Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Buffet of Bits
In random order… mix it together, make it a stew…
MO Casinos
Front page Wall Street Journal this morning… “A key vote in Missouri Wednesday will decide whether to relax measures aimed at keeping gambling addicts out of casinos, the latest push by a cash-strapped state to make gambling restrictions less stringent.” Read it Here (might be a pay-wall).
Pull Quote: Troy Stremming, senior vice president of government relations for Ameristar Casinos Inc., which has two casinos in Missouri, said his company takes no position on the proposed change. "We have no desire to take advantage of anyone," he said.
Internship at MO News Horizon
Missouri News Horizon is looking for a dynamic college journalism student to join our team covering news at the Missouri State Capitol. See the ad Here.
MOBIO on MRL’s MOSIRA Lawsuit
From their statement: “The majority of legislators, in both chambers and of both political parties, have repeatedly rejected these particular groups’ arguments and advocated for the creation of MOSIRA, including supporting the Governors’ signing of the bill. We are confident the overwhelming legislative intent to establish MOSIRA will prevail.”
eMailbag: More on Court’s Argument
“Responding to the rebuttal (see yesterday’s Update if you’re just joining the conversation): The judicial panel could not chose a number other than 34, because an earlier section of the state constitution, Article III, Section 5, provides that there are 34 senators, and further requires ‘convenient districts of contiguous territory, as compact and nearly equal in population as may be.’ Also federal case law, Baker v. Carr, Reynolds v. Sims, et al, articulates the constitutional principle of ‘one man (or person), one vote’ and thus requires districts of equal population.
“It is only the anti-urban provision for leaving rural counties intact, while virtually requiring that urban communities be sliced to bits in order to make up the difference, that is unique to the first part of Article III, Section 7 of the Missouri constitution.
“One could argue that the framers of Article III, Section 7, anticipated that this ‘no splitting rural counties’ provision could, in fact, be the very reason the Governor-appointed redistricting commission failed to agree upon a map, and therefore the judges who then take over would need to be freed from that particular set of handcuffs.”
Moley Vents
Rep. Chris Molendorp lets loose in his latest Capitol Report. The Show Me Progress blog has a post about it Here.
“It's even more ridiculous that our County Seat, Harrisonville, was cut into two pieces as well. At the VERY MINIMUM, a County Seat with a population less than the average State Representative district should stay together as a ‘community of interest’. This seems to be a simple concept. Then again, these are judges that determined California and Columbia should share a district and that Warrensburg should be split in two through the campus of UCM. Other communities like Washington, Perryville and Farmington got split up, too. I guess the common theme is that judges don't live in places like that. They must live in bigger, better communities with gates and 24 hour security; they don't have time to consider the needs of trailer trash like us. Besides, it's hard to get a good look at the typical Missouri community from the back seat and through the tinted windows.
“That's ok, no hard feelings. I won't consider ANY of this when I'm considering their budget next year and their $130,000 salaries. Or their case loads. Or their appointment until they turn 70. Naw, I'll let that go...”
Rumorville: Hall for DED
It’s Missouri Technology Corp’s chief Jason Hall’s name that’s floating around as Governor Jay Nixon’s rumored choice to head the Department of Economic Development.
Keeping it Real
From yesterday’s Politico Influence… “Tired of swanky fundraisers at Washington hotspots like Capitol Grille or Oceanaire? Rep. Lacy Clay has just the thing. The Missouri Democrat is throwing a fundraiser Friday at T.G.I. Friday's restaurant. Not only is the venue a little different, so is Clay's dollar dance. The ask: 'You know the amount you will contribute. It's appreciated,' according to the DCCC fundraiser list.”
From the Peerless John Combest
More 2012 Watch nuggets from Johncombest.com… In SEMO: Former State Rep. Pat Naeger will run in the new Senate 3, and former Sikeston mayor Josh Bill will run in House 148. Read it Here.
And in SWMO: House 136 (Denison termed) has a Republican primary brewing between attorney Kevin Austin and David Velasco. Read it Here.
Asbury to House 6?
Tipster: Rep. Randy Asbury is “thinking about… “at the idea level” moving from where he was drawn (House 48) north into new Randolph/Macon district (House 6). Both are “open.” House 48 has Central Methodist College in it and is a toss-up district. House 6 is a 57% RPI.
Shane Kick-off
Rep. Shane Schoeller schedules his secretary of state campaign kick-off (the last one was not a kick-off, it was an “announcement.” The next one will be an office opening?) for 6 p.m. December 12 at the Clarion Hotel in Springfield.
Tea Party Splinter
Talk show host Dana Loesch’s departure (or exile, this ain’t my civil war) from the St. Louis Tea Party was followed by a few others it appears… Here, and Here.
eMailbag: What the Tea Party Has in Common With the Communists
“It’s remarkable how often Tea Partiers devolve into the micro-dispute dispute mentality common to communists. They eat their own. Today’s question: Is Loesch the Tea Party equivalent of a Trotskiite, a Maoist, or a Stalinist? Since you note she’s sympathetic to Wagner, she’s likely a Tea Party Stalinist. Or maybe she’s a Tea Party Maoist-Stalinist?”
Maxwell for Kander
Former LG Joe Maxwell endorsed Dem SOS nominee Jason Kander.
Cynthia Files Complaint
Former state rep Cynthia Davis filed a monster 426-page ethics complaint against mostly losing Democratic candidates last cycle. I skimmed through the mother last night. Her chief complaint is that Chris Benjamin’s Regional Growth Consultants took money from candidates, and sent some of that money to associated PACs which sent the money back for RGC to do negative mailers with, in effect hiding the source of the attacks.
One Dem’s response: “(Davis) is seeking revenge on her loss for fire district.”
Schweich contra Nixon Continues
Judge doesn’t throw out lawsuit over withholds. Read it Here.
Governor Jay Nixon’s response: “Today's procedural ruling has no impact on the Governor's responsibility, authority and duty to take the steps necessary to keep the state's fiscal house in order. These powers are established by the constitution and have been available to and used by governors in the past. Gov. Nixon will continue to make the tough decisions needed to balance our budget, hold the line on taxes, and meet our responsibilities to help communities recover from natural disasters…”
eMailbag: The “What Ifs” Rage On
Debate continues on the possible scenarios from a Romney/Blunt 2012 victory… “Nixon appointing himself? they got to be kidding. Case in point: Minnesota Gov. Wendell Anderson resigned as governor in Dec. 1976, after Mondale was elected vice-president, so his Lt Gov, Rudy Perpich, could become governor and appoint him to the Senate. Minnesota voters were so thrilled with this move that they defeated the whole Dem (DFL= Democratic Farmer Labor) party slate in 1978, defeating Sen. Anderson, Gov. Perpich, and the Democratic nominee running for the Humphrey seat that had been filled by Hubert Humphrey's widow (who had been appointed when Hubert died but did not seek election in her own right.)
“I am not sure anyone has pulled off this feat and gotten away with it. Not on point, but always colorful: Huey Long, as Louisiana governor (1928 to 1932) got elected to the US Senate in 1930 but did not fill the seat until 1933 because he did not want the Lt Gov to inherit the governorship.”
Lobbyist Principal Changes
From the Pelopidas website:
Jay Atkins added Missouri Department of Revenue.
Michael Dallmeyer added American Insurance Association, Reinsurance Association of America, and R.L. Polk & Company.
John Eggleston added Nemo Grain Processors LLC, and deleted Northeast MO Grain Processor Inc, and Tri-County Electric Cooperative.
$5K+ Contributions
Civic Progress Action Committee - $13,000 from Monsanto Company.
MO Democratic State Committee - $15,000 from James Nutter Sr.
Birthdays
Happy brithdays to Sen. Kiki Curls (43), Rep. Churie Spreng (35), and former Rep. Rodney Hubbard (39).