Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Keller Starts New Conservative Group
Gregg Keller is launching a new conservative group, Missouri Century Foundation. Joining Keller, who will serve as the chairman in the undertaking, are Rich Chrismer, Jim Gwinner, Mike Hafner and Holly Gogel. Chrismer is the group’s treasurer and director of communications; Gwinner is the secretary; Hafner will handle government relations and Gogel is the policy analyst. Gogel worked for John Lamping last legislative session.
MO Century Foundation is a non-profit “dedicated to advancing free market initiatives in the state…” Its mission is to “help ensure the health of our state’s economy throughout the 21st century.”
The press release says that the group will focus on three issues this session: “stopping ObamaCare expansion, protecting Missouri’s right to assemble and associate, and reforming public sector unions for workers…”
MO Freedom Teams Up
The Missouri Alliance for Freedom and Americans for Tax Reform are teaming up in a strategic partnership that will have MO Alliance using the ATR no-new-tax pledge as “a component of the Missouri Alliance for Freedom’s legislator score card.”
MO Alliance will likely help sign up more legislators to take the pledge, and hold them accountable if they make contrary votes.
Jones to Top MCFG?
It’s expected that Bev Randles – when she makes her lieutenant governor bid real – will be stepping down from the Missouri Club for Growth board. That’ll open up the chairman position of that organization, and it’s possible that the newest member, former speaker Tim Jones, would be tapped. Together with his own $900K war chest, Jones could potentially be directing a lot of dollars in the upcoming cycle.
Poll Cross Tabs
See the cross tabs from the weekly poll here (in the Special Reports section). All three issues polled (taxpayer support for new football stadium, legislator pay increase, banning spanking in schools) were unpopular. The only glimmer of support any of them had in the cross tabs was that younger people (18-29 year olds) favor the ban on corporal punishment.
eMailbag on the Poll
“Looks like both the Rams and the legislature got ‘spanked’ in this week’s poll.”
“Looks like folks would support spanking legislators who vote to spend money on a football stadium...”
Roe Gets Big Chair for Cruz
Washington Examiner reports, “Team Ted Cruz is taking shape, and the Senate first-termer's presidential campaign could start before this spring. The Republican senator from Texas tentatively plans to fill senior campaign positions with the triumvirate he signed last summer to expand his political operation. At the top is Jeff Roe, whose organizational title is undefined but who would be the campaign’s chief strategic and logistics decision-maker….” Read it here.
This Week
The legislature reconvenes this afternoon. Committee work will get underway this week. See the Senate’s hearing schedule here. Tonight is President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech. Wednesday night Governor Jay Nixon gives the State of the State Speech. And then Thursday is the State of the Judiciary address.
New Committees
Three new campaign committees were started. All have Brad Ketcher as the treasurer, and all are focused on promoting possible initiative petitions issues to the 2016 ballot. There are: Missouri Medical Marijuana, Smaller Government, and Missouri Research: Cures, Jobs, Health & Lower Taxes.
Today’s Events
From Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Rep. Shamed Dogan Reception – Capitol City Cork, Jefferson City – 5:30-7 p.m.
Lobbyists Registration Changes
Aaron Baker added Axiom Strategies.
Charles Giger added Madsen & Wright Inc.
Jason Stuart Dalen deleted Kansas City Civic Council.
Lowell Pearson added Uber, Sidecar, Carma Carpool, Hayride.
$5K+ Contributions
Midwest Region Laborers’ Political League Education Fund - $5,895 from Laborers Supplemental Dues Fund.
Midwest Region Laborers’ Political League Education Fund - $5,382 from Laborers Supplemental Dues Fund.
Citizens for Steve Stenger - $50,000 from UA Political Education Committee.
United Food & Commercial Workers Local #655 Elect Political Action Fund - $6,281 from UFCW Local 655 Elect Fund.
United Food & Commercial Workers Local #655 Elect Political Action Fund - $6,439 from UFCW Local 655 Elect Fund.
Missourians for Koster - $50,000 from CHIPP Political Account.
Bradshaw Exploratory Committee - $6,000 from Roger Nail Jr.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $5,001 from Bondon for Missouri.