MOScout Daily Update: Sinquefield Shakeup - DSS Changes Child Care Support - Hancock Adds Kelly - Waiting on the House and more...

Sinquefield Splits With Brown

A statement from Sinquefield spokesperson Mark Niebling attributable to Rex Sinquefield:

“As of September 1, 2020, Travis Brown, his firm Pelopidas and its associated entities no longer represent me. My vision is still to support activities that will help improve our state and our city.”

What It Means

First and foremost, the statement says that Sinquefield intends to continue to support his agenda.

But the dissolution of the Sinquefield-Brown team is a bombshell in the world of Missouri politics.  Brown and Sinquefield have been linked for over a dozen years.  Since Sinquefield, 76, returned to his native Missouri in 2006 and became active on the political scene, Brown has been his go-to guy.  Brown’s firm, Pelopidas, handled Sinquefield’s Jefferson City and St. Louis agenda.

In addition to Sinquefield’s considerable philanthropic endeavors, a seemingly octopus of organizations was created (Show Me Institute, Grow Missouri, Great St. Louis, Missouri Club for Growth, TeachGreat.org, Let Voters Decide, Missourians for Excellence in Government) to pursue Sinquefield’s free-market agenda.

Sinquefield was particularly focused on lowering the income tax – both at the state and city-level – as well as injecting competition into the educational system.  But his pro-market beliefs could take his attention away from those core goals.  For example, the recent foray into privatizing the city’s airport generated controversy.

Detractors of Brown’s in Jefferson City have often said that Sinquefield should have had more successes, given the amount of money he’d spent. These criticisms found their way into various press reports over the years.

·         Virginia Young’s 2010 article: “Sinquefield not discouraged with return on his political efforts”

·         Barbara Shelly’s 2014 article: “Rex Sinquefield, patron saint of lost causes?” 

The big question: Who now will Sinquefield depend on for political guidance and strategic counsel?

Sinquefield Contributions: $52M+

Over $52 million.  That’s what shows up on the Missouri Ethics Commission “large contributions” database for campaign contributions from Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield.  These would not include smaller contributions, federal contributions, and non-political contributions to ancillary organizations.

2008 - $150,000

2009 - $620,000

2010 - $12,150,000

2011 - $2,250,000

2012 - $5,180,000

2013 - $3,865,000

2014 - $10,450,000

2015 - $190,000

2016 - $10,460,000

2017 - $440,000

2018 - $2,750,000

2019 - $2,400,000

2020 - $1,100,000

WWTHD?  (What Will The House Do?)

The expectation is that we’ll get some clarity from House leadership about how they plan to proceed (or not proceed) with the jurisdiction bill which the Senate passed last week.

Look for some indication by the end of the week.

Veto Session is next week, so it’d make sense that the House would act (or not act) on the bill at that time.

·         One reader reminds me that it’s “worth noting that the last time the Senate PQ'd a bill, SJR39 (Onder), everyone assumed that the House would have to pass it due to political pressure. It died in a committee chaired by Elijah Haahr, who had much more to lose at that time than he does now…”

DSS Child Care Support Change

It its latest newsletter, Aligned (see their website here) sounds alarm bells about a change child care support.  

The Department of Social Services announced Wednesday that it was reverting back to pre-pandemic support for child care. The announcement may force child care providers to stop offering services to working families receiving benefits under the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program, loosen compliance with CDC-recommended health and safety guidelines or some combination of these actions.

The announcement comes two weeks after Governor Mike Parson visited child care providers across the state in an effort to highlight the need of children having a safe, quality place to be while families return to work. An August 18th statement from the Governor's official facebook page indicated the importance of the relief in ensuring child care is available to working families. 

Aligned is concerned about the impact this will have on the larger economy, both now and beyond the pandemic, as less child care options will be available to support Missouri's working families.

We worry not only about the immediate impact the decision will have on working families who rely on the program so parents can work but also the long-term implications of whether child care providers will be around to serve families beyond the pandemic….

Hancock Adds Keller

Columbia Daily Tribune’s Rudi Keller tweeted that he’d soon be joining the new non-profit news sources being headed up by Jason Hancock.  “He'll do the ass-kicking, I'll take the names.”

What It Means

They’ll be a formidable team.  Hancock appears to be assembling a team of fearless journalists. 

RFQ for Community COVID Testing

The state issued a request of quotes for “end-to-end community-based COVID-19 testing events.”  See it here.

As a result of the Federal Proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak and the Governor’s Executive Orders 20-02 and 20-04 declaring a State of Emergency in response to COVID-19, this procurement is being conducted under emergency procurement authority in accordance with section 34.045 RSMo. 

The State of Missouri desires to establish contracts with vendors to conduct end-to-end community-based COVID-19 testing events for the duration of the contract period…

For purposes of this document, end-to-end testing shall include but not be limited to the entire testing process from registering individuals for testing, securing logistics of collection event, collection of specimens, testing of specimens, reporting to the requesting entity and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and notifying individuals of their results.

Community-Based testing in this context is COVID-19 testing provided free of charge to any Missouri resident desiring the testing event, without collection of insurance information or any fee from the individual tested. The requesting entity may place restrictions on the testing opportunity based on the residency of the individual desiring testing….

Cleaning Out the Inbox From the Long Weekend

·         The Appellate Judicial Commission, announced its panel of nominees to fill the vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. The nominees are Kelly C. Broniec, Kathleen S.

·         Hamilton and Michael W. Noble.

·         Governor Mike Parson announced three county office appointments.  Karlin Breshears was appointed as Saline County Auditor; Kathryn L. Smith was appointed as Warren County Assessor; and Marsha Wombe was appointed as Iron County Clerk.

·         In light of the COVID-19 crisis, Governor Mike Parson has signed Executive Order 20-14 to continue supporting remote notary services. The Executive Order suspends any personal appearance requirement for certain acts.

Tweet of the Weekend

This tweet got pass around over the long weekend.  See it here.  There’s a lot to unpack here, might require multiple viewings.

$5K+ Contributions

A Stronger Missouri - $1,600,000 from Keep Government Accountable.

Keep Government Accountable - $20,000 from Dollar Burns & Becker LC.

Jasper County Republican Central Committee - $7,300 from Diane Volk.

Page PAC - $7,500 from Anheuser Busch Companies.

Lobbyists Registrations

Heath Clarkston, Doug Nelson, and Kurt Schaefer added Corizon Health LLC, and Bristol Care Inc.; and deleted Civicsource, MCM Company Inc, Beachner Brothers, and US Chamber of Commerce.

Dawn Nicklas deleted Humane Society Legislative Fund of the Midwest and its Affiliates.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Megan Price and John Quinn.