MOScout Daily Update: Viral Machine Smashing Video - Trump Endorsement Concern - Al Watkins Landlord Dispute and more...
Rudi Goes Viral
Yesterday afternoon Rudi Keller tweeted a video of a state-sanctioned destruction of illegal gaming machines. It showed a backhoe smashing the machines one by one, splintering them each in one effortless motion.
As of my writing this morning the video had been viewed approximately 189,000 times.
What It Means
It’s one more example that Missouri Independent solidified itself as one of the go-to news sources in Missouri.
As MOIndy editor Jason Hancock tweeted (after the news organization won 9 awards): “The other number I'm excited about is 91. That's how many times in [September] our work was republished by news orgs all around Missouri.” They’re becoming a mini-AP for Missouri.
Politico on Trump Endorsement Process
Politico writes about the unpredictability factor in Donald Trump’s endorsement “process.” Missouri (and Eric Greitens) gets a mention. It’s no secret that Congressman Billy Long covets Trump’s endorsement (as does Congressman Jason Smith in the wings). Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler and Attorney General Eric Schmitt would of course learn to do backflips and bellyflops if they thought it would lasso Trump’s nod, but both seem be plotting a path to victory under the assumption that Trump stays neutral. And then there’s Greitens who’s cozying up to every color character in the Trump orbit (Bannon, Giuliani etc).
Read the Politico article here.
· It’s no secret that Trump’s endorsements have been impulsive, and it looks like he jumped the gun again by giving an early nod to SEAN PARNELL in the open Pennsylvania Senate race. Republicans we talked to in Washington and Trump-world are clearly worried since the news broke this week that Parnell requested a gag order on his estranged wife LAURIE and her lawyer during their custody battle. Shortly after Trump endorsed Parnell in September, rival JEFF BARTOS revealed that Parnell’s wife filed two protective orders against him in 2017 and 2018. Both were expunged, but some Republicans worry that there may be more shoes to drop.
· It’s happened over and over: Trump endorses a seriously flawed candidate early in the primary race, even though he’s been accused of domestic abuse already — in the case of HERSCHEL WALKER in Georgia — or faces such allegations soon after, in the case of MAX MILLER in Ohio. Miller and Walker deny the accusations. There’s also ERIC GREITENS in Missouri, who Trump hasn’t endorsed but has a team stacked with former Trump staffers and loyalists, including KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE.
· People close to Trump say the problem is two-fold: He’s not putting enough money into his vetting operation, and he ultimately does whatever he wants. Trump also seems to think that other politicians share his “Teflon Don” ability to shed scandal.
· Trump’s team said they did a full vetting of Parnell, including a criminal background check, but added that divorce issues wouldn’t surface in such a check because of the privacy of those records. An operative on an opponent’s team, however, said they discovered the protective orders within three days. “They make hasty decisions that are not thought out or well researched,” said a source in Trump-world. “All it does is confirm lessons that we’ve known all along: that no one is in control.”
Al Watkins Watch
St. Louis Business Journal’s Jacob Kirn delivers that latest Al Watkins bit. Read it here.
· The law firm of Al Watkins, the St. Louis attorney who's taken on high-profile cases, including that of the gun-waving McCloskeys, has agreed to a $338,000 consent judgment over unpaid rent on office space in downtown Clayton.
· Watkins now practices law via a new entity, Watkins LLC, which has its office at 1200 S. Big Bend Blvd.
· Although the case was settled in court, Watkins, in a statement, described the situation as more downsizing than dispute. He said the Kodner Watkins firm, like the legal industry in general, adjusted to working remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic, and therefore decided to end its sublease early. He said the firm "was collaborative and in routine contact with Jackson Lewis during Covid."
Help Wanted
PROMO seeks Executive Director. “The Executive Director is the face of the organization, ensuring PROMO is seen as a trusted partner and expert in LGBTQ+ policy, with an emphasis on developing and maintaining relationships with key community leaders, organizational partners, elected officials, and businesses. We are seeking a visionary leader, someone passionate about our mission, who can reach across differences that might ordinarily divide our community, and who can build trust and understanding with others. Our Executive Director will communicate our vision and importance of the work we are doing in order to inspire people to join us in this work.”
Lobbyists Registrations
Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, Tracy King, Brittany Hyatt Robbins, and Garrett Webb added Apple Investment Group.
William Shoehigh added Accela, Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $20,000 from AGC of MO PAC.
Missouri's Energy Future PAC - $10,000 from Ameren Missouri.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays Emily Wright and Pat Conway.