MOScout Daily Update: New Schmitt Ad - New CLEAN Ad - New Parson Ad - Wood Out at Childrens and more...
Election Day is five weeks away. Lots of ad buys starting today….
Schmitt: MO’s Tough on Crime AG
Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s ad opens with scenes from a protest. “The Defund the Police movement is a real threat to public safety…” See the ad here.
The ad touts Schmitt’s “Safer Streets Initiative” and ends with the tag: Eric Schmitt. Missouri’s tough on crime, law and order, attorney general.
What It Means
Obviously a well-produced on-message ad. But even if it wasn’t Schmitt’s overwhelming cash advantage means his ads will go largely uncontested by Democrat Rich Finneran.
This ad is from the Schmitt campaign. His aligned PAC, MO Opportunity PAC, has millions of dollars as well.
CLEAN’s Anti-CLEANER Ad
The opponents of Amendment 3 (aka “CLEANER”) released their first ad. It opens with a circus scene… See it here.
It’s a circus alright. Jefferson City politicians trying to distract you with an old school sideshow.
Amendment 3 - 5,000 words of smoke and mirrors put on the ballot by politicians.
The truth? Amendment 3 has lobbyist gift loopholes.
And let’s insiders draw legislative districts that protect their favorite politicians.
No wonder judges called it misleading and unfair. Send a message to those clowns.
Vote No to their dirty tricks.
Vote No on Amendment 3.
What I Hear In the Ad
What word gets used three times in the ad? Politicians.
Team Parson’s 1-Min Ad
Also, this morning, Governor Mike Parson is releasing a one-minute biography ad entitled “Started.” See it here.
The ad is narrated by his wife, Teresa.
To think, it all started on a farm.
And as a husband, father, and grandfather, a veteran who proudly served our country, a sheriff who protected our communities, and now as governor — the one thing that doesn't change: Mike Parson works for Missouri.
What It Means
While the governor’s aligned PAC is hammering away at his opponent, the campaign does feel-good: sunrise scenes, strings in the background, life story.
Gov Watch
Governor Mike Parson in a video message said he’s still asymptomatic from his COVID bout. So far, so good….
Wood Leaves Children’s Division
Post-Dispatch reports that Rep. David Wood is out at the Children’s Division after just three months on the job. There are some rumors behind the exit, but nothing confirmed. See the story here.
“I am no longer an employee of the children’s division,” Wood said.
He provided no details of the split, but said he did sign a resignation letter. He was earning an estimated $111,000 annually.
DSS spokeswoman Rebecca Woelfel said Joanie Rogers is now serving as interim director. A spokeswoman for Gov. Mike Parson provided no details.
“We don’t comment on personnel issues,” Kelli Jones said.
The division oversees child abuse and neglect issues, child care licensing, adoption and foster care for children in the state.
KC Star: Don’t Trust MU COVID #s
KCStar reports that there’s mistrust of Mizzou’s COVID case count…
By the numbers, COVID-19 cases at the University of Missouri are down, and that looks good on paper. But it may not reflect reality.
MU and other area universities are not testing students and staff regularly, so officials can’t know how many of them are walking around spreading the coronavirus on campus, and in the surrounding community, infectious disease experts say.
And at MU, only those who show symptoms are told to get a test….
MU maintains that its limited testing works, and it boasts that case numbers are trending down. Yet a White House report released Sept. 20 said Missouri had the fifth highest rate of cases per capita in the country and called for the state’s universities to “dramatically increase testing.”
Lobbyists Registrations
Elizabeth Lauber added Missouri Family Law Reform Coalition (FLRC).
$5K+ Contributions
CLEAN Missouri - $20,000 from RS McNally (Austin TX).
CLEAN Missouri - $25,000 from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 513 Political & Educational Fund.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $10,000 from Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits of Missouri.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $35,000 from Burns McDonnell.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $13,000 from Friends of Phil Christofanelli.
House Democratic Campaign Committee - $25,000 from Citizens for Crystal Quade.
Purple PAC - $10,000 from I.U.O.E. Local 513 Political & Educational Fund.
DougPac - $25,000 from United Association Political Education Missouri Committee - Federal Committee.
DougPac - $10,000 from International Union of Operating Engineers Political & Educational Fund.
MO Opportunity PAC - $25,000 from KBA Investments LLC.
HealthPAC - $5,100 from SWMO Healthcare Committee .
Deere & Company Political Action Committee MO-Federal Committee - $15,000 from Deere & Company PAC (Moline IL).
Home Builders Assoc of Greater KC-PAC - $15,790 from National Association of Home Builders (Washington DC).
MR PAC - $21,000 from Schnuck Markets, Inc.
MSCEW PAC Federal Cmte - $10,000 from IBEW PAC (Washington DC).
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Erin Brower, Brad Jones, Benjamin Terrell, and Lee Ann Pitman.