Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Follow-Up on Otto for Congress
One Dem puts the Missouri 2nd Congressional District at a 47%ish Democratic Performance Index. However, because it only has one media market, the district is more “affordable” than other congressional district. That is, only a million or two to raise.
And on House 70
Republican jump for joy at what they believe to be a likely pick-up. Look for Democrat Byron DeLear to run for the Otto House seat. (See DeLear announcement video from 2008 when he ran for congress himself here.)
Rumorville: Dem Recruit in Senate 1?
One rumor making the rounds is that MO Lottery Director May Scheve Reardon is a possible Democratic recruit for Senate 1, where Sen. Scott Sifton is vacating for an attorney general bid.
Luther Leaves Auditor’s Office
Auditor Nicole Galloway announced yesterday “the hiring of her communications staff. Gena
Terlizzi joins the State Auditor’s office as director of communications and Rebecca Gorley will serve as public information officer… Terlizzi most recently served as director of communications for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, after serving as director of communications for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. She is a former journalist, covering news and politics in the Midwest…. Gorley has worked as the deputy communications director for Progress Missouri. She was previously program and community development coordinator for Queen of Peace Center in St. Louis…” They take the place of David Luther. See it here.
Diehl Fall-Out
With John Diehl in the rearview mirror, there’s some second guessing among Dems, wondering if they could have soft-pedaled InternGate anymore – and if it would have made any difference (probably not, they played it pretty soft as is).
The new conventional wisdom: Dems would have been better off with a political mangled John Diehl next year than with a respected Todd Richardson for the next three years.
Dems will still have a chance to use mailers next cycle that highlight the sexting speaker as a symbol of the Republican supermajority run amok. But – especially with InternGate II looming, and even without it – it’s clear that Republicans have no monopoly on capitol shenanigans. So that charge might not stick.
Senate Hires Attorney
AP reports that the Senate has hired an attorney to investigate InternGate II.
See it here. Pull Quote: The Missouri Senate has hired a lawyer in response to a "workplace harassment complaint." A document obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press shows the Senate hired the attorney May 7. The legal fee agreement didn't give additional details regarding the complaint, but Minority Leader Joe Keaveny said the Senate is conducting an internal investigation. He declined to comment further. Jim Nowogrocki of St. Louis-based Weiss Attorneys at Law will be paid $270 an hour for legal counsel and advice. Keaveny, of St. Louis, also works at that law firm.
And
Nowogrocki appears to be a Democrat, though a relatively minor donor over the last 11 years. His being a Democrat, and a lawyer at the same law form as Keaveny, is perhaps an attempt to avoid anything that looks like a partisan investigation.
For what it’s worth from a Google search, Nowogrocki does appear to be very qualified in employment law.
Nowogrocki Campaign Contributions
2013-2015 - nothing
2012 – Jay Nixon $250, Susan Carlson $75
2011 – Jay Nixon $350
2010 – Joe Adams for senate $30, Carlson $30
2009 - nothing
2008 – Jay Nixon $100, Chris Koster $250
2007 – Jay Nixon $50
2004 – Bob Holden $50
LeVota Fundy
This event is free to donors to the campaign!
Missouri State Senator Paul LeVota will be honored on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at a reception at KC's Union Station during a NFL traveling exhibit called "Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame."
Union Station and the Kansas City Chiefs are partnering to bring the exhibit here from May 23 to September 6, 2015.
The exhibit features the KC Chiefs Championship Super Bowl trophy, a 1919 helmet that belonged to Knute Rockne, and a game jersey worn by Jim Brown, among more than 200 other artifacts and documents, in a space totaling 10,000 square feet. Of that over 4,000 feet of the exhibit is to be dedicated specifically to the history of the Kansas City Chiefs...
This is a must see event and once in a lifetime experience. Senator LeVota's special event will be a private, all-access, exclusive tour and showing of the event on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 from 5:30pm-7:30pm.
eMailbag: On Solon for Rowden
Lobbyist: Hold the presses - Solon endorses someone besides Cierpoit. This should be the above the fold news. I can’t fathom why she wouldn’t want her primary opponent in the Senate race to elevate his status. Her endorsement more appropriately could have read "I don’t care who wins the floor leader job as long as it’s not Cierpiot".
Lobbyist2: Solon for Rowden just because of the senate race but I don’t think it helps Cierpiot that much. He can use it to raise money, but it is also an enormous time suck away from raising money.
Help Wanted
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis seeks Assistant Director.
“The Assistant Director will report to and work closely with the Executive Director and will be responsible for aspects of agency operations, including operations and program management, administration, human resources, public relations and will strengthen existing and create new community partnerships in support of the Hispanic Chambers mission…”
Lobbyists Registrations
Luana Gifford deleted AFT St. Louis Local 420; and added AFT Missouri.
David Scobey deleted Tenet Healthsystem; and added Tenet Healthcare.
Joseph Bednar deleted Murchison Oil & Gas Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
Hanaway for Governor Inc - $5,100 from Advantage Capital Management Corp.
Missouri Farmers Care - $10,000 from FCS Financial.
Friends of Peter Kinder - $10,000 from Loren Cook II.
Ashcroft for Missouri - $10,000 from Janet Ashcroft.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Sen. Bob Dixon (46), KMOX’s Debbie Monterrey, Scott Leiendecker (39), St. Louis American’s Wiley Price.