MOScout Daily Update: Schmitt to the Rescue - SCOTUS Hearts Dark Money - Vetoes Bring Fist-Shaking? - Kunce Questions - Cass RFQ and more...
Quick bits before a long weekend. First, from Schmitt’s Facebook feed….
Lobbyist: “Eric Greitens, eat your heart out.”
SCOTUS Ruling on Non-Profits
· The Supreme Court dealt a blow Thursday to efforts to rein in so-called dark money political groups, issuing a ruling striking down California’s policy of demanding donor lists from nonprofit organizations.
· The high court split 6-3 along ideological lines in its decision on a pair of cases challenging that California requirement, which forced non-profits raising money in California to give the state copies of federal tax forms containing donor information.
· Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion for the court, ruled that California’s “blanket demand” for that information “is facially unconstitutional.”
Reader: “This should effect a candidate or two running for senate…”
Vetoes Bring Fist Shaking?
MOScouter: “Heard from a few legislators who are furious with Parson's budget vetoes. They feel like when he threatened to withhold if FRA didn't pass, it was implied that he would sign the budget without vetoes… [then his vetoes of] a bunch of stuff with scant, if any, explanation seems like kind of a slap in the face to people – especially those who voted against MRL for a clean FRA – who had their budget items axed….”
Springfield Raises Cop Pay
Springfield News-Leader reports that the “City Council voted Monday to approve a new collective bargaining agreement with the police union that raises the starting pay for Springfield police officers by more than $5,000 a year… These moves come as the Springfield Police Department deals with recruiting struggles that have left the department with 44 vacancies… The new collective bargaining agreement will raise the pay for starting Springfield officers from $40,497 ($19.47/hr) to $46,009 ($22.12/hr). Recruits will be paid $19.90 per hour while attending the police academy…”
Tuttle Promotion
Press release: Governor Mike Parson announced that Alex Tuttle will assume the role of Legislative Budget Director for the Office of the Governor effective today, July 1, 2021.
Mr. Tuttle has worked for the State of Missouri for more than a decade. Most recently, he served as the Legislative Liaison for the Department of Health and Senior Services, where he worked with legislators and Governor Parson's administration on a variety of issues, including the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to joining the Department of Health and Senior Services, Mr. Tuttle served as a Budget Analyst for the Missouri State Senate for 10 years. Throughout his time with the Missouri Senate, he worked on various budget related projects and numerous state agency budgets.
eMailbag on Kunce
A non serious candidate who is getting way to much ink…and the stories you write don’t mention anything about real issues that Missouri Democrats have with Kunce that no money can fix. Two effusive stories from you in two weeks…without mentioning the really serious questions that haven’t been answered from him. Where does he live? What is his family situation? Why did he lie about voting? Why didn’t he vote in Missouri? How did he evolve on pro- life issues? Why aren’t there reproductive rights issues on his website? Who is funding him? Peel back the onion and see what is behind the numbers…then tell me if he should be a serious candidate?
Wilson New Supreme Chief
Press release: By order of the Court, Supreme Court of Missouri Judge Paul C. Wilson assumed the role of chief justice beginning July 1. His term as chief justice will run through June 30, 2023. He succeeds Judge George W. Draper III, who remains on the Court….
Help Wanted
Cass County, Missouri, is requesting statements of qualifications from full-service government affairs firms that focus on issue advocacy and monitoring services before the Missouri Legislative and Executive Branches. As a political subdivision of the state and the 10th largest county in Missouri, Cass County is seeking a qualified government affairs firm to represent and promote its interests in the Missouri State Capitol.
Statements of qualifications from interested Missouri based government affairs firms will be received until Monday, 5:00 PM central standard time, August 16, 2021. Qualifications must include detailed experience of key personnel; the firm's experience working with the Missouri Legislative and Executive branches; references; and any other pertinent information the firm wishes to present.
Interested firms should submit copies of their Statement of Qualifications, one of which should be emailed as a PDF attachment to janc@casscounty.com; and another should be mailed or submitted unbound, to: Cass County Commission, c/o Jan Cantrell, 102 East Wall Street, Harrisonville, Missouri 64701.
Lobbyist Registrations
Daniel Pfeifer, Greg Porter, Jasmine Wells, and David Willis added KVS, and Apical Capital.
Daniel Pfeifer, and Greg Porter deleted Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association.
Daniel Pfeifer deleted Brewer Science Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri United (pro-Plocher) - $10,000 from Roy Pfautch.
Rural Missouri Healthcare PAC - $6,000 from Noble Health Real Estate II, LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Cliff Davis, Jake Buxton, TJ McKenna, and Derek Coats.
Saturday: Sarah Schuett and Duane Simpson.
Sunday (July 4): Rep. Curtis Trent, Ron Richard, Victor Callahan, Jim Moody, Brian Millner, Joe Aull, and Courtney Cole.
Monday: Jake Zimmerman, Chris Molendorp, Jerry Hunter, and Gary Dusenberg.
MOScout Schedule
I’m taking off for the long weekend. I’ll be back Tuesday. See you then….