MOScout Daily Update: Klahr to AG's Office - Senate Confirms Appleton - PP Showdown Day - UFOs Over KC? and more....

Klahr Joins AG’s Office

James Klahr is joining the Attorney General’s office as Senior Counsel for Governmental Affairs. Klahr was previously the legislative liaison for Department of Public Safety, and before that he served as the executive director of the Missouri Ethics Commission.

“Yet another addition to a powerhouse staff recruited by Attorney General Schmitt, and he joins Tom Albus, Cris Stevens, Jeremiah Morgan, Marianna Deal, and more…”

Appleton to HUD

The US Senate “confirmed Seth Appleton, President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).”   See it here.

Appleton is a St. Louis native, former Chief of Staff to Blaine Luetkemeyer and aide to Sam Graves.

Planned Parenthood Showdown

With today’s deadline looming, CBS news reports that the standoff of the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis shows no signs of de-escalation. See it here.

Planned Parenthood of St. Louis, Missouri's last remaining abortion clinic, told CBS News exclusively that it will no longer conduct a second pelvic exam that state regulators have recently mandated. Planned Parenthood doctors say the examination is "unethical" and stand by the decision even as it moves the clinic one step closer toward losing its license.… In late May, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against Missouri's health department for refusing to make a decision on the clinic's license. Since then, the agency and the clinic have been in a legal back-and-forth moderated by a district judge, who has mandated the state make a final decision by Friday.

And

National polling firm, Hart Research, offers Dems a sketch of their talking points on the issue of women’s health.  See it here.

In a survey we recently conducted in eight 2020 Senate battleground states, voters say by a margin of 54% to 30% that they trust the Democratic Party more than the Republican Party on women’s rights and equality for women. Among women voters themselves, the Democratic Party is more trusted on women’s rights and equality by 59% to 28%. Women under the age of 40 trust Democrats more, by 72% to 16%.

Given these results, there is a clear benefit to shining as much of a spotlight as possible on

Republican policies that impose more restrictions and burdens on women.

Yikers!

Springfield News-Leader reports: A retired teacher, principal and assistant superintendent from Laclede County has been charged with sexual misconduct. Thomas Luthy Jr., 80, of Lebanon, was charged with the three misdemeanor counts this week stemming from separate incidents — involving different individuals — in August 2018 and April of this year at a mall and a YMCA in Lebanon. According to court documents, Luthy has been accused of inappropriate touching and of exposing himself to a child. The charges were filed this week… [He] Co-chaired the Laclede County campaign to re-elect U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler for at least three terms…

Blunt Been Briefed on UFOs?

Politico reports that “three more U.S. senators received a classified Pentagon briefing on Wednesday about a series of reported encounters by the Navy with unidentified aircraft, according to congressional and military officials — part of a growing number of requests from members of key oversight committees.”

One MOScouter asks if Senate Intelligence Committee member Roy Blunt has had a UFO briefing yet….

Meanwhile in KC

KCStar reports mysterious white orbs in the sky….

New Committees

Mitchell Kohlberg formed a candidate committee (Kohlberg For District 1) to run for Senate 1 as a Republican.  The current incumbent, Democrat Scott Sifton, is termed.  Rep. Doug Beck is running for Democrats.

Lobbyists Registrations

Ron Schnare deleted Shire Pharmaceuticals LLC.

$5K+ Contributions

Uniting Missouri PAC - $10,000 from Kansas City Live LLC.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rep. Jeff Shawan, Mike Pridmore, and Hank Thompson.

Saturday: Margo McNeil and Ann Auer.

Sunday: Kevin Engler (the big 6-0), Nick King, and Rachel Hassani.