Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Google Hires Polsinelli

Ahead of next week’s special session, internet giant Google has hired the Polsinelli Shughart’s Jefferson City team to represent its interests.  Lawmakers will be reworking Sen. Jane Cunningham’s SB 54 which sought to regulate social media communication between students and teachers.

The Polsinelli team includes Rodney Gray, Richard Brownlee, Michael Dallmeyer, Tami Holliday, Keith Wenzel, Susan Henderson Moore, and Michael Moorefield.

Kinder’s Tour de Pants?

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder announced in an email yesterday to party activists and supporters that he would embark on a statewide tour to take his candidacy for governor directly to the rank-and-file Republicans.  See the email below.

What it Means

Kinder is staying the course; he’s not going to be dissuaded by daily press drippings of criticism, listless fundraising, or intra-party sabotage and sniping.

You want Kinder out, you gotta launch a primary campaign and go win the primary voters to take him out.  He’ll see you on the campaign trail.

Excerpts from the Kinder Email

From: "Team Kinder" <team@teamkinder.com>

Date: Aug 29, 2011 5:11 PM

Subject: Message from Lt. Governor Peter Kinder

Fellow Missourian:

I am communicating directly with you so you don’t have to sort through all the spin by the press and bloggers whose agenda have replaced the truth and facts.

While my opponents’ operatives have taken advantage of a situation you may have heard of, I accept complete responsibility and apologize to you for my actions of almost 17 years ago as a single man.

With that being said, I strongly oppose the notion that Republicans should allow Democrat dirty tricks or media bias to disqualify or choose the Republican nominee for Governor.

Who should be the Republican nominee for Governor in 2012?

I believe that question should be answered by Republican voters and activists, not the media, and certainly not the self-described kingmakers, nor the special interests and insiders.

There are 15 months until the election. I have not announced for Governor. I have not filed nor have I been nominated to be the Republican candidate; yet, some insiders and media pundits are calling for me to bow out of a race I have not even entered.

In my entire career nothing has been given to me.  I have never had an easy race. I first ran for state Senate in 1992. My opponent was a former First Lady of our state who had been her Party’s gubernatorial nominee four years earlier. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, I came from behind to win making me the first Republican ever to represent any Bootheel counties in the Missouri Senate.

I have had to fight and work hard to win every battle.  After almost 20 years of service, I am not going to quit now without letting the rank and file of our Party be part of the process.  Part of that process is letting you and others know the REAL RECORD and the REAL REASON the Democrats supporting Jay Nixon have orchestrated these early personal attacks.

In the Missouri Senate, I sponsored, passed and worked to override the governor’s veto of Missouri’s first ban on partial-birth abortion.

I sponsored legislation defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

In 2001, I led Republicans to their first Senate majority in over 50 years…

As President Pro Tem, I sponsored and won approval for the Religious Freedom Restoration Act… we passed Missouri’s Conceal and Carry Law, which gave law abiding citizens the right to carry a firearm….

In 2004, I faced the popular former Secretary of State and came from behind.  I was the first Republican to be elected Lt. Governor in nearly 30 years. In 2008, when Republicans across the country lost in the Democrat landslide election, I was the only Republican to win statewide…

Last August, Missourians rejected the Obama-Pelosi-Reid Healthcare Bill by passing Proposition C by over 70 percent…

I have always been a team player. Four years ago, I chose not to run for Governor to preserve party unity and commited myself to helping other Republicans. Last year alone, I raised and donated over $300,000 for Republican candidates, raised money for the Republican Party and attended over 50 fundraisers for legislative candidates.

Today we are at a crossroads.  Missouri’s economy is languishing in ruin and the current Governor has done nothing. Missouri had the third worst job loss rate in the country last year and ranks 49 out of 50 states in monthly employment growth since January 2009….

I believe in our state, and I believe the people of this state have an untapped greatness. I am committed to waging a winning campaign as I have done 5 times before.

But before I make my decision, I will begin a statewide tour and visit every corner of the state and meet with conservatives, grassroots activists and all Missouri voters, while listening to you and your concerns. I will share the details of my plans of how we can restore Missouri’s greatness by creating new higher paying jobs, cutting waste and fraud of taxpayers’ dollars, improving schools, and rebuilding our communities.

Before I make my final decision, I want the chance to earn your trust so together we make the difference you deserve. Together we can chart a course to win in November 2012. Without your support I cannot succeed, and I will not run if I cannot win. The decision should reside in your hands, not a few powerbrokers or the media.  If I were not a real threat to their politics as usual and out of control spending, they would not be attacking me so viciously and falsely.

I cannot express enough my appreciation for your friendship and support.  I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail soon!

Your friend,

Peter D. Kinder

Lingle in 161

Darren Lingle, staffer to Congressman Jo Ann Emerson, is looking at running in House 161.  That’s just south of Cape Girardeau, and currently held by Rep. Steve Hodges.  Regardless of how lines ends up, that area will likely end up on a target list despite the fact that Hodges isn’t termed until 2014.  See a picture of Lingle Here.

Nixon Defends Withholds

From the mighty Jason Rosenbaum, video of Governor Jay Nixon explaining his budget withholds to reporters.  See it Here.

Pull Quote: “Governors have always managed the budget in this fashion.  You go back through the list of governors that have been faced with all sorts of times in which there were obligations the state might have to pay, whether it’s a court order which has been done in the past… or an economy… in this situation we’re working our way back on the economy.  But it’s clear that there is more spending authority that the legislature have given over the last few years than we’ve had money in the bank.”

And

Fear of a Double Dip… See the Slides Here.

Lobbyist Principal Changes

From the Pelopidas website:

Polsinelli Shughart PC added Google Inc; and deleted 1111Grand LLC.

Richard Martin added Tegsco LLC, Black & Veatch Corporation, and IMG.

$5k+  Contributions

Friends of Tilley - $10,000 from Scott Wilson.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to St. Louis city lobbyist Lou Hamilton.