MOScout Daily Update: More on US Senate Race - Earl to Exit? - Graves Nom To Senate Today? - Hough Says Senate to Re-Add MedEx - Spencer Adds $100K and more....
Be aware… it’s April Fool’s Day…
More on Free-For-All
· I spoke to John Brunner yesterday. The 80% chance I previously assigned to him seems overly aggressive. It may be the inverse (20%). He gave nothing away, but he’s definitely in wait-and-see mode. As a potential self-funder that makes sense. He doesn’t have to pull the trigger in order to start banking contributions. He’ll assess the field when it’s firmer and decide then.
· Despite the current buzz around a possible Ann Wagner candidacy, a few folks think it’s unlikely that she’ll ultimately enter the race. Their thinking: when she makes her final analysis, she’ll find there’s no path to win. She’s the most moderate of the current pack. That’s an almost impossible place from which to win a Republican primary in Missouri – regardless of how many ways its split.
· I’m told that despite the marked decrease in the amount chatter around Billy Long, I should keep his name in the mix. He hasn’t ruled it out.
· And it sounds like Sen. Dave Schatz is more serious about jumping in than his recent off-hand remark indicated. We’ll see….
Rumorville: Earl to Exit?
A rumor going around the building is that Jeffrey Earl, the governor’s Legislative Director, will be leaving after session. No word where he’s headed yet.
Earl is well-liked and well-respected – even among legislators who sometimes grumble about the governor. Before working for the governor, he staffed Auditor Tom Schweich.
Driving the Day: Graves Nomination?
It sounds like the Todd Graves appointment to the University of Missouri Board of Curators could come to the Senate floor today. Graves’ nomination was voted out of Gubernatorial Appointments yesterday after some light, but pointed, questioning from Sens. Mike Moon and Paul Wieland.
We’ll see whether there’s a clutch of senators that want to stand and block the appointment.
· One observer, considering that possibility wondered… “Thursday afternoon is Opening Day for Cardinals and Royals. Does Schatz really want to trap his members in the Senate on Opening Day of the baseball season, when stadiums suites beckon?”
Big Debates on a Small Bill
Sen. Lincoln Hough’s SB 46 became the “vehicle” for debate on some weighty issues. The bill created “the Motor Vehicle Administration Technology Fund, to which 10% of administrative fees charged by motor vehicle dealers shall be remitted for purposes of developing a modernized, integrated system for the titling of vehicles, the issuance and renewal of vehicle registrations, driver's licenses, and identification cards, and the perfection and release of liens and encumbrances on vehicles.” That seems like a smart and non-controversial proposal.
Then Sen. Bill Eigel attached an amendment to prohibit “vaccine passports.” See it here. Vaccine passports are a new idea being floated across the country. In general, the idea is to limit folks who are refusing to get vaccinated against COVID from using public spaces. For conservatives this would transform America into a “show-us-your-papers” society. For liberals, it’s about public health.
The amendment passed mostly along party lines with two surprises: Sen. Mike Moon joined Democrats voting against (perhaps because he felt the amendment was beyond the scope of the bill), and Sen. Karla May joined Republicans.
But before it passed, Sen. Greg Razor attempted to amend the amendment to include an anti-discrimination provision. “[N]o such system, service, or facility shall discriminate against any person based on sexual orientation or gender identity.”
It failed narrowly, 15-16. Republican Sens. Jason Bean, Justin Brown, Dan Hegeman, Lincoln Hough, and Caleb Rowden joined Democrats. The rest of the Republicans voted against, with Sens. Mike Bernskoetter, Tony Luetkemeyer, and Dave Schatz absent.
More on MedEx
As the MedEx-less budget soon moves over to the Senate, a few new developments…
· Springfield News-Leader quotes Senate Appropriations Vice-Chair Lincoln Hough. [H]e'll push to fund the plan, known as Medicaid expansion, reversing the House decision. He said the state doesn't really have a choice in the matter: Missouri voters approved the plan in August and put it in the Constitution, which the legislature must obey. “It’s in the state constitution, the voters approved it and we’re going to find a way to fund it…”
· St. Louis and Kansas City business groups asked legislative leaders to implement Medicaid expansion. See their letter here. Medicaid expansion is a proven job creator. According to a report from Regional Economics Models, Inc. (REMI), Missouri is expected to see an increase of more than 16,000 new jobs each year as a result of Medicaid expansion. That same report projects Missouri will receive a $2.5 billion increase in economic output, a $1.6 billion increase in GDP, and a $1.1 billion increase in personal income.
Spencer Bucks Up for Senate Race
Former Rep. Bryan Spencer added $100,000 to his campaign account yesterday – the final day of the quarter.
Spencer’s campaign committee states he’ll be running for Senate 10. That’s termed Sen. Jeanie Riddle’s seat. But depending on where the lines fall, I would think Spencer might end up in Senate 2 as well. We’ll see…
Curtis Sentenced
Post-Dispatch reports on former Rep. Courtney Curtis being sentenced for misuse of campaign money.
· Curtis, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November to three counts of wire fraud and admitted defrauding campaign donors by using the $47,000 for personal expenses in 2016 and 2017. He then filed false campaign finance reports to cover up his crimes.
· He took 14 trips over 18 months, often with companions, [Hal] Goldsmith said, paid his rent and utilities, bought meals and took out numerous cash withdrawals.
· Goldsmith said Curtis lied repeatedly to FBI agents who interviewed him on Aug. 13, 2020, claiming the personal purchases “might have been an accident,” and that a “bank mistake” caused donations to be deposited into his personal account. He also claimed that personal travel was for legitimate “conferences and such," Goldsmith said in a sentencing memo.
· Clark, before sentencing Curtis, tallied up the 822 financial transactions representing misuse of campaign funds, including cash withdrawals in or near casinos…
Steelman on ‘Playing Ball’
Missouri Independent reports on a sunshine request showing UM Curator David Steelman uncomfortable with a request from lobbyist Steven Tilley.
“Can we talk on this,” Tilley wrote to Steelman, who put him off by stating that another curator was in charge of the board’s finance committee.
Steelman forwarded the email to Choi two days later.
“This is not the first time Steve Tilley has approached me on behalf of someone who wanted to sell a product or service to the University,” Steelman wrote. “I have always simply deflected as I did this email because I saw no reason to stir anything up.”
It is improper for a lobbyist for the university to “seek financial opportunities with the university,” Steelman wrote.
“Also, since I am aware that the Governor’s office has made inquiries as to a new curator to replace me, I also take this, perhaps unfairly, as a signal that if I want to be reappointed I need to learn to play ball,” Steelman wrote. “I want to make it clear that I do not know that, but am concerned that the same signal may be sent to new curator appointments and perhaps the university should step up its education on conflicts of interest.”
eMailbag on Possible CD-2 Primary
“You forgot one of the most obvious potential candidates for CD-2…former Speaker Tim Jones. It is arguable that Jones, who has been a favorite fixture on STL conservative talk radio for nearly 10 years has exponentially higher name ID than any of the other potential candidates you named…and good luck running to the right of him.”
Committees
Mahacek for Missouri was formed. It’s an exploratory committee for Bob Mahacek to run for House 96 as a Republican. This is Rep. David Gregory’s seat. He’s running for auditor.
Lobbyists Registrations
Tony Dugger added Triple P Recycling.
Steven Tilley, Tom Robbins, Brittany Robbins, Tracy King, and Garrett Webb added National Law Enforcement Training Center.
$5K+ Contributions
Citizens For Spencer - $100,000 from Bryan Spencer.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Mike Wolff.
MOScout Schedule
It’s Easter weekend. The legislature is off on Monday, so I’m going to take my final long weekend of the session. No Weekender or Sunday6, and no Monday update.