Friday, August 7, 2015
Aboussie to Leg: No PP Position
Jeff Aboussie, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the St. Louis Building Trades, sent a letter to members of the legislature. There have been reports of union ties nationally to Planned Parenthood. Some Dems were nervous that Republicans would use the outrage over the PP videos to undermine support to sustain Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of right to work.
Excerpt from Aboussie’s Letter
I am writing to clarify the position of the St. Louis Building Trades, our 18 affiliates representing 35,000 members regarding a recent statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka about support of Planned Parenthood’s “core mission of offering safe healthcare to women.” Some are trying to interpret his statement to mean a Labor support for abortion.
IF that was his intention let me make it clear that Mr. Trumka is NOT speaking for our union tradespeople, our affiliates or our Building Trades… and I would also venture to say that includes the entire Missouri Trade Union Movement! And I emphasis NOT!! Frankly Mr. Trumka does not understand Midwest values…
Our core mission in the Build Trades and Labor Movement is to support the creation of jobs, good wages, safety and benefits, and promote economic development… That’s our core mission – our ONLY mission – NOT taking positions on divisive social issues…
MCN to Leg: Override HB42 Veto
Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal sent an email to Republican members making the case for overriding the governor’s veto of the transfer fix.
Excerpt from Chappelle-Nadal’s Letter
I am writing you this letter in the spirit of bipartisanship. As Republicans who value the Sanctity of Life, I urge you to help the children in our state by voting to override the Governor's ill-conceived veto of HB 42. This bill would have brought statutory order to the chaotic student transfer process. More importantly, HB 42 would have offered expanded opportunities for the predominantly Black and impoverished students trapped in failing schools to obtain a better education… As Republicans, your party long ago freed the slaves in support of the sanctity of life. I am pleading with you to stop this well-organized effort to enslave children in substandard school buildings. This is a moral call. I am humbly asking you, as a Republican, to put first the welfare of the state before the special interests that keep my children subjugated… Our Governor fails to understand that "separate and unequal" education has no place in today's society. Educational violence occurs each day a child is turned away or told they cannot attend a better performing school. The House Republican supermajority has the opportunity to correct one of the worst decisions any Governor has ever made…
Rumorville: Carnahan Again?
I don’t have great confidence in this rumor, but it seems to be popping up again… Russ Carnahan for lieutenant governor… One whisperer says he heard an announcement could be coming any day, but I would expect a little louder buzz if it true… We’ll see…
Carnahan would be joining Brad Bradshaw and Tommie Pierson on the Dems side of the LG slot. Carnahan would be the favorite in that scenario. Carnahan, like Ashcroft on the Republican side, is a last name which should be able to carry any primary contest. Yet it carries baggage into a general election.
Kenney to PG&E
From the press release: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced the appointment of Robert Kenney as vice president, CPUC Regulatory Relations, and his election by the Board of Directors as an officer of the utility. Kenney joins PG&E, effective Aug. 24, from his role as chairman of the Missouri Public Service Commission. In his new role, he will be responsible for executive management of regulatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Kenney will report to Steve Malnight, senior vice president, Regulatory Affairs.
Bits
Explosion at Noranda smelter. See it here.
St. Louis Business Journal profiles Centene CEO Michael Neidorff. See it here. Pull Quote: Since joining Centene as CEO in 1996, Neidorff has won major contracts and made more than 25 acquisitions, which catapulted Centene from $40 million in revenue and 40,000 members in 1996 to a national managed care powerhouse with $21 billion in expected revenue for 2015 and 4.6 million members. In 2001, Neidorff led the company through an initial public stock offering that raised more than $41 million. Today, Centene has a market cap of about $8.32 billion.
Today Governor Jay Nixon “will thank the members of the Ferguson Commission for their work at the commission's meeting at St. Louis Community College - Florissant Valley.”
Lobbyists Registrations
Chris Liese, Gary Burton and James Foley deleted Cheyenne International LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $15,000 from Rivertown Enterprises Inc.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Donald Suggs, and former Rep. Mike Dethrow (63).
Saturday: Shawn Furey (33), and Martin Rafanan (64).
Sunday: Rep. Lyndall Fraker (56), and former Rep. Brian Baker (42).
Congratulations
To KCPL’s Cara Hoover on the birth of Avery Caroline.