Thursday, August 1, 2013
Jones Strikes Different Tone
On the Dana Loesch Show yesterday Speaker Tim Jones struck a more combative tone than he did with the Beacon reporters the day before. Listen to it here.
Pull Quotes…
No White Flag
“I know I made some news yesterday. Because, well, I went on the enemy, I went on a public radio show yesterday. And the liberals jumped, anytime there’s a little crack they love to exploit it and call you a loser, and all that. And I said, ‘Look it’s going to be hard to override this bill.’ And they took that to mean I just gave up and raised the white flag…”
Pressure Roorda
“(Jeff Roorda) wants to be in our state senate more than he can taste it. Missourians need to start blowing up his phone and his email in-box, and ask Jeff Roorda: Where is he going to be on September 11?..”
Litmus Test
“There’s a lot of issues were we can argue around the edges, and say one strategy’s better than another, education reform. We’ve talked about labor issues before. Even though I want to go right to work there’s a lot Republicans in those tough union areas. But Dana, cutting taxes, reducing the size and scope of government, and giving tax-payer money back to the people who have earned it? That’s the Republican wheelhouse. If we can’t stand for that, then you have to wonder what’s the point of having a supermajority. This is the litmus test vote. There’s no reason anyone should vote anyway on this other than yes if you’re in the 109…”
Curtis for Whip?
Word is that Rep. Courtney Curtis is floating his name for Minority Caucus Whip. The spot is currently occupied by Rep. John Rizzo…
StL License Collector Talk - Again
And yet another name has surfaced in the ever-turning St. Louis License Collector hunt… Alderman Frank Williamson, who represents the northern side of the Central West End, has an interest in the position… And his colleague and fellow aspirant Alderman Jeffrey Boyd is said to be hot at Rep. Karla May, who he counted as a supporter before she began her own bid.
Dems Dream
It feels like every two years for the past decade House Dems dream about finessing some split within the Republican caucus, and electing a more moderate, or even rogue, Republican as speaker. Because the speaker is elected from the body as a whole it’s possible that the loser of the Republicans’ speaker’s race could end up speaker.
That won’t happen. We’re just getting theoretical in the dog days of August you understand.
Here’s the math from one Dem: “50% +1 in their caucus is 55 votes. As we saw last session, 55 votes doesn’t get you too far in the full chamber (education reform). I think the winner of their caucus vote gets more than 55 votes, but the loser gets AT LEAST 30 votes. Probably closer to 40. 53+30 is....83. Now, you would have to keep all of the loser’s people in line (an uphill battle) but not completely beyond the realm of possibility. Both of them have plenty of enemies within their own caucus.”
Sanders Out, Temple At Doorstep
State Democratic Chair Mike Sanders announced he’d step down at the next meeting – late August. And Roy Temple appears poised to take the helm. Temple-haters couldn’t find an alternative candidate. But they’ll still hate…
See the Beacon story on it here.
Republican Snarks on Jones
I received a call from a Republican yesterday, mystified that Speaker Tim Jones would talk about wanting to do “right to work” next year in the same interview that he acknowledges the uphill battle on HB 253. If he can’t unite his caucus for a tax cut, why bring up right to work, an issue which has no chance at surpassing a gubernatorial veto. And one which will hurt Republicans in the most vulnerable districts.
Snodgrass Leaves ACS
Misty Snodgrass, formerly with the American Cancer Society, has moved over to the Coalition of Community Mental Health Centers, where she’s the director of public policy.
Slay Fights for Guns Court
In the latest public policy front against crime, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay is pushing for a specialized “Armed Offender Docket.” The idea is supported by Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, but the judges who would implement the idea are apparently split.
They’ll be meeting in September to consider the plan. And recently the mayor and Judge Philip Heagney, the presiding judge of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit, have exchanged letters. The mayor asked the judge for his list of “workability” issues. The judge complied, and the mayor’s office is now hopeful they will have the concerns addressed before the September meeting.
One benefit of a so-called “gun court” would be to prevent lawyers from “venue shopping” to find the most sympathetic judge for their client. But supporters of the plan downplay this aspect, saying that a specialized docket would focus the attention of the system on the problem. Those who are found guilty of gun-related offenses can easily “graduate” to violent crimes, but this may be mitigated if the system is reconfigured to deliver different results to the initial offenses.
$5K+Contributions
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $15,000 from MOSFA PAC Inc.
Note: MOSFA is the PAC for State Farm agents in Missouri.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Richard M Aubuchon, Rodney Gray, Tami Holliday, and Susan Henderson Moore deleted Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Jennifer A. Bauer deleted Missouri Academy of Family Physicians, and added Pure Holdings LLC.
Dwayne A Fulk added Suddenlink Communications.
Jim Lembke added Liberty Ink LLC.
Note: Liberty Ink LLC is Lembke’s LLC. He started it at the beginning of the year. According to documents at the secretary of state website, the LLC is involved in “education, issue advocacy, and consulting.”
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Bill Reiboldt (65) and Shannon Weber (33).