MOScout Daily Update: Supremes Invoke Single Subject - STL Dems Order Remask, GOP Vows Fight - Watkins Reps Derges - Imagining Nixon-Greitens and more....
Court Tosses Law on Single Subject Violation
One reader points out that I “failed to notice the third case handed down [last week]. SC98891 DeSoto v Parson, unanimously struck down a statute under the single subject constitutional provisions… For the first time I can recall said they could not judicially sever the bad parts from the other parts and struck down the entire bill and all provisions within it.”
What It Means
“This should give bill sponsors some real pause before they agree to accept an amendment that is not clearly within the single subject of the original bill. This case probably has the biggest impact on the day-to-day operations of the legislature.”
And Now… A Return to the Masking Wars…
Today, the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County will officially require masks to be worn in indoor public places. “The new rule will require everyone age five and over, including those who are vaccinated, to wear a mask. Wearing masks outdoors, especially in group settings, will be strongly encouraged. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and County Executive Dr. Sam Page will hold a media briefing at 9:30 a.m. Monday at St. Louis City Hall to take questions about this needed step to limit the spread of COVID-19.”
· St. Louis County Councilman Tim Fitch says he’ll ask the Council to take action to terminate the new order.
· Attorney General Eric Schmitt says he’ll file suit today “to stop this insanity.”
Meanwhile
Amazingly, while the state confronts this 3rd wave there’s nothing (zero events in any community) on Governor Mike Parson’s public schedule this week to encourage vaccination. This is the time to pause the other BS and get out there everyday using the power of your office to drive attention to the need for vaccinations. Incredible lack of urgency from our chief executive….
· On Tuesday, July 27, Governor Parson will travel to Springfield to speak at the Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education (MoACTE) Summer Conference. Governor Parson will also share Missouri's economic achievements and his outlook on the future of the state at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce State of the State. As part of their Bicentennial Tour, Governor and First Lady Parson will make several stops along historic U.S. Route 66 with visits to Marshfield, Lebanon, Waynesville, and Cuba.
· On Wednesday, July 28, Governor and First Lady Parson will celebrate the state's bicentennial in Defiance, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Kimmswick. During his visit to the First State Capitol State Historic Site in St. Charles, Governor Parson will also participate in an unveiling of the 2021 Bicentennial Edition of the Missouri State Map.
· On Friday, July 30, Governor and First Lady Parson will attend the Grand Reopening of America’s National Churchill Museum on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton. Governor Parson will then hold a ceremonial bill singing for SB 53 in Kansas City.
Enter Al Watkins
If you’re ever writing a Netflix comedy cased on Missouri politics, don’t forget to insert the Al Watkins character into each season.
KY3 reports… Rep. [Tricia] Derges, of Nixa, appeared before a federal judge on Wednesday. She faces a 23-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on March 23. It includes three new counts of COVID-19 fraud, in addition to the original charges… Derges’ attorney, Albert Watkins of St Louis, says they did not accept the plea offers because she entered a plea of not guilty for a reason. He says her treatment with amniotic fluid is cutting edge and the subject of a lot of research, something that will be addressed at trial. “It’ll be showtime,” said Watkins Wednesday. “And the fact of the matter is, they’re going to be big words used, there will be lots of evidence, there will be lots of paperwork. And like every trial, boils down to to simple basic truths.”
A judge scheduled a jury trial for August 16. Attorneys expect it to last two weeks.
The Gardner Problem
The continuing inability of Kim Gardner to run the St. Louis City Prosecutor’s office competently has fired up plenty of people to seek a remedy.
Governor Mike Parson took to Twitter to bemoan the lack of legislative action on that front. But Speaker Rob Vescovo pointed out that there are provisions already on the books that Parson could invoke.
· 27.030… When directed by the governor, the attorney general, or one of his assistants, shall aid any prosecuting or circuit attorney in the discharge of their respective duties in the trial courts and in examinations before grand juries, and when so directed by the trial court, he may sign indictments in lieu of the prosecuting attorney.
· 106.250… When an affidavit has been filed with the clerk of the circuit court of any county in this state, as provided in sections 106.230 and 106.240, the governor may, in his discretion, direct the attorney general to assist in the prosecution against said officer; and in case of the refusal of the prosecuting attorney or special prosecutor, after the filing of the affidavit provided for in sections 106.230 and 106.240, to file a complaint, the attorney general shall have authority to file a complaint against the official complained of.
And
One MOScouter wonders if Attorney General Eric Schmitt is reluctant to get too involved in the issue now on Gardner “since he’s too afraid it would help Greitens…”
Imagining the Nixon Greitens Race
A few readers have raised this issue…
“So can Jay Nixon stay at the Dowd Bennett law firm while running for U.S. Senate when Dowd Bennett, where he is a partner, defended GOP Senate frontrunner Eric Greitens in criminal court? And even if Nixon leaves Dowd Bennett to run for Senate, how does he not run afoul of the ethical prohibitions against using Greitens’ personal information gained by the law firm where Nixon is partner?”
Towns Promotion
Springfield News-Leader reports that “after five months on the job as acting director during times made turbulent by a global pandemic, Katie Towns was formally named director of health for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department...”
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Health Plan Association PAC - $10,000 from United Healthcare Sys Inc.
House Democratic Campaign Committee - $18,240 from National Democratic Redistricting PAC.
St. Louis Association of Realtors-PAC - $11,163 from Missouri REALTORS PAC, Inc.
Invest in St. Louis Community College - $10,250 from Kevin Lee.
Jackson County Democratic Committee - $10,000 from UAW CAP Council.
Lobbyists Registrations
Francis G Slay added Green Street St. Louis, and Midas Hospitality LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Mike McMillan and Donna Lichtenegger.