Monday May 7 - Van Meter Withdraws - FTW Cites Violence - and a PSA

PSA: Don’t Do Anything Stupid, Don’t Go Near the Line

One building denizen asked me to remind everyone not to do anything stupid in the coming weeks as impeachment heats up.

“Coming into the actual whipping of votes for an impeachment, folks need to remember that it is ILLEGAL to trade legislative action for something of monetary value. Therefore offering consulting services for free in trade for a vote, offering to run leadership races in trade for a vote, offering appointments (either paid appointments or otherwise, argument can be made that unpaid still carry monetary value) for a vote, is all ILLEGAL. The feds are watching, everyone is watching…”

Don’t be stupid. Don’t go near the line.

List: Investigations, Scandals and Trials

Invasion of Privacy – Jury selection begins this weeks, with the trial set for next week.

Computer tampering – Charges filed.

MEC false statement – Local prosecutor hasn’t filed charges yet.

Confide – Ongoing lawsuit.  AG may re-open; House may investigate.

House Committee – Still investigating.

Misuse of social media accounts – Attorney General investigating.

Misappropriation of grant money – Washington University investigating.

Signing secretary of state’s signature to a document – no formal investigation yet.

And

The wildcard… the FBI.

Long List of Potential Jurors

As folks try to look around the corner and prepare for an impeachment trial.  Here is the statute on selecting “seven eminent jurors.”

106.080.  Impeachment commission — members — meeting. — If the governor or a judge of the supreme court shall be impeached, the house of representatives shall immediately transmit such articles of impeachment to the senate who shall, without delay, proceed to the election of a special commission to try the cause, which commission shall be composed of seven eminent jurists, who at the time of their election are judges of the circuit or appellate courts of this state; provided, however, that judges of the supreme court shall not be eligible to serve on such special commission.  The commission shall meet in the City of Jefferson within thirty days after their election on a day designated by the senate.

According to the Courts website, that would give the Senate a pool of 32 appellate judges and 142 circuit judges from which to find their 7 jurors.

One observer told me that the Senate shouldn’t “ask” judges beforehand if they’d be willing to serve because it’s not going to be a job anyone particularly wants.

FTW Accuses Pro-Union Petition Gatherers of Violence

Freedom to Work, the pro-RTW campaign, didn’t submit signatures for their initiative petition.  They posted a video (see it here) and wrote in a message to supporters “several individuals in support of Right to Work in Missouri attended meetings held in St. Joseph, Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia. They have been collecting signatures in Missouri since January. During the meeting in St. Joseph, as witnessed in the video, these individuals were attacked by petition gatherers for the pro union rival ballot initiatives. The violence was later described as a “set up” following weeks of similar efforts around the state including theft of petitions, payments to leave the state with boxes of petitions, pay-offs to “sell” the gathered petitions to the pro union gatherers and other similar violence as shown in the video over the course of the last two weeks. These tactics were employed statewide… More than 20,000 signatures are unaccounted for following the St. Joseph and Columbia attacks…”

Faughn in Hiding?

In a recent defense team filing, they write “The defense is working to locate Scott Faughn in order to take his deposition, though it appears at this point he has gone into hiding.”

One lobbyist: Nothing says “nothing to hide” like going into hiding.

Candidate Withdrawals

Scot Van Meter withdrew from Senate 34.  He had filed as a Republican, but received substantial pushback since he is currently an elected Democrat.  This leaves Tony Leutkemeyer and Harry Roberts in the Republican primary to succeed Sen. Rob Schaaf.

New Committees

John Kiehne formed a candidate committee (Kiehne For Missouri) to run for Senate 26 as a Democrat.

Paul Taylor filed an exemption committee to run for House 1 as a Democrat.

Simon Abela formed a candidate committee (Missourians For Abela) to run for House 15 as a Republican.

Pat Williams formed a candidate committee (Pat Williams For The People) to run for House 33 as a Democrat.

Teri Hanna formed a candidate committee (Friends Of Teri Hanna) to run for House 127 as a Democrat.

David Evans formed a candidate committee (Committee To Elect David Evans) to run for House 161 as a Republican.

Elizabeth Lundstrum formed a candidate committee (Friends Of Elizabeth Lundstrum For 161) to run for House 161 as a Democrat.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, Sen. Scott Sifton, Rep. Don Phillips, and Stuart Murray.