MOScout Daily Update: Reopening Day - SCOTUS Delivers LGBTQ Protections - Uniting Gets $$$ and more...
Driving the Day: Back to Business Day
Today marks the end of the state restrictions related to the coronavirus. Local municipalities can keep their own, but it appears that many will follow the state’s lead.
For example, St. Charles County announced yesterday that it will “follow Phase 2 of the ‘Show Me Strong Recovery’ plan outlined last week by Missouri Governor Mike Parson… and lifts previously issued restrictions.”
SCOTUS Ruling on LGBTQ Employment Protections
Kansas City Star reports on a ruling from the Supreme Court yesterday.
After years of failed attempts to pass state-level anti-discrimination laws, LGBTQ workers in Kansas and Missouri now have federal protections following a U.S. Supreme Court decision on Monday.
Anti-discrimination bills have languished in the Missouri Legislature for 22 years. Proposals in the Kansas Legislature have also failed to gain traction, despite fervent advocacy from the state’s first openly LGBTQ lawmakers.
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that a provision of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of sex, extends protections to LGBTQ workers…
The Missouri Nondiscrimination Act (MONA) has been filed annually for 22 years in the Missouri legislature, but has failed to win approval by both chambers during the same legislative session.
[Rep. Greg] Razer noted that passing MONA is still necessary to protect gay tenants from being evicted by landlords…
· Axios reports that this will bring other gains for the LGBTQ community. “It may take a while for some of these issues to work their way through the courts. But the Supreme Court's ruling will make many forms of LGBTQ discrimination harder to defend.”
And
Plenty of folks noted that AG Eric Schmitt had weighed in arguing that the law did not protect gay workers from discrimination.
One MOScouter scoffed at the statement put out by his office (“In the amicus brief that we joined with other attorneys general, we made a textual argument as it relates to the original meaning of the law…”), “Could this be a bigger load of BS?”
Presidential EO on Police Reform
Politico reports that President Donald Trump will sign an executive order dealing with police reform today.
THE E.O. has several planks:
1) “BEST PRACTICES”: The Justice Department will “certify independent organizations to provide accreditation to police departments on de-escalation, use of force, and community engagement.” The certification would hinge on the banning of the chokehold, unless an officer is targeted by deadly force.
IT WOULD ALSO include programs to help police better deal with homeless and mentally ill citizens. It seeks to instill “de-escalation” tactics in police departments….
2) “INFORMATION SHARING”: The order would create a system to share information about police officers who use “excessive force.” Certain grants to police departments would be based on sharing this information…
But
Certifications, grants, and programs only go so far. As I mentioned yesterday, the actual reform of police tactics will fall to the local leadership. It will be a years-long effort.
Uniting MO Gets RGA $$$
The pro-Mike Parson PAC, Uniting Missouri, received $500K from the Republican Governors Association’s Missouri committee.
The PAC continues to be the favored vehicle for the RGA to spend money in Missouri.
· It’s a vote of confidence in the team that the PAC has assembled.
· But it’s also being used because the PAC was specifically formed to advance Parson’s re-election. If the money was sent to the state party, there’d be a lot of hands out asking for a little help in their own race.
And
Here are some of the Missouri consultants and vendors the Uniting PAC uses…
· Capital Enhancement (Karen Day).
· Axiom Strategies and affiliated companies.
· Carolinas Campaign Consulting
eMailbag: Trump-Biden Poll
Interesting that Trump's Missouri margin is down to 8. In 2012, Romney had a nine-point win and Dems won all but one statewide race. Different candidates and dynamics this time, but Trump's drop and Parson sitting at just 50% makes this much more competitive statewide than 2016, especially if African-American turnout returns to 2012 levels (meaning an even tighter race than 8 points for Trump and Parsons--virtually no margin for error)…
New Committees
Angie Schaefer formed a candidate committee (Friends of Angie Schaefer) to run for House 98 as a Democrat.
Cindy Nugent formed a candidate committee (Committee to Elect Cynthia Nugent) to run for House 115 as a Democrat.
$5K+ Contributions
Uniting Missouri PAC - $500,000 from Republican Governors Association- Missouri.
Building Communities PAC Inc - $20,000 from O'Reilly Development Company, LLC.
HUB Employees PAC - $9,200 from Hub Inc.
Midwest Region Laborers' Political League Education Fund - $7,204 from Laborers Supplemental Dues Fund.
Lobbyist Registrations
Brent Hemphill added Recruiting Brands, and Contact Tracer Staff; and deleted Independent Colleges & Universities of Missouri.
William Shoehigh added FreedomCare, LLC.
Jeff Aboussie and Tom Dempsey deleted City of St. Louis.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Congressman Jason Smith, Sen. Bill White, and Rep. Bob Burns.