MOScout Daily Update: Parson Released First Ad - Dem Memo on MMJ - Veto Session Preview and more...

Parson Campaign Releases First TV Ad

Governor Mike Parson’s candidate committee released its first TV ad.  See it here. 

It’s entitled “Quarterback,” and features the wife of Rep. Jeff Shawan extolling Parson’s response to the COVID crisis.

Parson is all masked up in the commercial.

What It Means

While the Uniting Missouri PAC ads have been focusing on crime and attacking Nicole Galloway, this is a softer touch – defending Parson’s leadership during the crisis.

Dems on MMJ: J’accuse!

An “internal document” of House Dems was circulating yesterday.  It compiles various documents that the Special Committee on Government Oversight has received as it’s investigated the process of awarding medical marijuana licenses.  And it raises questions, though I didn’t see any “smoking gun” on wrongdoing.  I’ve uploaded it here.  You can see for yourself. 

Here are links to the Post-Dispatch and KC Star coverage.

What It Means

While this memo points a finger at Governor Mike Parson, the larger probe and skepticism of the licensing process has been bipartisan. 

One should expect the investigations to continue next year – regardless of the outcome of November’s election.

Driving Tomorrow: Veto Session

It seems unlikely that the legislature will attempt an override.

As a refresher, here are the governor’s veto letters on SB 718 and HB 1854.  Given the precarious state of the economy, one would expect his line item budget vetoes to hold as well.

Meanwhile the House GOP is expected to caucus about HB 2, to which the Senate added the jurisdiction language. 

One lobbyist, in response to my writing that Speaker Elijah Haahr holds all the cards, sees no push for passage.  “I would say the Elijah does not hold all the cards. He holds one of 163 and will do what it appears all of his caucus members are telling him. They have no interest in concurrent jurisdiction and the gov does not need that to pass for this special session to help Missourians. Elijah, Parson and Missouri can all win. “

No COVID Death Spike

One reader notes the lack of deaths as a reason not to fear the spread of coronavirus.  “The continued breathless announcements of rising cases that are not accompanied by increasing… deaths only demonstrate that the breathless reporting of those increased cases is political, not health-related. The consequence is that the Governor’s current policies will be rewarded at the ballot box because he did not panic. Rural Missouri doesn’t panic like the metro areas.”

It's true that while cases and hospitalizations both continue to climb, deaths have remained largely stable. 

I’m not sure that deaths versus hospitalizations will make a “political” difference to rural Missourians.  I guess we’ll see.

Meanwhile

News Tribune reports that “a ‘small cluster of cases’ of COVID-19 in offices at the Harry S Truman State Office Building in Jefferson City has prompted employee testing and the temporary closure of the affected area within the building, according to the state's Office of Administration… The department implemented a box-in containment strategy recommended by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and DHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams…”

On the Budget Front

For budget watchers hoping that there’s another federal coronavirus aid package, Bloomberg reports that a “50-member group of House Democrats and Republicans will release a $1.52 trillion coronavirus stimulus plan Tuesday in a long-shot attempt to break a months-long deadlock on providing relief to the pandemic-battered U.S. economy. The Problem Solvers Caucus plan, to be announced at an 11 a.m. news conference, has been developed for weeks with the knowledge of the White House and leadership from both parties… Nonetheless, the track record of bipartisan groupings of moderates in either the House or Senate to broker major deals has not been great.”

Events Today

There are tons of events as Jefferson City fills up for Veto Session.  Here are a few that made their way to my in-box…

2:30-4PM at REALTORS (100 E. High): Rep-elect Darrell Atchison, Reps. Hardy Billington, Steve Helms, Mike McGirl, Dan Stacy, and Wayne Wallingford.

3-5PM at Gateway Government Relations (903 West High): Outdoor Happy Hour.

5-6PM at Bar Vino (204 E. High): Reps. Cody Smith and Dan Houx.

Tomorrow morning, 7:30 – 9AM at REALTORS (100 E. High Street): Sen-elect Holly Rehder.

$5K+ Contributions

Magellan Midstream Holdings Federal PAC – Missouri - $11,000 from Magellan Midstream Holdings GP LLC Political Action Committee.

Together KC - $61,000 from KC Forward Progress.

Missouri Democratic State Committee - $25,550 from Operating Engineers Local 101 Political Fund.

Truth in Campaigns - $20,000 from Gregory N Johnston.

Citizens to Elect Charles Blair for Sheriff - $10,000 from Charles Blair.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Holly Rehder.