MOScout Daily Update: Carpenters Big $$$ - Special Coming on Crime? - Galloway Hires - Neosho Ends COVID Rules and more...

Carpenters Write Big Checks in Senate Races

The Carpenters Union PAC, CHIPP, wrote two big checks to state senate candidates yesterday – one Republican, and one Democrat.

·         In Senate 3, Rep. Elaine Gannon’s PAC, Six County PAC, received $100K from CHIPP Political Account.

·         In Senate 15, Rep. Deb Lavender’s PAC, Purple PAC, received the same amount.

Gannon is in a three-way Republican primary where no Democrat is filed to run November.  Lavender is taking on Republican incumbent Sen. Andrew Koenig.

Rumorville: Special Session Coming

Several sources say that the second floor had a conference call yesterday to talk about possible special sessions.

The rumor is that the most immediate topic would deal with crime.  That jives with what the governor has said publicly at his briefings. 

Also – it could be called for later this month!  If true, I imagine it will get some pushback from legislators in a hot primaries as it’d be smack in the middle of their final sprint.

We’ll see….

Galloway Staffs Up

Today, Auditor Galloway’s campaign for governor announced the addition of five new senior staff, who will help oversee the campaign’s finance, operations, outreach, and digital organizing programs ahead of the August primary and November election….

·         Cal Harris — Senior Advisor.  Harris “served as senior communications strategist for Pine Street Strategies, the Washington, D.C.-based firm founded by former Missouri State Representative Don Calloway.”

·         Caleb Cavarretta — Deputy Campaign Manager.  Cavarretta “was digital director for Attorney General Chris Koster's campaign for Governor.”

·         Savanna Peterson — Scheduling and Operations Director. Peterson “was special assistant to U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill.”

·         Jackie Weltzel — Finance Director .  Weltzel “has served as a fundraiser for campaigns across the country.”

·         Kaitlyn Burke — Deputy Finance Director. Burke was “finance assistant for Chris Koster’s gubernatorial campaign in 2016.”

Neosho: Back to Biz As Usual

Joplin Globe reports: Instead of adjusting its current COVID-19 ordinance, the Neosho City Council removed it completely.  "We can go back to normal life in Neosho," said Mayor Carmin Allen.

With 4-0 votes, council members removed sections that called for adjustments to the current ordinance, leaving alone a section that repealed the city's existing ordinance… More than 130 people attended the special meeting, held Thursday at the Neosho Civic Auditorium.

Before members of the public spoke, the council expressed support for an amendment to the ordinance that allowed churches to host their full capacity allowed by building and fire codes. 

That did not stave off criticism from people who spoke against passing the ordinance, saying that it was too much of an intrusion of government into private lives. More than 20 people spoke during the meeting, all of them asking for the council to vote against it…

Neosho is represented by Rep. Ben Baker and Sen. Bill White.

Senate 29: Cole Fundy in KC

MOScouter: “Good fundraising event for David Cole in Kansas City [last night] at the home of longtime GOP attorney Terry Kilroy’s House..  Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick and Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer were in attendance to support…”

Thampy Pleads Guilty

Columbia Daily Tribune reports that lobbyist Eapen Thampy pleaded guilty to “to a count of intent to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana, according to court records. Through a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, a conspiracy count was dropped… Thampy faces a maximum of five years in prison and a minimum of two years probation and fines.

A plea agreement signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Oliver reads Thampy in February 2018 bought 100 pounds of marijuana from Craig Smith of Oregon, whom court documents show was the supplier for the defendants.

The transaction was brokered by Osama Yanis, owner of Coffee Zone in Columbia, the agreement reads. Yanis was sentenced to four years in prison in January for his role in the conspiracy. His son, Nader Yanis, was sentenced in January 2019 to two years in prison for his part in the conspiracy…”

eMailbag: Fingers Pointing on Masks

Hospitals are adding to the politicization of COVID and mask-wearing, not taking politics out of it. Their basic assertions that because there are no enforceable mask ordinances is the reason cases are spiking is simply unsupported by scientific causality being established. They are using fear as their base. They fail to mention the meatpacking industry’s contribution to the rise in cases in the area. Taking politics out of the discussion is not what they are doing!

Help Wanted

Missouri KidsFirst seeks Executive Director. “The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and is a professional position responsible for implementing the overall mission and policies set by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director supervises the ongoing operations of the organization, develops and maintains a strong funding base, increases public and private awareness of the organization, develops and maintains relationships of partner agencies and represents the organization on a local, state and national level…”  See the ad here.

New Committees

Gary Stroud formed a candidate committee (Committee to Elect Gary Stroud) to run for House 8 as a Republican.

B PAC was formed.  Its treasurer is Tracy Williams.  Its purpose is to advance the interests of Sen. Brian Williams.

Paul Berry III formed a candidate committee (Paul Berry III for St. Louis County) to run for County Executive as a Republican.

Bill Haas formed a candidate committee (VoteHaas) to run for Senate 5 as a Democrat.

Jimmie Matthews formed an exemption committee to run for governor as a Democrat.

$5K+ Contributions

Purple PAC - $100,000 from CHIPP Political Account.

Six County PAC - $100,000 from CHIPP Political Account.

Team Robert PAC - $50,000 from CL PAC.

Keep Government Accountable - $25,000 from Simmons Hanly Conroy.  

Keep Government Accountable - $20,000 from Langdon & Emison LLC.

Keep Government Accountable - $10,000 from Strong Garner Bauer.

Keep Government Accountable - $10,000 from IUOE Local 513 Political and Education Fund.

Citizens For Elaine Gannon - $25,000 from Dennis and Elaine Gannon.

American Dream PAC - $10,000 from Spire Missouri Inc.

Citizens for a Better District 1 - $10,000 from Carpenters Help in the Political Process (CHIPP).

Professional Fire Fighters of Eastern Missouri 2665 PAC Fund - $8,300 from Professional Firefighters of Eastern Missouri.

Midwest Region Laborers' Political League Education Fund - $7,313 from Laborers Supplemental Dues Fund.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Russ Carnahan, Cole McNary, and Eli Yokley.