Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Atkins Missed Signature Number
According to the secretary of state’s office Bert Atkins, the former Democratic state representative who was planning to challenge Rep. Keith English in House 68 as an Independent in November, failed to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
He wasn’t alone in missing the mark. So did Nick P. Gartelos in House 80 (Rep. Mike Colona incumbent), Maureen J. Fauss in House 95 (Rep. Marsha Haefner incumbent), and Melody Eye in House 118 (Rep. Ben Harris incumbent). The only Independent to qualify is Terry Hampton running for Congress against Jason Smith. See her website here.
Jones To Appoint Interim Committee in Ferguson’s Wake?
Speaker Tim Jones is contemplating the creation of an interim committee to deal with the many issues raised by the Ferguson tragedy and subsequent unrest.
The committee would be made up of both legislators and non-legislators. And it would be broad in its investigation of the saga, looking at the actual event of the police shooting, as well as the police’s response in the days after the shooting, and also the deeper issues raised by the crisis –race and economic opportunity.
Rep. Tommie Pierson would be a likely participant in the committee.
Nixon To Appoint Isom
Post-Dispatch’s Virginia Young gets the scoop of the day, reporting that Governor Jay Nixon will appoint former St. Louis City Police Chief Dan Isom as the new director of public safety. The normally tight-lipped governor’s office didn’t speak on the record, but Isom’s state senator, Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, confirmed the news for Young. Read it here.
Pull Quote: “Nixon's selection of Isom, who is African-American, could help deflect criticism that the governor has faced recently for having no African-Americans in his Cabinet.”
Slay Contemplates Collaboration
St. Louis City Mayor Francis Slay muses about regional oversight of policing in his latest blog post (See it here).
In September, the Regional Justice Information Service (REJIS) will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its founding by the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County as a shared regional data base of law enforcement and judicial information.
The Major Case Squad and REJIS are regional operations overseen by a combination of private sector civilians and government and law enforcement professionals.
Building on those examples, I wonder if it is time to consider a regional approach to civilian oversight of policing?
The police shooting and tragic death of Michael Brown calls for a response that crosses municipal boundaries. We help each other in many ways. Why not this one?
The Young Citizens Council of St. Louis has proposed a regional approach. They might just be right.
Munis Sue to Block Legislation - Again
Filed in Cole County yesterday, a lawsuit to stop SB 649 and SB 650 from going into effect. Plaintiffs are Missouri Municipal League, the City of Springfield, and Richard Sheets. Sheets is the deputy director for the Municipal League. All three plaintiffs are represented by Michael Berry.
SB 649 concerns the right of way of political subdivisions and SB 650 concerns wireless cell towers. These are part of a legislative package that was passed two sessions ago. The Municipal League had the original bill thrown out on Hammerschmidt violation – though that ruling was being appealed when the legislature re-passed the package, breaking it up into five separate bills. Four of those five passed and were signed by the governor; one, SB 652 concerning right of way for railroad companies, was killed in the House. Now two of the four are back in the courts.
Perhaps we’ll see them again next session…
eMailbag on Shoe-Lucas Tiff
“Wes Shoemyer can be upset about Forest Lucas (who by the way understands the free market and creates jobs) statement, others are as equally disturbed by Wayne Pacelle’s view of animal rights movement…”
Fundraising Calendar
Today’s fundraising events from Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Rep. Gary Cross Event featuring Notre Dame’s Rudy Ruettiger – JKV Pavilion, Lee’s Summit, 7 p.m.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Gate Way Group website:
Daryl D. Duwe added Total Organics Recyclers Inc., Agricycle Inc., and Eco Constructors Inc.
Joseph Thompson deleted UniteHere Local 74, and James R Moody & Associates.
Richard M AuBuchon added NORCAL Mutual Insurance Company, The Doctors Company, and Interact.
$5K+ Contributions
Frame for the House - $13,600 from Missouri Democratic Party.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $25,000 from Friends of Elijah Haahr.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $6,650 from Friends of Caleb Jones.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from The Doe Run Company.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc – $10,000 from Centene Management LLC.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $6,000 from UGas Inc.
Wieland Now - $10,000 from Committee to Elect Ron Richard.
KCS Rail-PAC - $20,000 from Kansas City Southern.
Missouri Veterinary Medical Political Action Committee - $14,816 from CEVA Animal Health LLC.
Committee to Elect Jeff Roorda - $5,001 from Joe Keaveny for Senate.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Rep. Tom Flanigan (61), Scott Swain (44), and Kit Crancer.