MOScout Daily Update: Libla MMJ Investor - Even MMJ Winners Sue! - Greitens Running FB Ads and more...

Libla MMJ Investor

Post-Dispatch reports that Sen. Doug Libla invested “approximately $25,000 in a medical marijuana company that didn’t win one of a limited number of licenses to grow marijuana in Missouri.”

The admission comes after days in which Libla has stalled Senate business by speaking about “the debacle” of DHSS’ scoring process.  Incredibly, during his various inquiries on the subject, Libla never mentioned his financial stake.

In contrast, Rep. Rudy Veit recused himself from the House Committee questioning DHSS because his law firm had done some work for a MMJ company.

I’ve noticed two different ways lawmakers view conflicts of interest.  

·         Some view them from their heart.  They know they’re not motivated by personal gain, so there’s no real issue. 

·         Others view them from how they might look to an average Missourian.  If something could give the appearance of impropriety, they avoid it.

Libla seems to fall into the former; and Veit into the latter.

Meanwhile Dissatisfaction Reigns!

Even one of the awardees is suing!!  Douglas County Herald reports (see it here) that “on January 10th, 2010, the state announced recipients of medical marijuana manufacturing licenses. EBC-Missouri, LLC won a license for its Douglas County-based Vanzant location.  On January 24, 2020, EBC-Missouri filed a suit against the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The 45-page suit makes a number of claims against the state, including:

·         Inconsistent Scoring. EBC filed applications for multiple licenses at multiple locations. EBC claims the state-appointed agency responsible for the scoring, Wise Health, returned different scores for answers that were similar across their separate applications.

·         Distance to Supplier. Since EBC – Missouri didn’t get a cultivation license, they would have to purchase medical marijuana from another grower in order to manufacture any products…

·         Unconstitutional Delegation. The suit by EBC-Missouri claims that having a third party score the applications for medical-marijuana licenses was unconstitutional…”

Greitens Runs Ad on FB: “Fully Exonerated”

Eric Greitens seems eager as ever to spend money telling folks what a great guy he is. 

KCStar’s Jason Hancock noticed that he’s running Facebook ads touting his total exoneration in the $178K fine he received from the Missouri Ethics Commission.

See the Facebook ad analytics here.

So far, he’s spent $2,000-$2,500 on the ad which started on February 15.  The ads are aimed entirely within Missouri and 60% targeted to people 55 and older.

·         FWIW, Governor Mike Parson’s latest FB ad just ended on February 14.  It was a week-long $582 buy.

Driving the Week

There could be some hot floor action this week in the Senate.  Two issues queued up in the pipeline that could see debate: gaming, and education reform…

Dems’ Topic of the Week: MedEX

Press release: The House Democratic Caucus will hold a news conference at 11:30 a.m. Monday in the House Lounge to discuss recent movement bipartisan movement in the House of Representatives to address Missouri’s Medicaid enrollment crisis that has resulted in more than 100,000 Missouri children losing their health care access, often without warning or justification. Democrats also will outline legislation to help mitigate the problem.

Always Close the Blinds, People!

From Politico’s Playbook… On Wednesday night, the NRCC walked across the street to the DCCC's headquarters on Capitol Hill to stake out some Dem candidates, and stumbled upon what they consider a quite fortuitous find. Dems say it represents tactics that are totally out of bounds, and downright creepy.  The DCCC was holding a polling meeting with the blinds wide open, all their information on display for passersby to see. The meeting was billed as part of their Red to Blue program -- the GOP seats Democrats are trying to flip. The NRCC aides snapped photos, and you can see their photo document here. Republicans say they gleaned a wealth of valuable intel on the state of key House contests…

Those “key House contests” include the Wagner-Schupp match-up.  See it here.

MEC on Nepotism

The Missouri Ethics Commission issued a new advisory opinion… There is no nepotism when a newly elected official continues to employ relatives, so long as they are not rehired or reappointed. Similarly, the fact that an elected official and a close relative work for the same county office does not create a conflict of interest, in and of itself. The conflict of interest statutes address the conduct of elected officials once in office.  See it here.

Bits

·         The Office of Administration announced Mark Waight has joined the State of Missouri team as its Director for Operational Excellence… Waight most recently served as the Director of Operational Excellence for Edward Jones, a global financial services company headquartered in St. Louis, MO with around 47,000 employees…

·         Governor Mike Parson appointed Judge Michael E. Gardner to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. He will succeed Judge Lawrence E. Mooney, who retired in September of 2019.

·         In the lobbyists registrations (below) Trey Davis is representing a Columbia law firm.  He’s still the head of MEDA, but has also formed Davis Consulting LLC to take on new clients.

·         One reader forwarded me this video.  Is it the Senate’s Conservative Caucus experimenting with branding?  A rah-rah video for those late-night filibusters?...

·         Bayer got hit with a huge $265 million verdict.  See it here.  Interesting to see that the plaintiff’s attorney for the awardee was Bev Randles.  She ran for lieutenant governor as a Republican in 2016, losing to Mike Parson.

New Committees

Connor Nowalk formed a candidate committee (Connor Nowalk for Missouri) to run for House 24 as a Democrat.  The incumbent, Democratic Rep. Judy Morgan, is term limited.

Lobbyist Registrations

Deanna Hemphill, Tracy King, Dave Berry, Tom Dempsey and Travis Brown added Invenergy.

Jessica Burch Hembree added American Heart Association.

Mike Morris added Transportation Employees Association of Missouri.

Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, and Jake Silverman added The Home Loan Expert LLC.

Miles Ross added Home Builder Association of Greater Springfield, Missourians For a Balanced Energy Future, and Mashino’s.

Lucas Yezik added Clear Channel Airports.

Trey Davis added Walther, Antel & Stamper.

John DeStefano and Meghan McCann added Advocates for a Healthy Community.

Jerry Burch added Missouri Association of Convention and Visitors' Bureaus; and deleted Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Nevada, City of Springfield, and Greene County Commission.

William Marrs deleted County Commissioners Association of Missouri.

$5K+ Contributions

Uniting Missouri PAC - $33,650 from Michael Ketchmark.

RSLC-Missouri PAC - $5,300 from Republican State Leadership Committee.

Clay County Democratic Central Committee - $11,000 from U.A.W. Regtion 5 Midwest States C.A.P. Council.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Sen. Brian Williams, Jon Ratliff, and Pat Jakopchek.