MOScout Daily Update: How Red is MO Now? - Gov hires Temp Firm - Jeff City Names on PPP List - 3rd Floor Fist Shake and more...

How Red is MO Now?

Missouri now a redder state than Kansas?  Nate Silver tweets “Kansas (Trump +14.7) now less red than Missouri (Trump +15.4)”

Gov Hires Temp Firm

The press release from the governor’s office:  As hospitals across Missouri continue to face staffing challenges due to COVID-19, Governor Mike Parson today announced a 12-week partnership with Vizient, the nation’s leading health care performance improvement company, to bring in additional staff and further expand statewide hospital capacity…

Through the partnership, Vizient will deploy up to 760 additional staff members through its contracted agencies to multiple, geographically dispersed hospitals across the state, including registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and certified nurse assistants. When fully deployed, the plan will add nearly 600 hospital beds to Missouri’s statewide bed capacity.

The state will fund the first phase of the project through the end of this year using CARES Act funding, and hospital partners will fund the remainder.

What It Means

There are two fronts to this crisis. 

·         One front is to slow the spread of the virus and keep people out of the hospital.  The governor’s critics have been distraught that he’s refused to implement policies instead abdicating leadership in this area to the local authorities. 

·         But on this second front of the crisis, hospital capacity, Parson is demonstrating he’s willing to act. 

More on Truncated Special Session

Third-floor mind-meld…  Talk in the building was about how short-sighted it was that Governor Mike Parson pulled the plug. Even if it hadn’t gotten done, burden was on legislature so he could have said he did his part.  Now folks on both sides of the issue are pissed at him and the target is on him for killing it. More and more talk of changes needed in his office…

PPP List

The U.S. Department of Treasury has now made public the full list of Payroll Protection Program loans.  This comes after a partial list was released over the summer. I had noted at that time some big Jeff City firms among the names.  Yesterday I did a quick run-through of the new release, noting companies where legislators appear to have some ownership stake, as well as well-known lobbying and consulting firms. The list demonstrates how very few sectors were spared during the government mandated showdown.

Legislators

Surgical Care of Independence Inc (Jon Patterson) - $424,734.

Norbert A Butz Insurance (Steve Butz) - $207,600.

Craig Fishel Consulting & Design Inc (Craig Fishel) - $133,600.

Art’s Pest Control Inc (Mike Bernskoetter) - $90,500.

Andrews Family Corporation (Allen Andrews) - $44,519.

Knight Auction Service LLC (Jeff Knight) - $29,800.

Solids Inc (Wes Rogers) - $29,700.

Twin Rivers Landing Outfitters LLC (Chris Dinkins) - $22,362.

Michael P McGirl LLC (Mike McGirl) - $20,087.

Pietzman Concrete Inc (Randy Pietzman) - $9,500

Simmons Chiropractic LLC (John Simmons) - $9,500.

Koenig Construction LLC (Andrew Koenig) - $4,265.

Wieland Insurance Group LLC (Paul Wieland) - $4,166.

Shoppers Rule Inc (Jim Murphy) - $1,887.

Lobbyists and Consultants

Garrison Management Group - $1.3 million.

Strategic Capitol Consulting LLC - $80,370.

Capital Enhancement LLC - $56,200.

Palm Strategic Group LLC - $54,900.

Burton-Liese LLC - $53,905.

Winton Policy Group - $49,700.

Hahn O’Daniel LLC - $38,800.

The J Harris Company – $37,900.

Brent Hemphill & Associates Inc - $27,400.

Grote and Associates Inc - $27,300.

Viceroy Government Relations LLC - $20,832.

The Giddens Group LLC - $20,800.

Capitol Consulting LLC - $20,800

Nexus Strategies LLC - $20,200.

Kyna Iman LLC - $18,300.

Paladin Energy Strategies LLC - $17,500.

Capitol City Research LLC - $12,700.

Gubby Appt

Governor Mike Parson appointed April S. Wilson as the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney.  Ms. Wilson has served as the Special Prosecuting Attorney for Clark County since the Honorable Holly Conger-Koenig took office as an Associate Circuit Judge for the 1st Judicial Circuit, vacating the office of Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Ms. Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree from William Jewell College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.

Lobbyists Registrations

Rodney Hubbard added Imperial Court Investments.

Kathi Harness deleted Goodrich Quality Theaters Inc., and RevaPay.

$5K+ Contributions

MO Cable PAC - $15,000 from Charter Communications.

Uniting Missouri PAC - $25,000 from Huntsman Holdings LLC.     

Together KC - $15,000 from Stinson LLP.

Together KC - $10,000 from Academy Bank.

Together KC - $40,000 from Kansas City Southern Railway Company.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Jill Ott.