MOScout Daily Update: Greitens Grilled - More on FRA Stall - SB 12 Flounders - Apple Hires Lobbyists and more....

Greitens Grilled

Chatter about the Missouri Senate Republican primary continues to captivate.  Yesterday, the hot item was an Eric Greitens interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.  Greitens was raked over hot coals for his various scandals.  Listen to it here.

Greitens relentlessly repeated carefully crafted phrases, refusing to give a straight answer.  It makes the interview painful as Hewitt was equally relentless in repeating the questions, and pressing Greitens.

What It Means

First, Greitens has very diligently rehearsed his talking point to explain his various scandals.  In most interviews his talk about being “fully exonerated” will go unchallenged.

Second, the resistance to a Greitens candidacy is not limited to establishment Republicans. Hewitt’s aggressive interview shows there are Trump Republicans who see him as a flawed candidate that could jeopardize the seat.

More MOSen Talk

·         Tipster: Schmitt meet with Sen. Mitch McConnell Tuesday in Washington DC.

·         One lobbyist sees an impact in the building…  Senators who might run for newly open congressional seats are starting to eye each other as potential competitors.  This could come into play over “tough” votes during session.

·         Elad Gross threw all the Greitens scandal documents onto a website: StopGreitens.com.

And

I found this fascinating.  One politico offered his odds on various folks jumping in.  He sees 2-4 more “legitimate” candidates in the race.

Ann Wagner 60%

Jason Smith 50%

Vicky Hartzler 50%

John Brunner 40%

Scott Fitzpatrick 40%

Billy Long 25%

Other 50%

Driving the Day: House Hearings

·         At 8AM, the House Budget Committee will begin finishing the budget and voting it out of committee.  That will be center ring next week on the House floor.

·         Also at 8AM, Rep. Dan Shaul bangs the gavel on the Special Committee on Redistricting.  This will be an informational meeting.  But they’ve scheduled specific hearings for each congressional district.  The data to actually start drawing the lines is still months away.

Senate Fails to Advance Emergency Powers Bill

After hours and hours of debate, the Senate failed to perfect Sen. Bob Onder’s SB 12.  The bill would have reined in the emergency powers of local authorities.

The bill rolled up seven different bills on the heels of criticism that local municipalities, St. Louis County in particular, were overzealous in their restrictions during the COVID crisis.

Around 1:30AM, the perfection vote was taken.

YEAS (11): Brattin, Burlison, Eigel, Hegeman, Koenig, Luetkemeyer, Moon, Onder, Rowden, Schatz, and Wieland.

NAYS (19) : Arthur, Bean, Beck, Bernskoetter, Brown, Cierpiot, Crawford, Eslinger, Gannon, Hough, May, Mosley, Razer, Rizzo, Roberts, Schupp, Washington, White, and Williams.

Absent (4): Hoskins, O’Laughlin, Rehder, and Riddle.

More on Stalled FRA

·         One reader points out that that “Wieland amendment would also prevent paying for IUD’s as they may make it harder for a fertilized egg to implant in the uterus.”

·         And MOIndy reports that the amendment “could endanger the state’s entire Medicaid program by eliminating a health care service required by federal law.”

·         I wonder if Republicans thought that Dems would filibuster the amendment, and were surprised by the quick vote on it.  Dems, perhaps, figured that Republicans are the governing party and why should they help with a problem of the GOP’s own creation.

Springfield School Board Race

A few years ago there was an anonymous texting campaign hitting Jeff City.  Something similar appears to be occurring in the Springfield School Board race.

Springfield News Leader reports: Anonymous texts alleging two Springfield school board candidates supported "Critical Race Theory" and "drag queen values" were sent Tuesday, immediately raising questions about who was behind the campaign-related message…

No one signed the message and there was no "paid for by" information, which is required of any campaign material. The cell phone numbers associated with the text go to an automated message with no identifying details…

Gamble & Schleigh Add Apple

In the lobbyists registrations (below), Gamble & Schlemeier added Apple as a client.  It doesn’t appear that there’s a particular issue at stake for the tech company with a 2-trillion dollar market cap.  Instead, perhaps they’re just establishing “eyes and ears” in Missouri.

FYI

Facebook is represented by: Amy Blunt, Andy Blunt, and Ginger Steinmetz.

Google is represented by: Richard Brownlee.

Amazon is represented by: Tom Dempsey, Dave Berry, Travis Brown, and Tracy King.

eMailbag on Kehoe Announcement

Noticed your e-mail bag on Governors race. I don’t view Kehoe vs Ashcroft as Hail Mary. His decision to run for gov is a logical explanation for not running for US Senate, and indicative of what we’ve all heard in the building, his supporters and donors feel he is best suited to remain in Missouri and serve in the future in a state capacity

eMailbag on a Likely Nasty Senate Race

Schmitt and anyone else in the Mo Senate race better hope they don't have any skeletons in their personal closet because 1) Greitens doesn't have a conscience and 2) he'll make it an issue when his personal life comes under attack...

Lobbyists Registrations

Gamble & Schlemeier added Apple Inc.

Richard McIntosh, John Gaskin, and David McCracken added Rush Street Interactive LP.

Jared Holt added The Home Depot.

Jerry Hobbs added American Federation For Children.

Trent Watson added Emerest.

$5K+ Contributions

Together KC - $10,000 from Kansas City Chiefs Football Club.

One St Louis PAC (Pro-Lewis Reed) - $15,000 from CHIPP Political Account.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays Rep. Chris Sander, Jason Holsman, Erica Choinka, Saundra McDowell, Doug Libla, Robert Cornejo, and Mark Matthiesen.