Friday, February 24, 2012
Condolences
Condolences to lobbyist Deanna Borland on her engagement to lobbyist Brent Hemphill…
Yesterday’s Map
Yesterday’s map is so yesterday. The commission’s breakthrough compromise was savaged by Sens. Jim Lembke and Jane Cunningham as a “travesty” and an “atrocity.” The map would give Lembke a more Democratic district and would force Cunningham into a primary after a two-year hiatus.
Sen. Mike Parson’s bill to push back the filing dates was snagged when the House added an amendment. That gave the Senate another whack at it, an opportunity seized by Lembke and Cunningham who determined their best chance to kill the commission’s new map was to use the impending filing dates as leverage.
The Senate will reconvene at 4pm on Monday, and the official hope was that the commission would redraw their map to assuage Lembke and Cunningham. But the most likely scenario seems to be that Monday comes and we’re in the same swamp. At that point Lembke, Cunningham and others can filibuster. Filing would open the next morning, and the secretary of state’s office would presumably use the existing districts.
Then someone sues and we hit the event horizon beyond which reasonable speculation ceases. It’s then falls into federal judicial hands, and the guesswork becomes even guessier.
For Lembke and Cunningham the calculation is as simple as “nothing left to lose.” So we will all hurtle off that cliff together.
The Murph Goes Postal on Twitter
The best twitter-feed to be following yesterday was Lembke’s chief of staff Jamey Murphy. Much of his ire was initially fired at Sen. Kurt Schaefer who was behind the lawsuit that sunk the last map.
“Our appropriation chair only looks out for himself. This process is proof. He could care less about the blind and only has eyes for Mizzou.”
“The media should look at the root of this Redistricting fiasco especial Schaefer involvement.”
“Schaefer's Chief of Staff & 1 of his law partner played a major part when Republican commissioners met regarding this map.”
“The St Louis job creators can thank Schaffer for more Ds that supports higher taxes and more regulation b/c of this map #MOSENredistricting”
“Schaffers district was constitutional but he sued and tossed the entire caucus under a bus for his own personal self gain.”
“St Louis should thank the Sen from Boone for no longer having conservative representation. #MOSENredistricting”
He later offered a twitter apology to Schaefer. And his anger wasn’t just focused on the senator from the 19th.
“For Lembke, nothing is off the table. A senate run in the 15th, Gov, u.s. congress, u.s. senate. All doors are open b/c the GOP failed him.”
“The party achieved one thing. Primary's in st Louis county.”
“Lloyd smith is the 1 person responsible for this mess. Others play a part but he is the one to hold accountable. #mogop”
And he reminded his followers that his tweets were his own personal opinion and not a reflection of his boss. Still Lembke’s Facebook entry that night was of the same perspective.
“St. Louis County got thrown under the bus today by 4 ‘Republican’ commissioners. The first map for new senate districts has 6 dem districts and 1 Rep. district. Senator Cunningham's district was moved across the state to K.C. These so called republicans trashed the two must conservatives senators from St. Louis. Senator Cunningham has no district and my district is 44% R.”
Lembke’s Bad Day
Then last night KSDK ran a story that Lembke was one of the top recipients of lobbyists’ gifts. See it Here.
Pull Quotes
KSDK: We have you down with over 100 gifts this year…
Lembke: Actually I think it’s 107. And again you break that down into twelve months it’s less than ten a month…
Prost: Kehoe Off by 4,604%
Vaughn X. Prost writes in a letter to editor…
“Last week as a renewable energy businessman, I testified against Senate Bill (SB) 759 which is an attempt by Ameren, KCP&L, and supportive Missouri Legislative Senators to create a weaker, less meaningful, Renewable Energy Standard (RES) than put in place by Proposition "C" - RES in 2008. As a renewable energy business, we design and install solar electric, solar hot water, and energy efficient systems. SB 759 would kill Missouri renewable energy jobs and associated economic benefit for all Missouri rate payers. SB 759 would cause Ameren and KCP&L rate payer money to be sent outside the State to buy renewable energy credits from other States and those States would benefit from the associated jobs and economic development…
“During the SB 759 hearing, Senator Kehoe attacked the new ballot Initiative Petition that has been approved for signature collection by the Secretary of State that will likely appear on the November 2012 ballot. Later in the week Senator Kehoe's Capital Report dated 17 February 2012 was issued stating that the November 2012 Initiative Petition is "....expensive, job killing, anti-business....". Nothing could be further from the truth. The Initiative Petition, if approved by the voters in November, is pro-business by growing the renewable energy industry IN Missouri which creates more jobs and economic development for Missourians. Customer rates are capped at a rate increase of less than 3% by 2025…
“In Senator Kehoe's Capital Report unsubstantiated claims are made that the new Initiative Petition RES would cost some small business 13,100 % more than under Prop "C". Senator gave an example that if he still owned the car dealership, he would pay a difference of 4,606 % more to meet the Imitative Petition RES than SB 759 or the existing Prop "C". This is not true. Last week I furnished Senator Kehoe's Chief of Staff a copy of the Initiative Petition which contains the correct maximum rate increase impact by 2025. The Petition language clearly states the maximum monthly cost cap per retail customer by 2005 would be; $3.00 per residential customer, $11.00 per small business customer, and $150.00 per large business customer. Senator Kehoe's dealership rates would go by 11.00 per month or $132.00 per year by 2025 or a 2% increase in 12 years! Most small businesses can afford a small 2% rate increase over 12 years. In the Initiative Petition, every dollar of the Ameren and KCP&L rate increase would be used to create jobs and economic development in Missouri…”
Rumorville: McClure Out as PSC Appt
The word is that Ken McClure, after being floated as the potential Republican appointee to the Public Service Commission, has asked not to be considered for the spot. It’s said that when a senator started asking questions, McClure decided at this stage in his career he didn’t need the hassle.
In the meantime, the PSC is in limbo with only three commissioners. That means any two commissioners represent a quorum of the commission and make navigating the sunshine laws a little cumbersome.
And
NYTimes’ David Brooks on tax credits being equivalence to government spending... Read it Here.
eMailbag: Eyeballing the Map
“Without index numbers, I am also just eyeballing the new senate map.
New 10th - Rep. Jeanie Riddle not only has to wait 2 years, but this includes Monroe County – don’t remember if the previous iteration of what would have been the 7th included Monroe or not, but that’s Wes Shoemyer’s home, and if a Democrat could win that seat in 2014, it would be him.”
New 24th - My eyeballs see something different than what you saw. Looks to me like the new 24th would be comprised mostly of CURRENT (prior to this year's redrawing) House Districts 77, 79, 82, 83 and 87. Four of those have Democratic incumbents, with only the 87th being an R
district.
So I’d see the Dem's with a legit shot at the 1st this year, and the 24th in 2014.”
CORRECTION
I incorrectly described Sen. Maria Chappelle Nadal’s 14th district as only having the northern part of University City yesterday. Not only does he have all of U-City, she also has Clayton in the commission’s map.
Lobbyists’ Principals Changes
From the Pelopidas website:
John E Bardgett Jr added Kansas City, Missouri School District Board of Directors.
Kelvin L Simmons added SNR Denton US LLP.
David Root deleted Medco Health Solutions Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
House Republican Campaign Committee - $7,000 from Prime Inc.
Missourians for Fair Taxation - $125,000 from Missouri Association of REALTORS.
Association of MO Electrical Cooperatives PAC - $10,000 from Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives.
Your Vote Counts - $18,299.04 from The Humane Society of the United States.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Sen. Jolie Justus (41), MO Chamber’s Tracy King, and former Sen. Chuck Graham (47).
Saturday: Sen. Rob Mayer (55).
Sunday: Tom Shrout.