MOScout Daily Update: JeffCo Gets Mask Mandate - AG Gets Consent on Ticket Quotas - Dems OK Being Tied to Biden? - PT at WH and more...
JeffCo Gets Mask Mandate
Post-Dispatch reports that the “Jefferson County Health Department on Thursday approved a mask mandate for businesses and other places in the county where social distancing cannot be maintained. The mandate passed with a vote of three to two after an often-contentious board meeting that lasted nearly 5½ hours. The mandate goes into effect Monday… In all, the county has recorded 2,605 coronavirus cases and 45 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic…”
What It Means
The virus remains an electoral wildcard. It’s just not knowable what things will look like in two months when people line up at polling places.
But right now, there’s a clear migration of hotspots away from the bigger cities which felt the brunt of COVID in the initial phase.
The weekly analytics (see it here) show St. Louis and Kansas City with virus reproduction rates below the critical 1 level, while everywhere else they’re above.
This is consistent with the state’s “dashboard.” (See it here). Places which had hardly any cases during the early summer are now confronting the virus. Nodaway County has added nearly 100 cases in the last week, St. Francois County is nearing the 1,000-case mark.
Also
The statewide markers are making little to no progress. Hospitalizations are stuck around the 900 level and the 7-day percent positivity is elevated. The most recent number is 12.1%
AG Gets Consent Order on Ticket Quota Case
Press release: The Missouri Attorney General’s Office announced today that the Office has reached a settlement with the City of Marshfield after the Office sued the city for allegedly enforcing a traffic ticket quota. The consent judgment, which provides strong injunctive relief, was signed and entered by the judge yesterday afternoon… As part of the consent judgment, the City of Marshfield “concedes that actions taken could be construed as having a policy requiring or encourage employees to issue a certain number of citations for traffic violations.”
Dems OK With Biden Connection?
The usual Missouri GOP play is to tie state Dems to national Dems. The national party is farther to the left, and seemingly out-of-touch with midwestern values.
But one me sent me this contrary opinion: Wanted to just send this along… I saw a very reputable private statewide poll taken this week that showed Biden down one versus Trump (Trump 48-47)…. [Republicans] running ads linking Nicole to Biden — and could basically be helping the Auditor… It also speaks to the larger point that the GOP's slash and burn law and order campaign isn't right for this moment — and that Biden and Dems' message is stronger here than most people assume.
Thomas at White House
Pat Thomas, Lincoln Hough’s chief of staff, was among the Missourians at President Donald Trump’s acceptance speech last night. See a picture here.
Meanwhile
Kevin Gunn, who’s treasurer to pro-Nicole Galloway PAC Keep Government Accountable, reacts to the convention-at-the-White House scene last night. See it here.
When I was a Chief of Staff for a Congressman, I carried two phones so I would not do anything remotely personal or political on government property. There are like 100 people, including Ivanka, who are currently violating federal law.
August 28
Today is the day most bills (those without an emergency clause) from regular session signed into law by Governor Mike Parson become effective.
Lobbyists Registration
Tracy King deleted EMD Serono Inc c/o Multistate Associates Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
The 1821 PAC - $25,000 from RightCHOICE Managed Care, Inc.
The 1821 PAC - $7,500 from Gamma HealthCare Inc.
Uniting Missouri PAC - $15,000 from Roy Pfautch.
Freedom's Promise PAC - $24,000 from Missouri Senate Campaign Committee.
A Better Missouri Political Action Committee - $45,000 from Anheuser-Busch Cos.
Friends Of Jeff Shawan - $17,500 from Jeff Shawan.
Missourians for Healthcare - $5,473 from Missouri Rural Crisis Center.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Shamed Dogan, John Diehl, and Percy Green II.