Monday, October 27, 2014
Roepe to Noranda
Chris Roepe will be joining Noranda as its Vice President of Government Affairs. He will oversee the day to day activities in Missouri while also working on projects in other states in which Noranda operates and the Jamaican facility. The position will be based out of Jefferson City.
Roepe was previously with FERAF (Fair Energy Rate Action Fund), and before that was the brain for Senate leader Charlie Shields.
Senate 24 Poll Crosstabs
See the crosstabs from the MOScout Senate 24 poll here under Special Reports.
Power Maternity Ward?
Over the weekend, Shawn and Melissa DeStefano Furey welcomed their second child, William Walker. Shawn is a lobbyist with Centene. But before that he was part of Axiom Strategies, after starting on Team Schmitt. Melissa was Scott Rupp’s Condi Rice.
Congratulations as well to Axiom’s Jason Klindt and wife Nicole on the birth of their son, Jacoby Ellison. Jacoby was born on the same day as William… in the same hospital… on the same floor… four doors down.
Good Time to Be A Burlison?
Under Governor Jay Nixon, it’s good to be a Burlison…
His longtime aide Rex Burlison got a St. Louis judgeship from Nixon in August 2011. See it here.
Then in February 2013, Nixon names Rex Burlison’s daughter, Erin Burlison-Huss to ajudgeship in St. Charles County. See it here.
And now, last week, Nixon names Rex Burlison’s wife, Rita Burlison, to the Judicial Commission for the 22nd Circuit to decide which judges are on the panel from which… Nixon would choose the appointee… See it here.
Schweich Endroses 2
Amendment 2 hasn’t received much attention. But Auditor Tom Schweich has weighed in.
From Schweich’s email blast: Please consider a “yes” vote on Election Day in favor of Constitutional Amendment 2. It’s an important measure which will give judges more discretion in allowing critical evidence into trials against suspected child molesters. It enjoys the support of our law enforcement and prosecutors communities and I’m hoping you will vote “yes” on Amendment 2, as well.
Conspiracy Theory on Rex Fox Koster Schweich Hanaway
In the web of uber-donors, the threads get pretty tangled pretty quickly. Rex Sinquefield has given to Democrat Chris Koster and Catherine Hanaway. The recent giving suggested that Hanaway is his new 2016 bet though.
With Sam Fox, he too has given to both Koster and Tom Schweich. And a recent series of transactions might indicate that he’s still arming both sides.
Here’s the moves: “On September 23, Fox donated $24,900 to the Supporters of Health Research & Treatments Political Acton Committee. Less than a week later, Supporters donated $20,000 to Missourians for Koster. While Koster has always been a backer of the stem cell research, the Supporters committee had not received a donation since February, and had only received two donations this year prior to Fox’s donation.
“In addition to proximity in timing and similar dollar amounts, Supporters seems to have finished their contributions to candidates for this cycle, with those donation dated at the end of August and beginning of September.
“For example, Koster himself received a prior donation of $20,000 from Supporters on August 25. The donation in question from Fox occurred almost a month after Supporters had already written its checks for this election cycle.”
One observer imagines the motive for such a contribution being “hidden” in this manner would be if Fox wants Koster to be governor (and Schweich to be US Senator in 2018), but doesn’t want to hurt Schweich with an overt contribution.
ACLU: VA and SSA Benefits Extend to MiO’s Same Sex Couples
The American Civil Liberties Union put out a press release over the weekend on the changes continuing with the recognition of same sex married couples in Missouri…
“When the Supreme Court struck down section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act last year, the federal government recognized marriages of same-sex couples for most purposes. However, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs were unable to provide certain benefits to married same-sex couples residing in Missouri because of Missouri’s refusal to recognize their marriages. The benefits included social security benefits for surviving spouses and VA home loans for married couples. The Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs will now recognize the marriages of all Missourians for all purposes of federal law, regardless of their sexual orientation. The change is a result of a court decision earlier this month requiring Missouri to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples lawfully entered into in other jurisdictions…”
Backer Attacks Rex
In House 49, Gracia Backer took out a half-page ad in the Columbia Daily Tribune on Sunday showing $17,334,674.53 being spent since 2012 by Rex Sinquefield through various committees and contributions. The ad says that Republican candidate Travis Fitzwater is “bought and paid for,” but that Backer will be independent.
It’s the latest in a new string of attacks Democrats are using Sinquefield as the boogey man.
Bits
St. Louis Committeewoman Marie Celselski continues her drip drip drip of embarrassing revelations and anecdotes from the Sharon Carpenters years. Read them here.
Reports of misunderstandings of the Grow Missouri blimp continue… This time from lobbyist Andy Arnold on Twitter… “@arnoldlobbycom: Guy I was playing golf with this after thought #GrowMO blimp was promoting legalizing pot. Just shook my head...”
And at my kids’ school pick-up, one parent saw the blimp and trying to read it bewilderingly said, “Create a great store?”
Rep. Sue Meredith is the only legislator in a mock police stop to find the gun on the suspect. Read it here. Says one politico: “It is no surprise to anyone who watches the Capitol… She is one of the few state Reps who reads every bill in the House. She pays attention to details.”
Craziness in Columbia… “I was just trying to eat dinner on Homecoming…” Read it here.
eMailbag on Grow Missouri’s GOTV Program
“With Grow Missouri, Aaron Willard seems to have gotten what was promised to him after all… he had been the heir apparent to Lloyd Smith and slated to run the Missouri GOP. The Ed Martin win put a kibosh on that but now that Grow Missouri has replaced the state GOP – he seems to be poised to take the duties anyway…”
$5K+ Contributions
Schupp for Senate - $14,983 from Missouri Democratic State Committee.
Schupp for Senate - $6,500 from Supporters of Health Research & Treatments.
Jefferson County Labor Political Committee - $70,000 from Missourians for Excellence in Government.
Realtors Political Action Comm MO - $38,293 from National Association of REALTORS.
Friends of Rick Stream - $12,500 from Committee to Elect Ron Richard.
Friends of Rick Stream - $18,000 from Citizens to Elect Kurt Schaefer Attorney General.
Friends of Rick Stream - $12,500 from Hanaway for Governor.
Friends of Rick Stream - $20,000 from Robert Low.
Friends of Rick Stream - $49,054 from Ann Wagner for Congress.
Friends of Rick Stream - $15,000 from Steven Trulaske.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $25,000 from Citizens for Gary Cross.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $6,000 from Pietzman for the People.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Dean Dohrman.
Schupp for Senate - $5,001 from Barry Aycock.
Friends of Gina Jaksetic - $15,021 from House Republican Campaign Committee.
Committee to Elect Bill Otto - $5,415 from Missouri Democratic Party.
Committee to Elect Becky Ruth - $5,020 from House Republican Campaign Committee.
Citizens for Gary Cross - $30,200 from HRCC.
Committee to Elect Jeff Roorda - $5,001 from Scott Sifton for State Senate.
Friends of Nick King - $6,014 from House Republican Campaign Committee.
Moderates for Missouri - $10,000 from SEIU Missouri State Council PAC.
Schupp for Senate - $10,000 from Claire McCaskill.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Roy Pfautch.
Citizens to Elect Rauls - $15,350 from Missouri Democratic State Committee.
Citizens to Re-Elect Seay - $6,000 from William Seay.
Citizens to Re-Elect Seay - $6,000 from William Seay.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday to Rep. Jay Houghton (48).