Thursday, July 31, 2014

House 3: MO Club for Growth $$$
Kirksville Daily Express reports on the massive amount of spending that’s going on in House 3 where incumbent Nate Walker has been targeted for his vote sustaining Governor Jay Nixon’s tax cut veto last summer.  See it here.

Pull Quote: The Rex Sinquefield-backed Missouri Club for Growth has gone on a spending spree against Rep. Nate Walker, pumping in more than $200,000 in expenses directed at the Missouri House 3rd District race in the last month…. Political action committees are required by Missouri law to report contributions and expenditures, and note if money was spent in support of or in opposition of a candidate or ballot measure. The Missouri Club for Growth reported more than $160,000 in expenses in opposition of Walker, and $54,409 in expenses in support of Dr. John Bailey, Walker’s challenger in the Aug. 5 Republican primary.

This is in addition to the $50,000 cash contributed directly to Bailey’s campaign.

Third Party Spending on Primary Races

A look at the Missouri Ethics Commission database of third-party expenditures shows that Missouri Club for Growth is the largest player with over $553K spent in support or opposition of candidates since the last week of June.

While most of their resources have been focused on their target races of displacing incumbent Republicans who defected on the tax cut override, there have been a few more expenditures like support for incumbent Rep. Kurt Bahr – who I reported yesterday faces a vigorous challenger from a Carpenters’ Union candidate.  Also Rep. Holly Rehder, who is also targeted by unions, has received support, and Rep. Mike Moon who is being opposed by Julie Ruzicka, wife of former Rep. Don Ruzicka.

Other third-party expenditures to note: Planned Parenthood PAC spent $3,500 in support of Republican House 34 candidate Bob Johnson, while Freedom PAC has spent over $11K opposing him.

The Missouri State Democratic Party has sent help in the amount of over $10K each to four Democratic House candidate who appear to be in targeted races: potentially vulnerable incumbent Reps. Vicki Englund and Bill Otto, and possible pick-ups in Deb Lavender (House 90, Stream termed) and Mark Ellebracht (House 17, Neth retiring).

Stream Fundy

Rep. Rick Stream’s fundy last night was hosted by Auditor Tom Schweich, Sens. John Lamping and Eric Schmitt, former Sen. Jane Cunningham, Speaker Tim Jones, Floor Leader Diehl, and Rep. Sue Allen.

Here’s an eye-witness account: Right off the bat, Schweich surprised us all by reminding us that having Stream as County Executive would be a very valuable advantage for all future statewide and national elections, and then he put his money where his mouth was by handing Stream a $10,000 check.  He then called on all other statewide Republican candidates to match his donation for Stream.  Schmitt quickly stepped up to match with his $10,000.  Attendees expressed the hope that Catherine Hanaway and Sen. Kurt Schaefer and any others will demonstrate they put the good of the party ahead of self.  That was the best start to a fundraiser I have ever seen.

Forever young and spry Gene McNary entertained us with how county government could be run and kept the gathering laughing with some funny stories of when he was County Exec.  Stream introduced his family and let the attendees know the polls show he beats either Charlie Dooley or Steve Stenger in a head to head.

Senate 2: Contribution Confusion

Candidate Vicki Schneider now has re-loaned herself a pile of money, just days after reporting that she had repaid her previous loan to herself.  What gives?  It’s a head scratcher.

After re-paying the $245K loan, she re-loaned herself $275K.  One wonders whether there will be an actual last weekend big media buy, or if this is just head games…

One Schneider critic says it’s the latter: “Vicki is clearly playing games. Did you see she reloaned herself money again?  $275k with 5 days to go?  Obviously she was taking heat from her labor supporters who gave her a bunch of money and didn’t like that she used their money just to pay herself back, and funny she just forgot about paying herself back when her report was originally filed but then she remembered a few weeks later when the campaign was almost done. I’m sure MEC would like to see those bank statements…”

Randoms

Michael Kelley and John Hancock interviewed Senator Claire McCaskill.  See it here.  My thanks to the peerless John Combest for the link.  Word is they’ll be back on TV again next month to interview Roy Blunt.

The Show-Me Institute says Missouri’s roads aren’t crumbling and don’t be driven by fear into voting for the transportation tax.  See the video here.

And the latest in the Amendment One Ad – this one from Missouri Farmers Care.  See it here.

eMailbag: Fake-Rage Against Nixon’s “All Male” Problem?

From someone used to fighting the Rex Sinquefield agenda: “These outraged women tweeting about a lack of women are really most concerned with Sinquefield issues and school reform.”

eMailbag on Wright’s Ethics Town Hall Meeting

From a Republican: “I looked up ‘irony’ in the dictionary and it had your bit about Rep. John Wright having a town hall meeting on large political donations.  What a joke, he drops over $400K of his own getting elected, but he doesn’t think anyone else should be able to donate that kind of money?”

Help Wanted

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri seeks Magistrate Judge.  “The Judicial Council of the Eighth Circuit and the Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on the Administration of the Magistrate Judges System have authorized the appointment of a full-time United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri to fill the vacancy created by the planned retirement of Judge Terry I. Adelman. The term of the office will be eight years, and will begin on April 16, 2015. The official location of the position will be St. Louis, Missouri, although some services will be required at Cape Girardeau and Hannibal, Missouri.”  See the ad here.

Lobbyist Registrations

From the Gate Way Group website:

Mark B Sullivan deleted The Bank of New York Mellon.

$5K+ Contributions

Committee to Elect Greg Hasty - $6,000 from Lake of the Ozarks Properties Inc.

Missouri Farmers Care – $25,000 from MFA Inc.

Missouri Farmers Care – $20,000 from Missouri Farm Bureau.

Missouri Farmers Care – $18,000 from Missouri Corn Growers.

Missouri Farmers Care – $100,000 from Missouri Pork Association.

Missouri Farmers Care – $15,000 from Grow Missouri.

Friends of Diehl - $10,000 from Missouri Hospital Association.

Protect the Harvest PAC - $200,000 from Protect the Harvest.

Committee to Elect Vicki A Schneider for State Senate - $275,000 from Vicki Schneider.

Citizens to Elect Mark Harder - $26,165 from National Association of Realtors & St. Louis Association of Realtors.

Citizens for Steve Stenger - $6,000 from Ridgetop Manor.

Citizens for Guernsey - $15,000 from Missouri Dairy Association.

Schmitt for Missouri - $10,000 from Schlichter Bogard & Denton LLP

Connect KC - $50,000 from Kansas City Marriott Downtown Hotel.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to Rodney Gray, Wendell Bailey (74), and House 18 candidate Kevin Garner (30).