MOScout Daily Update: Candidates Do Vegas - Kehoe Fund-rager - More Ed Freedom Pledgers - Schmitt & Jan 6 - Fearing the 1st Snow and more...
Candidates Head to Las Vegas
I’m told that Vegas is the place to catch US Senate candidates Congressman Billy Long, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Governor Eric Greitens this weekend.
They’ll be at the Republican Jewish Council’s Annual Leadership Meeting.
Kehoe Fund-rager?
Tipster on Wednesday night’s Mike Kehoe fundraiser (see the invite here, lots of big GOP names) in the St. Louis suburbs… “The event was literally broken up by Town and Country police, who said there were way too many cars parked on the street…”
More Sign Ed Freedom Pledge
More Missouri legislators signed the “Education Freedom Pledge” bringing the total now to 16 elected – all Republicans. See it here.
New signees of note…
· Rep. Shamed Dogan, running for St. Louis County Executive.
· Rep. David Gregory, running for state auditor.
· Rep. John Wiemann, running for St. Charles senate seat.
Schmitt and Jan 6
If you’re going to run Trumpy, you’re probably going to have to deal with the whole storming-the-capitol-to-stop-the-peaceful-transfer-of-power thing…
· Rolling Stone reports that “top allies of Donald Trump are putting together a legal fund to support rally organizers who’ve been subpoenaed as part of Congress’ investigation into the attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to multiple people familiar with the effort…. The money would pay for counsel from the law firm of former acting attorney general Matt Whitaker.” According to LinkedIn, Whitaker is now at Graves Garrett, after doing a stint at Axiom Strategies. Whitaker endorsed AG Eric Schmitt, and Axiom’s Schmitt’s consultant.
· Elad Gross, for Democratic AG candidate, filed suit earlier this week claiming that Schmitt’s office is violating Missouri's Sunshine Law by repeatedly stonewalling and delay his FOIA requests for communication with the planners of January 6.
But… maybe Schmitt should go full-Trump and embrace it. According to MOScout/Remington Research polling from last month, two-thirds of Republicans oppose “prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law” protesters who entered the capitol on January 6.
Q1: Do you think protesters who entered the capitol on January 6 should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law?
Strongly agree: 12% (38% of all Missourians)
Somewhat agree: 16% (11%)
Somewhat disagree: 38% (27%)
Strongly disagree: 29% (19%)
Not sure: 5% (5%)
MODoT Short Staffed
News Tribune reports that “more than 60 percent of the Missouri Department of Transportation staff has been replaced in the last four and half years. And the lack of experienced employees has put the department in a bind as the winter season approaches.”
· "The primary issue is pay," McKenna said.
· While everyone will be working winter operations, McKenna said the limited staff won't be enough if there's a statewide snow storm that lasts through more than one shift.
· An average of 3,400 snow plow operators and 1,580 trucks are required for operations to occur around the clock, Roark said, which often results in staff working more than 500,000 labor hours and plowing more than 5 million miles of roadway each year.
· Missouri has the fewest resources per lane mile of the states that get considerable snow, according to the department's report to the commission. As a result, MoDOT staff plow more roadway than drivers in other states. Illinois, for example, spends triple what Missouri does on winter weather treatment and has triple the resources dedicated to clearing roadways.
New Committees
Cindy Berne formed a candidate committee (Berne For Missouri) to run for House 106 as a Democrat. The seat is represented by Republican Rep. Adam Schwadron. Berne lost to Schwadron in 2020 51%-48%.
Justin Hicks formed a candidate committee (Hicks for Missouri) to run for House 108 as a Republican. Rep. Justin Hill is term limited. Hicks works at the AG’s office.
Great Northwest PAC was formed. Its treasurer is Amber Watson.
Upward Missouri PAC was formed. Its treasurer is Melissa Largent.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $6,000 from NextEra Energy Project Management LLC.
A Better Missouri Political Action Committee - $5,114 from Anheuser-Busch Cos.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $7,500 from Enterprise Holdings, Inc. PAC.
Lobbyists Registrations
Andy Blunt added NOMI Health.
Scott Penman and Kaycee Nail added Missouri Land Title Association.
Jacqueline Bardgett, John Bardgett, Chris Roepe Erika Leonard, and Mark Habbas added Innocence Project.
Jacqueline Bardgett, John Bardgett, Chris Roepe, and Erika Leonard added Missouri Burglar & Fire Alarm Association.
Jacqueline Bardgett, John Bardgett, and Chris Roepe deleted ESA of Missouri.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Cora Faith Walker, Becky Willard, Angie Postal, Aaron Jeffries, and Brad Ketcher.