Monday, June 25, 2012
It’d been at least five years since I turned off the Blackberry for more than sleeping or a wedding or something. Thanks everybody for not making me feel guilty about it.
I did check email once a day, and was amazed at the developments – about one a day. Nasheed back on the ballot; Lager launched his negative attacks; Rex gave Shane $150K; and Nixon started withholding again.
This may all be old news to you, but after I do my rundown today, hopefully I’ll catch up on things quickly, and you’ll let me know what I missed…
The headlines…
Supreme Court Hearts Jami
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Rep. Jamilah Nasheed against the residency challenge invoked by incumbent Sen. Robin Wright Jones. Read it here. Nasheed will be on the Senate 5 ballot. But the question is how damaging the last month of uncertainty has been to the Nasheed campaign.
Meanwhile JMO Keeps Chugging
Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford continues to pull in endorsements both from the progressives and Democratic ward organizations. Her endorsements: Wards 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 25, and 28. Plus, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, PROMO PAC, NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri, Planned Parenthood Votes-St. Louis, and Communications Workers (CWA) Local 6355 (the State Workers Union).
And
Rumor is that incumbent Sen. Robin Wright Jones – with little resources on hand (remember her last quarter only showed $12 in the bank) – is using her tax-payer funded “capitol update” as literature at the door.
By the Way
Robin’s son Damon Jones apparently bought www.jamilahnasheed.com.
Lager Airs Attack
Sen. Brad Lager went on the offense first in the Republican primary.
See the TV ad here. “Kinder partying on taxpayers’ money.”
Hear the radio ad here. “Would a true conservative spend taxpayers’ money on personal pleasures and extravagances?”
This is according to script. Lager has to bring Kinder down. He comes out swinging. Now, does Kinder swing back and let the whole race devolve into a mud-fight? Or does he take the high road and try to rope-a-dope the next five weeks? I think he has to throw some punches and score some points of his own.
Sinquefield Drops $150K in Schoeller’s Coffers
Donorsaurus Rex Sinquefield sent Rep. Shane Schoeller $150,000 last week in a move which could be pivotal in the Republican primary for secretary of state. This is the first really massive check of the race which had been characterized by a lack of large fundraising.
April Cash On-Hand Numbers
Rupp: $148,375.
Schoeller: $161,893.
Stouffer: $247,157.
$5K+ Contributions this Quarter so far
Rupp: $0
Schoeller: $210,000.
Stouffer: $33,109.
Nixon Withholds Again
Governor Jay Nixon announced withholds to education for the upcoming fiscal year even before the fiscal year begins. Read it here. Withholds are supposed to happen when revenues fall below projections.
And
Rep. Genise Montecillo takes a swing at the governor: “I am deeply disappointed that Governor Jay Nixon has chosen to withhold the $100,000 in funding the General Assembly had set aside in the upcoming state budget for the Early Grade Literacy program. Children who can read proficiently at an early age are more likely to achieve academic success. Although the governor also withheld the literacy funding in the current state budget, he eventually thought better of it and released the money. I am hopeful the governor will again recognize his error and follow the legislature's lead on making early literacy education a priority.”
Lesser Stories…
Wagman Leaves Post-Dispatch, Starts Opp Research Firm
The Post-Dispatch’s political reporter, Jake Wagman, announced that he was hanging out a shingle. From his email:
“Effective immediately, I’m leaving the newspaper to form Shield Political Research, which will offer a fresh and innovative approach to opposition research for candidates and campaigns around the country.
“I’ll always be bullish on newspapers in general, and the Post-Dispatch in particular, but over the last several years — while shining a light on lawmaker perks, reporting on government waste and peering into the backgrounds of countless individuals running for office— I realized my passion was holding candidates and public officials accountable.
“I also realized that the state of the media industry means many newsrooms no longer have the resources they need to thoroughly scrutinize those seeking public office.
“The solution is an opposition research firm that gives campaigns the tools and tenacity of watchdog reporting…”
See the Shield Political Research website here. Read the Post article about his departure, and replacement, here.
Brunner’s HFA Snafu
The Brunner Family Foundation gave $10,000 to the Humane Farming Association which is – according to the Sarah Steelman campaign – a “radical animal rights group.”
John Brunner’s response was say it was his child’s idea.
Read the blog post here. Read Brunner statement here. Read Tony Messenger’s tweet here that sums it up well.
And
In this morning’s Politico Score, Team Brunner leaks a two-page memo showing them with a engorged lead as they head into the stretch (Brunner 40%, Steelman 20%, Akin 20%). See it here. Why leak a poll like this when you can self-fund and don’t have to convince donors you’re the man? To take oxygen away from your opponents. It’s to put undermine whatever case they’re making on their calls, casting doubt into their potential donors that contributions may be a waste.
McCaskill to Brunner: Get Your Checkbook Out
Incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill has bought $3 million worth of television time for her fall fight for reelection. Read it here.
Spence Completed Tour of MO
Dateline Marble Hill: “Dave Spence, Republican candidate for governor, today announced that he has taken his pro-jobs campaign message to all 114 Missouri Counties and the City of St. Louis. Dave Spence’s goal of visiting every part of our great state demonstrates his recognition that in order to lead a state, you need to understand the needs and priorities of its people. Spence visited Washington, Madison and Bollinger counties today for events with local elected officials, grassroots supporters and job creators as he completed visits to all 114 Missouri counties.”
Schweich Writes Fiscal Note for Court Plan Vote
Auditor Tom Schweich quarantined his policy suspending his power to write fiscal notes to apply to only initiative petitions and wrote a $0 fiscal note for the courts plan ballot question. Read it here.
And
Remember tomorrow is court day for all these initiative petition questions.
And clearing out the in-box…
Endorsement Parade
John Brunner took the Missouri Pork Association endorsement.
Sarah Steelman was endorsed by Sen. Kevin Engler.
Rep. Jason Kander touts his endorsements from St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley.
In Senate 13, Gina Walsh won the Missouri Nurses Association endorsement.
In House 148, Holly Redher gets Missouri Right to Life.
In House 78, Ruth Ehresman was endorsed by the National Women's Political Caucus of Metro St. Louis.
White House Interns
The White House Internship Program announced the participants for the Summer 2012 session. Here are the folks with Missouri connections.
Bradley Halpern – Hometown: St. Louis, MO; University of Rochester.
Sophie Schuit – Hometown: New York, NY; Washington University in St. Louis.
Mizzou Wants a Visionary
The University of Missouri seeks a visionary and collaborative leader to oversee marketing, video, news, publications, Web, and emerging media for University of Missouri Extension. See the ad here.
And catching up on the regular rundowns…
$5K+ Contributions
Citizens to Elect Kurt Schaefer - $5,005 from Committee to Elect Ron Richard.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $40,000 from Express Scripts Inc.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $10,000 from United Steelworkers District 11.
Citizens for Keith English - $8,000 from Keith English.
MO Democratic State Committee - $10,000 from Telephone Contact Inc.
Missourians for Health and Education - $127,515 from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Citizens for Timothy W. Jones.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $25,000 from Aviv Asset Management.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $25,000 from Benchmark HM LLC.
Schoemehl for State Senate - $5,500 from Thomas P. and Ruby H. O’Driscoll Revocable Living Trust.
Local 41 Political Action Fund - $12,432 from DRIVE Committee.
Spence for Governor - $25,000 from Keith Strope.
Spence for Governor - $25,000 from Roger Miller.
Spence for Governor - $25,000 from Big Sky Properties LLC.
Progress KC Committee - $50,000 from Heavy Constructors Industry Advancement Fund.
Friends of Bill Stouffer - $5,796 from The Lamar Companies.
Friends of Bill Stouffer - $12,000 from The Lamar Companies.
Citizens for Largent - $10,000 from Noranda Aluminum.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $7,500 from SNR Denton.
Missourians for Health and Education - $53,149 from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Slay for Mayor - $20,000 from Doug Albrecht.
Plattner for Lieutenant Governor - $10,000 from Becky Plattner.
MO Insurance Coalition - $10,000 from RightCHOICE.
Missourians for Health and Education – $10,000 from Richard Miller.
MO Democratic State Committee - $10,000 from Missouri Hospital Association's Political Action Committee for Health.
Friends of Mike Cunningham - $8,000 from Committee to Elect Ron Richard.
KCS Rail-PAC - $10,000 from Kansas City Southern.
Friends for Jeff Messenger - $10,000 from Jeff Messenger.
Friends of Peter Kinder - $10,000 from Fred Weber Inc.
Fred Sauer Governor - $100,000 from Fred Sauer.
UTU-PAC - $6,500 from United Technologies Union PAC.
Missourians for Responsible Lending - $44,000 from Give Missourians a Raise.
Missourians for Ed Martin - $6,000 from Forest Hills Properties.
Schoeller for Missouri - $150,000 from Rex Sinquefield.
NEA Fund for Children & Public Education – Non Federal Itemized Account Missouri - $25,100 from NEA Fund for Children and Public Education Non-Federal Itemized Acct.
Civic Progress Action Committee - $13,000 from Express Scripts Inc.
Civic Progress Action Committee - $7,400 from RGA Reinsurance Company.
Civic Progress Action Committee - $13,000 from Centene Management Company LLC.
Pearce for Senate - $7,500 from MSTA Legislative Impact Committee.
Citizens for Gail Hinshaw - $5,700 from Gail Hinshaw.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $10,000 from Missouri NEA-PAC.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $25,000 from Missouri DRIVE Fund.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $50,000 from United Food & Commercial Workers International Active Ballot Club.
Jay Nixon for Missouri - $45,000 from Ameren UE PAC.
Lobbyists’ Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Richard E. Craighead added Missouri AFL-CIO.
Jewell D. H. Patek added Prewitts Hwy 54 Enterprises LLC.
James C. Bowers, Jr. added Jackson County Citizens for Economic Justice.
Bob Quinn deleted Missouri Association for Social Welfare.
Polsinelli deleted Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Jim Krieder (57), and the Beacon’s mighty Jason Rosenbaum.