MOScout Daily Update: Post-Roe MO - Wood's New Gig - Pro Teams Back Sports Betting IPs - Matthiesen Forms Committee - Mack PAC and more...

Post-Roe MO

Axios reports on several case coming before the US Supreme Court which open the possibility of a “post-Roe” landscape.  In that scenario, Missouri is one of 12 states in which abortion would be effectively outlawed.  Read it here.

The Supreme Court on Dec. 1 will hear a challenge to a Mississippi law that bans nearly all abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy.

Why it matters: The Mississippi attorney general is asking the court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that set a precedent for the constitutional right to abortion.  It will be the first abortion case argued before the court since conservatives received a 6-3 majority with Justice Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation.

Why It Matters

It would achieve one of the MO GOP’s central goals, and certainly be cause for great rejoicing among the Republican rank-and-file.  But… while Dems would gnash their teeth, it would – politically – probably be very news for MO Dems…

·         Abortion has remained one of only two (the being guns) big unifying issues among the fraying MO Republican Party. 

·         It would remove an issue that has defined the “cultural” difference between rural red Missourah and blue urban Missouri.

·         It might incite a backlash against Republicans – particularly where they are most vulnerable – suburbs and educated women.

Wood’s New Gig

On Facebook, former Rep. David Wood announced: On Monday I will be starting a new job as the Legislative Liason for the Missouri State Tax Commission.  I am looking forward to getting back to work and I am excited about this opportunity.

·         After leaving the legislature in 2020, Wood was briefly the director of the Division of Children's Services.

Pro Teams Behind Betting Push

Post-Dispatch reports that it the professional sports teams which are behind the initiative petitions to legalized sports wagering in Missouri.  Read it here.

With Missouri lawmakers unable to find common ground on a significant expansion of gambling in recent years, four of the state’s professional sports teams are attempting to go straight to the voters to legalize betting on their games and others.

Jefferson City attorney Alixandra Cossette filed nine proposed ballot initiatives Wednesday on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis City soccer club and Kansas City Royals.

·         Not on the list of backers… Kansas City Chiefs.  Chiefs’ JCity lobbyists: Rich AuBuchon, James Durham, and Jennifer Durham.

Matthiesen Plots Return

Former Rep. Mark Matthiesen has formed a campaign committee to run for state representative again.

Matthiesen lost a squeaker in 2018 against Dem Paula Brown.  A mere 111 votes separated them.  That was in House 70.

Now he’s eying House 102, where Republican Rep. Ron Hicks is term limited.

Of course, all these district lines (and some numbers too!!) will change in the coming months when we get new redistricted maps.

·         Mike Sommer – husband to former Rep. Chrissy Sommer – is Matthiesen’s treasurer.

PAC for Ian Mack

Rep. Ian Mackey now has an independent expenditure PAC.  Mack PAC was formed last week.  See the paperwork here.  Its treasurer is Sally Lankford.  IE PACs allow politicians to acceot contributions greater than the limits imposed on candidate committees, but they can’t direct how the money is used.  The expenditures must be independent of the candidate.

·         The creation of an IE PAC is often an indication that the candidate is mulling higher office where more resources are important to a campaign.

(I will update the MOScout IE PAC list later this week.)

Wieland for Ruth Replacement

Terri Wieland, wife of Sen. Paul Wieland, is serving as treasurer for Ann Moloney.  Moloney is running for state representative in House 114 – where Rep. Becky Ruth is term limited.

Having the Wieland name on the committee serves as nice subtle endorsement of Moloney.

See a Missouri Times article on Moloney here.  It says that Axiom is her consultant.

New Committees

Alyssa Dial formed a candidate committee (Dial for Missouri) to run for House 8 (Railsback district) as a Democrat.

$5K+ Contributions

MO Majority PAC LLC - $20,000 from Torch Electronics.

Uniting Missouri PAC - $15,000 from Mike and Gina Bernard.

Uniting Missouri PAC - $20,000 from Martin Grain Company Inc.

Uniting Missouri PAC - $25,000 from Lawrence Gateway LLC.

Uniting Missouri PAC - $25,000 from Baker Implement Company.

MO Insurance Coalition PAC - $7,000 from Ace American Insurance Co.

Electrical Workers Voluntary Political Education & Legislative Funds - Missouri - $21,648 from IBEW Local One 5850 Elizabeth Avenue.