Monday, March 20, 2017
Welcome to Spring Break….
MEC on LLCs and Amendment 2
The Missouri Ethics Commission issued an opinion that a “Limited Liability Company (LLC) with one corporate member/owner that has elected to be treated as a partnership and a disregarded entity under the Internal Revenue Code is subject to the ban on corporate contributions under Article VIII, §23.3(3)(a) of the Missouri Constitution.” See the opinion here.
Shoe Forms LLC
According to paperwork filed with the Secretary of State it looks like former Sen. Wes Showmyer formed Shoemyer Family Farms, LLC earlier this month.
St. Joe Seeks Legal Help
The City of St. Joe is looking for legal advice for labor and employment law – dealing with collective bargaining.
According to the RFP document, St. Joe is concerned about changes in labor law stemming from a Supreme Court ruling (Independence NEA V Independence). The funny thing is that the case is about ten years old. The court held that all employees – public as well as private – have the right to collective bargaining. Yet there are some differences: no right to strike for public employees; the governmental employer has to bargain but it does not have to agree; if no agreement, the employer can impose its terms. Though if there is an agreement, the government must abide by it.
40 Apply for Wallace Vacancy
The 21st Circuit Judicial Commission released the list of applicants for the circuit court judge vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Barbara W. Wallace: Thomas C. Albus, G. Michael Archer, Michael A. Becker, John N. Borbonus III, Kenneth M. Brison, William A. Catlett, Mark J. Cero Sr., Judy P. Draper, Daniel P. Finney III, Joseph L. Green, Peter W. Gullborg, Renee Hardin-Tammons, Matthew H. Hearne, Heather S. Heffner, Samuel Henderson, Bruce F. Hilton, Paul F. Horgan, Terri J. Johnson, B. Joyce Kelley, Kathryn M. Koch, Gary J. Krautmann, John R. Lasater, Henry F. Luepke, III, Diane M. Monahan, John F. Newsham, Mary E. Ott, Susan M. Petersen, Thomas J. Plunkert, Mary B. Schroeder, Kenneth R. Schwartz, Jonathan W. Singer, Dean A. Stark, Dana W. Tucker, Robert E. Tucker, Colleen J. Vetter, Dean P. Waldemer, D. Kimberly Whittle, Patricia A. Wilcox, Gregory N. Wittner, and Nicole S. Zellweger.
The members of the Twenty-First Circuit Judicial Commission are: Philip M. Hess, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District; Matthew J. Rossiter, Jeffrey D. Sigmund, Christy Bertelson and Tiffany Mapp Franklin.
MO PubDefs Note Gideon Anniversary
The Missouri Public Defenders put out a press release last week on the 54th Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright. See it here. “Clarence Earl Gideon was a Missourian, from Hannibal, with an eighth-grade education, who was charged with breaking and entering in the State of Florida. At trial, Gideon appeared without an attorney. He asked the judge to appoint counsel because he could not afford an attorney. The trial judge denied Gideon’s request because Florida law only permitted appointment of counsel for poor defendants charged with capital offenses…
The jury found Gideon guilty and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. Gideon filed a handwritten petition in the Supreme Court of the United States… The Court held that the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of counsel is a fundamental right essential to a fair trial and, as such, applies to the states…
Missouri continues to deny this fundamental right to poor Missourians by underfunding indigent defense to such an extent that public defenders have so many cases that it is impossible to provide adequate legal representation for each individual defendant… Missouri's public defenders… handle more than 80,000 cases annually, with an average caseload of between 100-200 cases at any one time…
"Despite the impossible task which has been placed upon them, public defenders fight daily so that a poor person receives a fair shot in an unfair criminal justice system," said Michael Barrett, Director of the Missouri State Public Defender System. "They fight to ensure that a poor person receives due process before they are deprived of the one thing they have in this world, their liberty."
North St. Louis Redevelopment
The City of St. Louis continues prepping for the $1.7 billion, 97-acre National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency facility. The latest RFP is for soil remediation and excavation. See it here.
Meanwhile others worry that the Missouri Housing Development Corporation, which appears to have gone into hibernation until June, is holding up critical tax credits for nearby projects.
One big project which got a boost from HUD late last year is Preservation Square. See it here.
Bits
As labor rallies to make their stand against the prevailing wage legislation, they’re unveiling a TV ad aimed at Governor Eric Greitens using footage from his machine gun commercial. See it here.
For your Senate 2018 scorecards, Carl Edwards is for sure quitting the racing circuit. See it here.
Kirksville Daily Express reports that the Cape Air Kirksville to St. Louis route is vulnerable to President Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts. See it here.
Abram Messer on Facebook: My moms case will be featured in this coming season of "Disappeared". The new season airs in March. Interestingly enough, my father refused to participate, even telling my brother that if he allowed NBC onto the farm he would evict him immediately... that's when the locks went up on the gates.
Tweet of the Day
Will Scharf @willscharf: Someone un-ironically called me “Mr. Scharf” earlier for the first time in my life. Cue existential angst, mortality concerns, etc.
Help Wanted
Aetna seeks Government Relations Specialist. “Directs and oversees Government Relations/Regulatory Relations support for a primary business operation of the Company or for a specific issue of major importance to the Company… Manages with respect to legislative, regulatory, and political activities that affect the Company's business, Represents the Company in the legislative, regulatory, and political arena, Develops political strategies to advance legislative and rule-making interest, Negotiates legislative, regulatory and public policy positions on behalf of the Company, Provides public policy, regulatory and government relations counseling with respect to new and existing business activities…” See the ad here.
Missouri REALTORS seek Regional Advocacy Coordinator. “Working with local REALTOR associations to help them increase local activism and meet PAC fundraising goals through development and implementation of local advocacy plans… Providing an immediate conduit to the Missouri REALTORS’ Chief Lobbyist and advocacy staff with knowledge of legislation, policy and political opportunities/challenges at the local level… Identifying and cultivating potential Major REALTOR PAC Investors…” See the ad here.
Jefferson City News Tribune seeks City Hall reporter. “While the beat is heavily driven by city government meeting coverage, the bulk of the work will be to discern and explore the issues the residents of Missouri's capital city are facing…” See the ad here.
$5K+
Friends of Holly Rehder - $5,200 from Greg Hoberock.