibility a few weeks ago – see that here. But this will only bring Nixon three votes. There are seven spots on the commission, so who will be his fourth vote?
Ashcroft Hearts Trump?
Rudi Keller reports that Jay Ashcroft won’t be running from Donald Trump. See it here.
Pull Quote: With polls showing tight races at the top of the ballot — Trump held a 1-point lead in Missouri over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in a Monmouth University poll issued Tuesday — Ashcroft said he thought the GOP offered a strong state and national ticket.
Ashcroft was asked whether a Trump campaign stop in Missouri would help or hurt Republicans.
“I don’t know, but I would be happy to join him,” Ashcroft said.
More 3rd Party Ads Coming
Post-Dispatch reports that another 3rd party is entering the Senate race. See it here.
Pull Quote: A super PAC run by one of Sen. Roy Blunt’s closest friends and lobbyist allies is launching an advertising campaign on Blunt’s behalf in Missouri…. It’s paid for by Heartland Resurgence, a super PAC run by longtime Blunt ally Gregg Hartley, who already is a target of criticism from the Missouri Democratic Party. Hartley said he hopes to expand the $120,000 early buy in central Missouri to a “high-six-figures” statewide ad campaign to run into early October….
Richardson: Lobbyist Gift Ban Bill #1
In the House press release (see it here) Speaker Todd Richardson says that the lobbyist gift ban will be the first bill the House passes next year.
It is sponsored by Representative Justin Alferman (R-Hermann). “Legislators shouldn’t be receiving gifts in the first place so we’re trying to make sure that we alleviate some of the undue influence that lobbyists have on legislators in Jefferson City,” said Alferman.
Quick Passes
Steve Kraske writes about former Sen. Ed Quick, who passed away over the weekend. See it here.
Ed Quick, the dapper former state senator who represented Clay County in the Missouri Senate for 20 years, died Saturday.
He was 81. He died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a lung ailment.
A Democrat, Quick rose from Kansas City firefighter to the state Senate’s top position, president pro tem, becoming the first Kansas City lawmaker to hold the post in four decades. He capped his career with a four-year term as Clay County presiding commissioner that ended in 2010.
His crowning achievement may have been his work in Jefferson City overseeing passage of a health insurance program for poor, uninsured children. He also worked to lower sales taxes on groceries…
Tweet of the Day
Scott Charton, repping for the Realtors’ ballot issue that would prohibit an expansion of the sales tax, takes to Twitter to remind folks all the things that aren’t taxed currently. @ScottCharton: Being towed because of KC floodwaters? Vote YES on Amendment 4: Keep towing services tax-free. MOTaxpayerProtection.com @NoMoSalesTaxes
Bits
Committeewoman Marie Ceselski posted the minutes of the 78th Legislative District Committee meeting showing Hubbard opponent, Bruce Franks, winning the Secretary post. See it here.
Lobbyist Jay Hahn is selling his airplane. See it here.
Boston Globe profiles Rex Sinquefield’s chess obsession and its manifestation at the Saint Louis Chess Club, and World Chess Hall of Fame. See it here. Pull Quote: Sinquefield is only rated 1621 and seems to do most of his playing online. In a candid moment, his wife, Jeanne, told me “He stinks! He can’t even beat a little girl!”
Will federal law ultimately sink all the marijuana reforms at the state level? See it here.
NYTimes reports on the on-going issue of municipalities setting up their own wireless networks and state laws prohibiting it. See it here.
eMailbag: Party of the Future?
You may actually want to point out that everyone on the GOP ticket is under 45 except Sen. Mike Parson. Dems are a lot older in this cycle.
Today’s Events
From Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Reps. Lynn Morris & Jeff Messenger Golf – Freemont Hills Country Club – Nixa.
Changes in Lobbyist Registrations
David Sweeney added Spencer Development LLC.
Brent Hemphill added Missouri Disaster Response System Inc., and Ameren Missouri.
$5K+ Contributions
Greitens for Missouri - $15,000 from Dan Drury.
Scott Sifton for Missouri - $9,000 from Missouri State Democratic Committee.
Scott Sifton for Missouri - $21,000 from Friends of Gina Walsh.
Greitens for Missouri - $5,001 from Mark Gerson.
Propert Casualty Insurers Association of America Political Account - $27,665 from Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.
Friends of Rob Vescovo - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Greitens for Missouri - $25,000 from Missouri Chamber PAC.
Committee to Elect Mary West - $25,000 from David Humphreys.
Better Way Missouri - $7,000 from Lance Mallette.
Friends of Cloria Brown - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Scott Sifton for Missouri - $50,000 from CHIPP Political Account.
Scott Sifton for Missouri - $10,000 from Simmons Hanly Conroy.
Scott Sifton for Missouri - $7,500 from Ben Schmickle.
Scott Sifton for Missouri - $10,000 from Robb & Robb LLC.
Scott Sifton for Missouri - $10,000 from Langdon & Emison.
United Transportation Union Political Action Committee - $12,000 from United Transportation Union Political Action Committee.
Greitens for Missouri - $2,500,000 from Republican Governors Association Missouri.
Russ Carnahan for Missouri - $10,000 from James Nutter.
Russ Carnahan for Missouri - $10,000 from Citizens to Elect Jamilah Nasheed.
Koster for Missouri - $50,000 from Simmons Hanley Conroy.
Koster for Missouri - $265,000 from CHIPP Political Account.
Greitens for Missouri - $10,000 from Cameron Dunafon.
Missourians for Byron DeLear - $10,000 from CHIPP Political Account.
Friends for Chuck Basye - $50,000 from Tamko Building Products.
Friends of Steve Helms - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Citizens for Marsha Haefner - $25,000 from David Humphreys.
Teresa Hensley for Missouri - $10,000 from Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters PAC.
Teresa Hensley for Missouri - $20,000 from Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC.
Teresa Hensley for Missouri - $5,001 from Husch Blackwell LLP.
Citizens for Stephen Webber - $7,500 from Benjamin Schmickle.
Beard for House of Representatives - $25,000 from David Humphreys.
Friends of Phil Christofanelli - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Greitens for Missouri - $5,001 from Gilbert Bickel.
Greitens for Missouri - $25,000 from Digital Monitoring Porducts.
Gretiens for Missouri - $5m001 from Gary Bader.
Koster for Missouri - $100,000 from United Food and Commercial Workers International Union AFL-CIO CLC.
Koster for Missouri - $150,000 from NEA Fund for Children and Public Education Non Federal MO Account.
Koster for Missouri - $7,500 from Bob Fox.
Friends of Rick Brattin - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Friends of Andrew Koenig - $25,000 from David Humphreys.
Friends of Shaul - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Friends of Mark Matthiesen - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Citizens for Stephen Webber - $10,000 from Simmons, Hanly, Conroy.
Citizens for Stephen Webber - $6,750 from Friends for Gina Walsh.
Committee to Elect Jean Evans - $25,000 from David Humphreys.
Parson for Missouri - $20,000 from James S McDonnell III.
Eigel for Missouri - $50,000 from Rivertown Enterprises.
Eigel for Missouri - $150,000 from David Hmphreys.
Eigel for Missouri - $50,000 from Herzog Contracting Corp.
Eigel for Missouri - $8,968 from Missouri Club for Growth.
Eigel for Missouri - $50,000 from David Humphreys.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Robin Smith, and Jack Atterberry.