Thursday, June 4, 2015
Here Comes the RTW Veto
The governor’s office put out a press advisory yesterday saying that they’d be doing a fly-around the state to “take action” on HB 116. That’s the right to work bill.
“Governor will join workers at UAW Local 249 near Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo. In St. Louis, the Governor will visit the state-of-the-art training facility for the Sheet Metal Workers Local 36.”
And
The Claycomo plant will cut its summer shutdown time in half to increase production. See it here.
InternGate Unvestigation?
Yesterday AP reported that the Senate approved a policy to deal with allegations of sexual harassment. See it here.
And over the weekend, Rudi Keller reported that “an attorney hired to advise the Missouri Senate on ‘a workplace harassment complaint’ is not actively investigating but instead is employed to assist the Senate in preparing a defense if necessary, Sen. Mike Kehoe, a member of the Senate Administration Committee, said last week.”
That sounds like a step backward, especially since attorney Jim Nowogrocki is said to be conducting the “investigation” jointly with the University of Central Missouri.
One observer noted that if the “investigation” is simply to prepare a legal defense for inappropriate or unlawful behavior, it could create more problems down the road. “It is the kind of legal strategy that can backfire if the court/jury doesn't think you did a legitimate investigation... My best guess is that the thing is not just a cover your ass deal... They are preparing for a possible lawsuit but the best way to do that is to do a legitimate investigation.”
And another observer correctly notes that “appointing a Joe Keaveny law partner removes accusation of partisan investigation, but won't it also bring accusation of whitewash if it doesn't produce findings?”
Basye Gets Early Challenger
Dems have already recruited their challenger to Rep. Chuck Basye in House. Rudi Keller has the story here. This is one of the many seats that Republicans have to defend. And many of them will likely have increased turnout in 2016 making the defenses even more difficult.
Pull Quote: Susan McClintic is retiring this year after 28 years of teaching elementary and special education students and six years at the helm of the Columbia Missouri National Education Association. Her ambition for 2016 is to give a neighbor more time to enjoy his retirement… Basye defeated (John) Wright by 361 votes in a race that cost the candidates and their parties almost $800,000. Basye carried the Cooper, Howard and Randolph county portions of the district, about 20 percent of the total vote, while narrowly losing Boone County. Wright won a close race in 2012 when 5,000 more voters went to the polls in the Boone County areas of the district.
Dowd Gets Judgeship
The press release: Gov. Jay Nixon today announced the appointment of James M. Dowd, of Webster Groves, to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. Dowd, an attorney who has practiced law in St. Louis for more than 20 years, will fill the vacancy on the appellate court due to the retirement of the Honorable Glenn A. Norton.
Dowd is the principal attorney at The James M. Dowd Law Firm in St. Louis and
previously was a partner at two other St. Louis-area law firms
Passing of Petrovic
The Jackson County Democrats sent out this message: We are saddened to hear of the passing of Alex Petrovic - a former State Representative, Eastern District Judge, and community leader… Alex served as a Missouri state representative from 1962 to 1966, in the district that included the Truman home. As a legislator, he established the Missouri State Archives in 1965, and was later honored in 2005 with the dedication of the Alex M. Petrovic Reading Room in Jefferson City. He served four years as the Eastern District Judge for Jckson County, Missouri. Alex was influential in bringing the professional sports stadiums to eastern Jackson County and responsible for naming the stadiums after Harry S. Truman. He brought the first air ambulance, Life Flight, to the Kansas City Region while he was at St. Joseph Hospital. In his adopted home of Sugar Creek, he helped found the annual Folk Festival now known as the Slavic Festival.
Help Wanted
The Missouri State Public Defender seeks General Counsel. “The Missouri State Public Defender seeks applicants for the position of General Counsel. The General Counsel reports to the Director and Public Defender Commission and serves as both a key member of the department’s senior management team and as department liaison to other entities. The placement of this position will be in Columbia… SALARY: $90,000 to $114,000.” See the ad here.
Today’s Events
From Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Rep. Bryan Spencer Reception – Unkorked Wine Garden, 205 East Allen – Wentzville – 5-8 p.m.
Lobbyists Registrations
Emily Wineland deleted Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri.
George Oestreich deleted Red Cross Pharmacy Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
Koster for Missouri - $50,000 from Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC.
Hanaway for Governor Inc - $10,000 from William Bush.
St. Louis Association of Relators PAC - $27,063 from National Association of Realtors.
Schmitt for Missouri - $12,500 from Drury Development Corporation.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to MO Freedom’s Ryan Johnson.
Congratulations
To Rep. Caleb Jones and his wife Lindsey on the birth of Charleston Rose Jones.