Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Walker Jabs Jones

Rep. Nate Walker, in an apparent email to the other fellow Republicans who voted against the HB 253 override, made cutting remarks about Speaker Tim Jones.

Excerpt

Good evening Honorable “FF 15”,

I hope everyone is doing OK. What a weird set of events we are witnessing….

I just want you all to know that I respect each of you all very much.  I am proud to be recognized with you all in the “Hall of Shame” or any where else they want to link the fifteen of us.  If any one needs some moral support, please feel free to call me…

One thing that I know for sure, you are all of the highest integrity… something I can NOT say for Speaker Tim Jones.  What a disgrace he has become… talking out of both sides of his mouth… throwing us under his AG Campaign Bus.

Together we make a difference; we already have!

Thanks and best wishes.

Nate

What It Means

Jones still has a lot of mending to do before January to get the caucus feeling like he’s as concerned about them as he is about 2016.

Redmon Cool Though

It’s said that another member of the Fifteen, Rep. Craig Redmon, is hosting an event for Speaker Jones on Thursday.

Transportation Tax Campaign

One observer with good seats to the coming transportation tax campaign believes that the initiative petition process is a feint designed to add pressure to the legislature to place the proposal on the ballot.

We’ll see….

Follow-Up on Dooley

One reader thinks that the beginning of labor bailing on St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley is a harbinger of more bad news to come… “Dude, you must be the only person who does not think there is more stuff going to hit the fan regarding Dooley.”

Another reader says that Councilmember Steve Stenger is in, while a third floated the name of Assessor Jake Zimmerman as a possible replacement candidate for Dooley…

Gatschenberger’s Fundy

Rep. Chuck Gatschenberger’s upcoming Senate 2 fundraiser has plenty of politicos on the invite list… Reps. John Diehl, Robert Cornejo and Ron Hicks for example.  But it’s the money names – Kevin Riggs, Paul McKee – that signal a better quarter ahead.

The current fundraising quarter ends September 30, the same date as the fundraiser.

Passing the Bar

On the list (see it here) of those who passed the bar exam this summer, Rep. Stephen Webber, Raymond Eugene Salva, Jr. (son of former legislator), and Barb Geisman, a former member of Mayor Slay’s cabinet.

MEC Fines Cole

In yet another case involving the ill-fated Regional Growth Consultants, the Missouri Ethics Commission fined 2010 Democratic House candidate Courtney Cole $3,400 for failure to file an independent contractor supplemental report. See it here.

DESE to KC

Kansas City School District argued/begged that it should be given provisional accreditation.  Read AP’s article on it here.  No decision is expected for a month or two.

Pull Quote:  “One consequence of the decision stems from a Missouri law that allows students attending unaccredited districts to transfer into an accredited system at the unaccredited district’s expense. Unaccredited districts also can face a state takeover… After Kansas City’s presentation Tuesday, the Missouri Board of Education proposed requesting an additional $6.8 million of state aid to help Normandy pay tuition and transportation costs for transferring students while continuing to serve the students who remain. Gov. Jay Nixon and lawmakers would need to approve the funding. Green said a similar student transfer situation in Kansas City could cost the district $150 million from its $238 million budget. He said the transfer issue is just part of the reason provisional accreditation was requested.”

Bits

Rep. Rory Ellinger will be a speakers at the Annual Meeting MO Bar Association meeting on Thursday September 19.  He’ll be in the debate session regarding Guns in Missouri.  See it here.

Mayor Francis Slay, stymied from creating a gun docket in St. Louis City, said that he’d seek legislative assistance from Jefferson City next session.  Read the Post-Dispatch article here.

Rep. Jay Swearingen started a Facebook page for his auditor run.  See it here.

Lobbyist Registrations

From the Pelopidas website:

James C. Bowers, Jr. added IT Properties LLC, Quality Hill Productions, MSSJ Holdsings LP, and Patricia Miller.

Patricia Jensen added Patricia Miller and Quality Hill Productions.

Mark S Bryant added Prospect Corridor CID.

Jay Hardenbrook deleted Missouri Child Care Resource and Referral Network, and added Missouri Policy Matters.

Crystal J Williams added ACLU of Eastern MO, and Missouri Policy Matters LLC.

$5K+ Contributions

Local 41 Political Action Fund - $11,439 from DRIVE Committee.

Teamsters Local Union No. 668 Political Action Committee - $11,711 from DRIVE Committee.

Committee for Research Treatments and Cures - $50,000 from Robert Kipp.

Committee for Research Treatments and Cures - $25,000 from Thomas McDonnell.

Notes: Kipp is vice-president of Hallmark.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to former Reps. Chris Carter (32) and Don Calloway (34).