MOScout Daily Update: McCloskey for Senate?! - Greitens Weak Quarter - Big MedEx War Coming - April Auditor Quarters - Top 25 COH and more...
US Senate Watch
Smith Hears McCloskey Eyes Race
· Former Sen. Jeff Smith tweets: Rumor swirling this a.m.: [McCloskey] is gonna announce for U.S. Senate @ his KCMO Lincoln Days speech Saturday…
Greitens Start Sputters
· Eric Greitens’ first campaign finance filing was notably short on finance. He only raised $9,000 in cash. I had assumed when he announced that he’d lined up some measure of support, but it appears this is more of a seat-of-the-pants operation right now.
Smith Fundy
· Politicos were raising their eyebrows at a Jason Smith fundraiser set in Mar-a-Lago. See it here. One lobbyist: “If anyone doubts whether Smith is seriously considering the Senate race… this says a lot.”
The Coming MedEx Brouhaha
Next week the Senate Appropriations Committee will work through the budget bills. It’s expected that the bills will pass out of committee next week so they can be debated on the Senate floor the following week. The most contentious issue in the budget (or not in the budget) is funding for Medicaid expansion.
Regardless of how the Appropriations Committee acts, this debate will be carried onto the Senate floor when the budget lands there.
I think this issue, of any issue out there, has the greatest potential to blow up the remainder of session.
Democrats will filibuster if MedEx isn’t included; Republicans will filibuster if it is.
If it’s in, does that create a logjam with reaching a conference committee report with the House? Will a PQ be necessary to pass the budget?
One lobbyist says: [The coming] senate filibuster will be one for the ages where either side will have a strong platform to stand on.
And
Republicans have largely argued that the state can’t afford to spend more money on healthcare. But recently Sen. Bob Onder has brought a pro-life argument to the issue. He worries that the federal government, now in the hands of Democrats, will revoke the Hyde Amendment which prevents federal dollars to be spent on abortion. In this view, increasing Medicaid recipients would increase the number of people who could get an abortion.
In the face of this concern, the Missouri Catholic Conference issued a statement “on Current Legislative Considerations of Medicaid Expansion.”
In the fall of 2019, we expressed our support for the Medicaid expansion ballot initiative, stating “we offer our support for this effort because of the unmet healthcare needs of the working poor and to ensure the continued delivery of care to those who need it most though the Missouri healthcare system.” We reiterate our support for the expansion effort and support efforts to fund this important program in FY ’22…
The Hyde Amendment is a longstanding and bipartisan pro-life rider that prevents the funding of abortion in the Medicaid program. It is critical that this good law be maintained. Threats to eliminate it have been made by some politicians, including our current U.S. president and his administration. However, focusing solely on the aspects of Medicaid related to abortion, as fundamental as that is to the moral principle of the dignity of all human life, reduces legislators’ work to a false dichotomy. Healthcare policy is complex and healthcare decisions involve many facets. A vote for or against Medicaid or Medicaid expansion should not be interpreted as a decision between being pro-life or pro-choice. We urge lawmakers to work toward legislation which protects the lives of the unborn and provides for the critical healthcare needs of the working poor. These two goods are not opposed….
Moody Sees Strong Revenues
Jim Moody, in his Moody Report, sees increased gains for state revenue receipts.
“[R]evenue growth is now poised to go through the roof for the remainder of FY 2021.”
Why It Matters
The state’s strong fiscal position seems to be an important data point as budget debate occurs in the coming weeks – in particular claims that we “can’t afford” Medicaid expansion.
Roeber Resignation Rejected
The House unanimously voted to reject Rep. Rick Roeber’s resignation after Ethics Committee Chair Travis Fitzwater voiced an objection.
· The Missouri House refused to accept the resignation of Rep. Rick Roeber on Thursday, with a bipartisan group of lawmakers arguing that the ethics committee should complete its investigation into allegations that he sexually and physically abused his children.
· “This is a serious allegation that has been brought forth before this body.” said Rep. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City. “It’s not right to accept this resignation and allow this member to escape without us giving full recognition to what has taken place here.”
· Three adult children of Rep. Rick Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, publicly alleged that in 1990 he molested his adopted daughter when she was 9 years old. He was previously accused of sexual abuse by a fourth sibling.
Galloway’s April Quarter
After spending her entire war-chest on the gubernatorial race, Auditor Nicole Galloway is rebuilding her campaign account. Some have asked whether she’ll run for re-election. The first hint from this quarter’s report is that she’ll be a candidate again. She raised $236,828. That doesn’t happen without some effort. She spent $141K and has $136K on-hand.
And
On the GOP side, not a lot of action among the various names that have been previously mentioned…
· Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick raised $30K and has $106K on-hand. His PAC, Missourians for a Responsible Budget, raised $0, and has $7K on-hand.
· Rep. David Gregory’s exploratory committee raised $8K and has $88K on-hand. But his PAC, Show Me Growth, raised $204K, and has $244K on-hand.
· Speaker Rob Vescovo raised $1K, and has $173K on-hand. His PAC, Mighty Missouri, raised $3K and has $388K on-hand.
· Finally, Sen. Bob Onder raised $250, and has $136K on-hand. And his PAC, Missouri Senate Leadership PAC raised $0, and has $60K on-hand.
Top 25 COH
Here are the committees with the most cash on-hand as of the April quarter.
Missouri and Kansas Laborers' PAC - $1,048,882
Carpenters Help in the Political Process (CHIPP) - $813,781
American Property Casualty Insurance Association Political Account - $743,621
MO National Education Assoc-PAC - $588,740
Leadership For America - $573,177
Friends Of Gregory FX Daly - $504,920
The Krewson Committee - $504,707
Callahan For Missouri - $485,253
Luetkemeyer For Senate - $445,233
Friends Of Eric Burlison - $435,575
Enterprise Holdings, Inc. PAC - $426,427
Ashcroft For Missouri - $402,891
We Are Missouri - $394,140
Mighty Missouri PAC 378787.84
Missouri Realtors PAC Inc - $367,608
BUILD St. Louis PAC, Inc. - $342,223
American Dream PAC - $326,422
Pipefitters Assoc Local #533 - $303,989
Rizzo For Missouri - $289,537
Committee To Elect Lauren Arthur - $279,818
Supporters of Health Research and Treatments - $268,787
Cooperative Owners Political Action Committee (COPAC) - $265,991
Friends Of Elijah Haahr - $259,865
Show Me Growth PAC - $244,364
Friends Of Sandy Crawford - $242,597
Lobbyists Registrations
John Bardgett, Mark Habbas, Erika Leonard, and Chris Roepe added Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
Erin Elizabeth Gabert added American Heart Association.
Doug Stone added Motorola Solutions Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
American Property Casualty Insurance Association Political Account - $33,698 from American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
Missouri Realtors PAC Inc - $10,000 from Mid America Regional Information Systems.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Matt Dameron, Shane Cohn, and David Richardson.