MOScout Daily Update: Greitens Lands $2.5M Check - Walsh To "Finish Trump Agenda" - Burks Files for Congress - Pietzman Shakes Fist at Parson and more...

Greitens Lands Megadonor

Politico reports that “disgraced former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is receiving a major boost for his 2022 Senate bid from one of the Republican Party’s biggest megadonors. Richard Uihlein, a billionaire shipping and industrial supply company executive, is donating $2.5 million to a newly formed, pro-Greitens super PAC. The cash infusion will give Greitens a financial lift as many of the party’s contributors shun the former governor, who resigned from office in 2018 amid allegations that he sexually assaulted his hairstylist…”

This gives Greitens a nice boost in momentum.  But the early leak may be designed to deflect the spotlight from a weak July quarter for his candidate committee.  We’ll see when we get those numbers later this month.

More from the article…

·         Missouri businessperson David Humphreys, who gave more than $2 million to his last campaign, has said he has no interest in helping this time around.

·         Also on the sidelines is major GOP donor Ron Weiser, who played a key role in fundraising for Greitens but is now focused on his role as Michigan state GOP chair.

·         So, too, is Jeff Layman, a prominent Missouri-based GOP fundraiser who served as Greitens’ 2016 in-state finance chair. Layman said in a text message that he isn’t helping any of the candidates in the race “due to my respect for multiple people in the field.”

Walsh Launches

Rep. Sara Walsh launches her 2nd Congressional bid today.  See her launch video here. 

It’s a good-looking video.  It starts with her story – hard work, family values – and moves to her platform – “finishing what President Donald Trump started.”

It’s entitled Defend the American Dream.  Walsh says “the politicians in DC are wrecking our kids’ futures.  The American Dream that I’ve lived is under attack.”

Where We Are

With Taylor Burks entering the race as well (see below), we now have four declared candidates to replace Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler.  And there are plenty more names in the mix. 

There are no secret ingredients to a winning campaign in this race.  It will probably come down to just two factors.

·         Money.  Most of these candidates will find a niche, but the winner will likely be someone who raises seven figures.

·         Map.  The lines will be drawn in special session later this year.  If one of the candidates can establish a population base in the district, that will go a long way to finding their winning plurality.

Burks Forms Committee

Columbia Missourians reports that former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks has formed a candidate committee with the FEC to run for congress.   See the filing here.  I assume we’ll get an official kick-off soon…

Hannegan Health Announcement

Rep. Tom Hannegan announced a health diagnosis on Facebook: Before all the rumors   yes I got some bad news.  My kidneys are compromised.  Still working a plan with my doctor.  Looks like dialysis and seeking a transplant donor list.  I might be slowing down but I am a fighter and not giving up.  I will be working a plan with my doctor family and friends.  Prayers always welcome.  Thank you

Driving the Day: Dems on Excess Unemployment Benefits

There was bipartisan agreement on laying off Missourians who were overpaid during the rapid-fire pandemic assistance.  But after no legislative action, it sounds like the Parson Administration is back to trying to clawback the money.  Press release…

House Democrats will hold a virtual news conference via Zoom at 11 a.m. Wednesday to discuss how the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is continuing its aggressive collection tactics against thousands of Missourians who, through no fault of their own, received excess unemployment benefits during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers will be joined by workers who are enduring hardships due to the department’s repayment efforts, even though the federal government has instructed states that they don’t have to recover the funds except in cases of fraud...

Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation specifically instructing the department to forgo repayment of these funds. However, the Senate failed to approve the measure before the legislative session ended.

Parson Vetoes Sex Abuse Funding

Post-Dispatch reports on one of Governor Mike Parson’s vetoes.  See it here.

·         A state lawmaker and local officials are “baffled” by Gov. Mike Parson’s decision to slash $300,000 from the state budget for a program designed to fight a surge of child sex abuse in Lincoln County.

·         Rep. Randy Pietzman, R-Troy, said the budget is flush with cash, meaning cutting the money doesn’t make sense from a fiscal management standpoint.

·         [Cheri Winchester, executive director of the Lincoln County Resource Board] said. “I feel like it’s a sucker punch. I’m still quite baffled. I don’t understand.”

·         The $300,000 would have paid for additional investigators, an additional prosecutor and support staff to address a growing number of sex offenders who live in the county.

And then this line from the article… “A Parson spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.”  So, there’s no explanation for his actions.

One Republican fumes to me: “The thing no one gets is Parson Administration does the vetoes, hangs up on joint leadership etc, because they can.  There is no greater plan or purpose. They do these things because they can and they keep getting away with it because the legislature lets them.”

Politico on Redistricting

Politico reports on congressional redistricting where Republicans weigh the risks and rewards of pushing lines to their limits.  Missouri gets a glance.  See it here.

·         This kind of redistricting debate — over how aggressively Republicans should try to eliminate the remaining Democratic enclaves in red states — is playing out in cities across the upper South and Midwest. Local Republicans, eager to grow their numbers in Congress and provide launching pads for ambitious state legislators, might be more inclined to carve up those blue pockets….

·         Top party strategists are urging state mapmakers to play it safe and draw lines that can withstand demographic change throughout the decade and lawsuits.

·         That math is top of mind for the GOP legislators in Missouri, where Republicans hold six of the state's eight districts. In St. Louis, Democratic Rep. Cori Bush’s seat is protected by the Voting Rights Act, but [Emanuel] Cleaver’s in Kansas City is not. Cracking his district could bring Republicans to a 7-1 advantage in the state.

·         "The challenge there is: four or five of the Republican incumbents would have to take a 3 to 5 percent reduction in the Republican base," said James Harris, a veteran Missouri operative who has advised the state legislature on redistricting in the past. He said he has not sensed a desire from Jefferson City lawmakers to doom Cleaver: "There's a scenario where you could have a year where you end up with a 5-3 makeup, as opposed to always a 6-2 map."

More on Kunce

Elected Dem: It’s got nothing to do with planned parenthood. Dude didn’t even VOTE in 2018 OR 2020 and he hasn’t lived in Missouri in 15 years. For Dems to even have a small chance in the race, we need a perfect candidate. And that is not him.

New Committees

North County Forward was formed.  It’s a PAC.  Its treasurer is James Hill.

$5K+ Contributions

MO Architects-PAC - $16,000 from American Institute of Architects of Missouri.

Nexus PAC - $10,000 from Paric Holdings, Inc.

Lobbyists Registrations

Patrick Bonnot deleted MIRMA.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Fred Kratky, Gayle Kingery, and Eddie Roth.