MOScout Daily Update: Tilley Hires Brown - Rowden Ad - Fitz Fundy - Schroer Case and more...
Tilley Hires Brown
Steven Tilley announced that his firm, Strategic Capitol Consulting, was hiring Travis Brown and Tracy King.
Travis will help grow SCC’s footprint nationally and in Washington. He has over 20 years of experience and government affairs experience in almost half of the 50 states. Prior to joining SCC, Travis founded government affairs and lobbying firm First Rule…
Tracy will focus on tax issues, economic development, local government, and education. She brings extensive experience in issue advocacy and legislative initiatives on topics such as tax, budget policy, economic development, education, transportation, energy and tort reform. In 2014 and 2018, King was the lead lobbyist helping secure the passage of millions of dollars of tax relief for Missouri citizens and businesses, which were the first tax cuts. Previously, Tracy was the Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and lobbyist for the Gate Way Group...
What It Means
This appears to confirm that Pelopidas’ lobbying practice is essentially shutting down with principal taking a job with another firm. I have not been able to confirm rumors that Brown told his employees this in an email, but that’s the practical implication of this news. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a shuttering and winding down of the entire Pelopidas apparatus and its various related organizations and projects.
· King is a well-known presence in the hallways and brings strong skills to Tilley’s burgeoning client base.
· Brown, on the other hand, actually hasn’t really worked the hallways in a day-to-day manner in many years. So folks I spoke to think it makes sense that Jefferson City wouldn’t be his domain. Brown and Tilley have a long friendship. Some view the hiring as a testament to Tilley’s characteristic loyalty more than a business decision.
And
Republicans are expressing varying degrees of concern to me about financial support from Rex Sinquefield. Some have told me everything is copacetic; others are not so sure. David Humphreys had already turned off the spigot, and now turmoil in RexLand is adding to jitters.
One prominent Republicans says, “Travis and his team had made a ton of financial commitments… No one seems to know who will control the purse strings… [Rex] seems to be aware of his commitment to Parson, and they are still communicating. If you have a relationship with Rex, you might be ok. If your relationship was only with Travis or a member of his team, you probably aren't. Very few people actually have a relationship with Rex.”
Senate 19: Rowden Ad
Sen. Caleb Rowden, running in a moderate Senate district, unveiled his first TV ad. See it here.
One MOScouter: Tough being a Republican running in Boone County this year. Notice not wrapping himself in Trump...far from it. “Working together...”
Fitz Fundy
MOScout tipster: Last night at Metropolitan Grill in Springfield, Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick had his first in-person fundraiser since the pandemic hit. Hosted by RNC Committeman Gordon Kinne, the event attracted a nice mix of party stalwarts and new faces, despite competing against the 7th CD reorganization meeting and the Chiefs opener (which Fitz presumably rushed home to catch). The irrepressible Kinne, a Billy Long confidante first drawn to politics nearly a half century ago by a young gubernatorial candidate named Kit Bond, placed the Treasurer squarely in that tradition, praising Fitzpatrick's entrepreneurial background, good-government impulses, and youthful appeal.
In a brief stump speech, Fitzpatrick talked about entering politics after becoming frustrated with government inefficiency as a small businessman, and noted his unglamourous, behind-the-scenes efforts to make government work better and save taxpayer money.
He spent about a quarter of his speech talking up other Republican candidates, but mentioned building support to pass legislation enabling him to juggle State funds to provide timely tax refunds, as well as getting different State agencies to cross-reference databases of unclaimed property and unpaid child support recipients -- resulting in the distribution of millions of dollars to families in need.
Guests enjoyed cocktails and noshed on crispy baby spinach and steak tips, although the newly-trim Treasurer, down 30 pounds since the pandemic began, abstained.
Schroer Case Gets More Complicated?
Kyle Garner on Twitter hinted that the case concerning Rep. Nick Schroer’s residency may be getting more complicated. See it here: Hearing Schroer gets to pick his poison: Did he commit felony voter fraud in lying about his primary residence being an old lady's basement or did he commit felony mortgage fraud in lying on a loan that his Defiance mansion is his primary residence? #moleg
It appears that as Dems dig into the case, they’re trying to find every document they can to undermine the notion that Schroer really is a resident at his friend’s house as he claims.
Trickle Down Leadership
As Columbia deals with the spiking number of COVID cases, they’re grappling with what tools are available to the local health department to compel the university to implement new procedures. See a clip of the council meeting here.
· One building denizen’s take: Parson’s strategy of no one being responsible for anything has filtered down to the local level.
Revenues Remain Strong
September state tax receipts has continued to show strength. As of the close of business Wednesday, they were up 59% so far this month, powered entirely by increases in the individual income tax, even as sale tax collection was weak.
The guess is that as the pandemic aid recedes revenues will drop. But so far fiscal year to date, revenues are $822 million ahead of last year. That’s a very strong cushion.
eMailbag on Moon
People get all worried about this Senator or that Senator holding something up, but in reality that's more of a cop out for lobbyists to tell their clients or for Majority party leadership to tell the rank and file when they don't won't to bring a crazy bill to the floor. Actual holding up a bill on the Senate floor takes a lot of effort... Real, physical, exertion, in addition to the psychological and political tolls taken by pissing people off all the time.
eMailbag on Jurisdiction Bill
· Still no decision on if they will take up concurrent jurisdiction. Plenty of reps do not want to vote on it.
· If the house planned to pass dual jurisdiction, they would’ve already done so…
eMailbag: Latest Galloway Ads
· None of the Nicole Galloway ads say “vote for me” or “I’m running for governor” – you have to be really paying attention to know that she is RUNNING for governor.
· [15-second commercials are] a waste of money because of the cost. It’s not 50% less than a 30 second ad for starters. Production costs are nearly the same too. And good TV ads cost a lot of money to produce. Also in focus groups they universally say they are too short…
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Leadership Forum - $15,000 from The Larson Group, Inc.
Midwest Region Laborers' Political League Education Fund - $7,574 from Laborers Supplemental Dues Fund.
Lobbyists Registrations
Jeff Smith added Missouri Appleseed.
Jim Moody added Great Circle; and deleted Boys & Girls Club Alliance, and Tri County Lodging Association.
Tom Dempsey deleted St. Louis Science Center Foundation.
Brent Hemphill deleted Gate Way Group.
Julie Riddle deleted United Way of Greater Kansas City.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to TJ Berry and A.J. Bockelman.