MOScout Daily Update: Medicaid Back and Forth - Martin Runs in VA! - Myers in Senate 9 and more...
Haahr Responds to Quade
Speaker Elijah Haahr responded to Minority Leader Crystal Quade’s letter raising concern about the drop in Medicaid enrollment…
Dear Minority Leader Quade:
Thank you for contacting my office regarding the number of children who are no longer enrolled in Missouri’s Medicaid System. I too share your concerns, which is why:
More than a month ago, I asked the chairman of the Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services to investigate the drop in enrollment and continue to monitor MO HealthNet.
Upon receiving your letter Monday morning, I personally requested that Director Todd Richardson provide an updated briefing on reasons for the change in enrollment numbers to Rep. Wood and myself.
Appointed Rep. Jon Patterson, M.D. to the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee, which held a hearing on July 23rd. Rep. Patterson also serves as Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services.
Rep. Wood and Rep. Patterson have extensive knowledge of MO HealthNet and the utmost care for the most vulnerable Missourians, especially our children, that extends past partisan lines. I trust that both Rep. Wood and Rep. Patterson will continue to ensure Missouri’s children receive the medical care they are entitled to. If MO HealthNet’s response to my request for more details fails to adequately answer our concerns or new ones arise, I will give my full support to Rep. Wood and Rep. Patterson to hold hearings on this issue.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office.
Sincerely,
Elijah Haahr
Speaker of the House
What It Means
· Democrats appear to believe there may be another situation as with the Department of Revenue and tax withholdings – where the bureaucracy isn’t being forthcoming about the inner workings of a program.
· Republicans, meanwhile, think the Dems are being disingenuous with the public letter ploy – perhaps trying to “lay the ground work for an IP on Medicaid expansion.” They’ve been following the same numbers and feel confident in the answers they’re getting so far: that there are multiple reasons for the drop in Medicaid enrollment, none of them nefarious.
Martin Running in DC
“He just does not go away,” one reader wrote, forwarding an article that reports Ed Martin, former Matt Blunt chief of staff, former MOGOP Party Chair, former many other things, is running for Dranesville District Supervisor in Virginia. Here’s the incumbent he’s running against.
“The underlying theme is ‘drain the swamp,’” [Martin] said. “That means that everybody in office who isn’t transparent, who isn’t showing what’s happening, who’s not getting things done, is going to be in big, big trouble.”…
Martin lamented what he described as inadequate action to fix the region’s traffic woes, saying they had been compounded by way-finding apps on smartphones that route motorists through neighborhoods. Rapidly growing Tysons needs more than Metrorail and scooters to solve its transportation woes, he said… The Republican also was not happy that a partial interchange, which would have put eastbound Route 7 traffic underground at the road’s intersection what Baron Cameron Avenue, had not been included in the initial Route 7 widening project between Tysons and Reston…
[John] Foust, who is seeking a fourth four-year term, said Martin had lived in Dranesville District for only one year and did not have a track record in the community. “Everything I’ve seen suggests he’s totally out of the mainstream of Dranesville voters,” Foust said. “He was an extreme right-winger in Missouri and is a real apostle for Donald Trump. With him, it’s all politics all the time.”
Blouin Takes Sabbatical
Amy Blouin, executive director of the Missouri Budget Project, writes…
As a very close partner, colleague and friend of the Missouri Budget Project (MBP), I wanted to share with you that I will be taking an extended leave from work this fall, and plan to be on Sabbatical from September 16, 2019 – December 16, 2019… I feel incredibly grateful and very fortunate to have this opportunity.
However, I also want to assure you that I will be back! I have no plans to leave the organization that I have had the privilege of building and leading. Even after 16 years, I remain completely committed and passionate about the work we do and unable to imagine myself anywhere else.
I also leave you in great hands. Our long-time colleague and dear friend, Ruth Ehresman, has agreed to fill-in for me during the Sabbatical…
eMailbag on Dems in CD-2
Wow!!! I think you inadvertently highlighted the entire problem with the Dems right now. Being a Man shouldn't be a "vulnerability" much less leave Dems in "total disarray"… It's really sad that identity politics has gone this far. The immediate dem knee jerk reaction to candidates is "are they ethic, lgbtq, a woman or some combination?" How about just asking the question...can they do a better job than the last person? And should we give them a chance to prove it?..
eMailbag on Galloway and National Money
I think it may be unfortunately harder for Galloway to get national money then some of the other Ds in other states running for Guv. Congressional redistricting is part of that calculus and not thinking Galloway could help there. (That would change if they somehow thought D could pick up enough seat to be out of a super minority…)
Help Wanted
Senate seeks Legislative Attorney or Analyst. “Division of Research is seeking an attorney or analyst in a nonpartisan, fast-paced, multi-faceted legislative environment. The successful applicant will draft legislation, staff committees of the Senate, prepare legal opinions, analyze legislative proposals, and develop policy alternatives. Position requires excellent writing and oral communication skills. Experience in legal or legislative field important. Law degree or advanced degree in Public Administration, Political Science or a related field required. Salary begins at $60,000, commensurate with experience…” See it here.
New Committtees
Ryan Myers formed a candidate committee (Myers For Missouri) to run for Senate 9 as a Democrat. The current incumbent, Sen. Kiki Curls, is termed. Myers is an alderman in Raytown. See his bio here.
Lobbyists Registrations
Alexis Martin deleted Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
$5K+ Contributions
Midwest Region Laborers' Political League Education Fund - $7,969 from Laborers Supplemental Dues Fund.
Uniting Missouri PAC - $10,000 from CFM Insurance.
Clay County Democratic Central Committee - $6,000 from U.A.W. Region 5 Midwest States C.A.P. Council.
MO Republican Party - $7,500 from Missourians for a Responsible Budget.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Donna Lichtenegger, and Mike McMillan.
Saturday: Congressman Lacy Clay, Shanon Hawk, Crystal Brinkley, and Jim Avery.
Sunday: Dale Ludwig.
Monday: Vicki Englund.
MOScout News
No MOScout on Monday! I’m taking a little family trip, and logistics will be easier if I’m not hunting for wi-fi at 5AM on Monday morning.
Weekender will be out tomorrow (Poll on Senate 33), and then the next morning update will be Tuesday. See you then!