MOScout Daily Update: Carpenters Union Turmoil - Onder for St. Chuck Exec - Henke to Greater STL - Backes Hangs Shingle and more...
Carpenters Turmoil
Wowza KMOX mid-day broke news that “there’s a shakeup and an internal investigation underway at the carpenter’s union headquarters here. The executive general is removed from office.”
And then last night Post-Dispatch dropped the bomb: The United Brotherhood of Carpenters has dissolved its politically powerful St. Louis arm, reassigning oversight of its area union locals to its Chicago office. According to a letter dated Friday from Carpenters General President Douglas J. McCarron, the dissolution of the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council went into effect on Monday. Local unions under the St. Louis-based regional council have been reassigned to the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, McCarron said.
Why It Matters
Carpenters have been huge political players…
· $100K+ to pro-Lewis Reed PAC earlier this year during St. Louis’ mayoral primary.
· $1.2M+ in political contributions in 2020.
· Backed effort to privatize the St. Louis airport.
And
The unanswered question is remains: what did the national folks see that made them dissolved the local branch and apparently oust topper Al Bond.
No one I spoke to had solid information, but speculation was running the gamut: Bond being on the losing side of some internal political struggle to something criminal that would involve the FBI like embezzlement. Most theories tended toward the darker side.
· It’ll come out eventually, but the most significant impact still appears to be the dismantling of prolific, mostly Democratic, mega-donor ahead of the 2022 cycle.
Onder Eyes St. Charles County Executive Job
Earlier this month, Sen. Bob Onder amended his campaign committee. The “office sought” is now St. Charles County Executive. Onder is term-limited, creating speculation about his future.
· Onder previously criticized incumbent Steve Ehlmann for COVID policies in St. Charles. In a public letter, Onder called for Ehlmann to reconsider the “draconian, harmful student quarantine policy enforced by your health department.”
· Ehlmann hasn’t said definitively if he is running for re-election. But it appears he will face a tough challenge from Onder if he does.
· In that match-up, Onder would start with a big fundraising lead. Onder’s campaign committee has $130,000 cash on-hand, while Elhmann’s is basically empty ($2K). Additionally, there’s another $60,000 in Missouri Senate Leadership PAC, a pro-Onder PAC.
The primary is August 2022.
People On the Move
· Tracy Henke is the new Chief Policy Officer at Greater St. Louis, Inc. Wikipedia says that she’s “a native of Moscow Mills, Missouri, was a government official holding held high-level positions in the United States Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.” Most recently she was Vice President, Government Relations & Protocol at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Before that she was Senator Roy Blunt’s legislative director.
· Dustin Backes has left the Office of Administration and opened up his own shop, Capital City Insights. According to the Missouri Ethics Commission he’s lobbying for Missouri Soybean Association and MTX Group.
· Rob Dixon, the head of the Department of Economic Development, announced he’s leaving the Parson Administration. St. Louis Business Journal reports that he’ll be Ameren’s “director of community and economic development, replacing Mike Kearney, who retired this month after a 35-year career with the company.”
Should We Just Skip Next Session?
Pessimism is already griping the hallway as they image next session. And there’s good reason for it…
· The Senate is reeling from last session when Minority Leader John Rizzo called out Pro Tem Dave Schatz for being unable to keep his word on agreements.
· The Conservative Caucus is angry about a procedural move during Veto Session.
· The governor hasn’t called a special session for redistricting, so that’s expected to occupy the first couple weeks – with potentially linger effects.
· The new Texas law has pro-life legislators itching to pass a new abortion bill that Dems will hate.
· There’s appears to be a new Republican divide emerging over whether SAPA needs to be reforms, just one year after its passage.
· And there’s a whole lot of people for whom the 2022 Election Day is a more pressing matter than passing bills.
Parson Hearts Fitz
Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick posted a video from his fundraiser with Governor Mike Parson articulating his support. See it here.
Great to be here with my good friend Scott Fitzpatrick... Scott’s going to be running for state auditor which is a key position… I think when you take a look at Scott’s record of when I put him in at the treasurer’s position earlier on, it was really to make sure he did the right things, taking care of Missourians’ taxpayer dollars and I think he’s proven that over his career.
But really the one thing I want to stress about why I’ve been involved in Scott’s leadership role as state treasurer and why I believe so much in him as state auditor is really what he represents and it all goes back to me to Christian values, family values, and really cares about the people of this state. We need someone in that state auditor’s office that really does care about what they’re doing and really leading by example... I just know every time I call up as governor of this state of Missouri in some very difficult situations, he’s answered the call every time I’ve called him and I do appreciate that. And more than happy to support him in this auditor’s race and look forward to a clean sweep…
Smith Continues to Rattle Saber
Politico reporter Alex Isenstadt tweets that “Missouri Rep. Jason Smith is going up today with a statewide digital ad amid speculation he could enter the already-crowded Senate race. The ad hits Dems on spending.” See the video here.
But
“Digital ads” do not signify any big investment in a statewide campaign. It’s a very low-cost way for Smith to keep his name in the mix, but probably doesn’t mean much more than that right now.
Mathewson Passes
Scott Charton forwarded his obituary of former state senator Jim Mathewson.
Former State Senator James Lee “Jim” Mathewson, the longest-serving President Pro Tem of the Missouri Senate, died Monday evening, September 27, 2021, at his home surrounded by his family after a battle with cancer. He was 83… [F]riends recruited him to run in 1974 as a Democrat for the Missouri House of Representatives. Jim won that first campaign and he was re-elected twice to the House.
In 1980, Jim was elected to the Missouri Senate, and he was re-elected to another five terms, serving in the upper chamber from 1981 until 2005. In 1984, Jim was elected by his Democratic colleagues as Senate Majority Floor Leader… In 1989, senators from both parties unanimously elected Jim as President Pro Tem, the top leadership role in the legislative chamber. He served an unprecedented four two-year terms as President Pro Tem.
Jim’s tenure in the Senate’s top post coincided with the administration of the late Democratic Governor Mel Carnahan, with whom Jim worked closely as a partner to improve education funding, economic development, health care and state services to Missourians…. Jim served in the Senate until 2005, when term limits meant his retirement from representing Senate District 21…
Wanna Get Away?
Axomite Aaron Baker on Facebook: If anyone would like to spend the fall / winter in Florida on a political campaign, send me a private message. Travel and hotel costs are covered.
Lobbyists Registrations
Dustin Backes added MTX Group Inc, and Capital City Insights LLC.
Gregory Bratcher added BJC Healthcare Systems.
Brian Colby added Missouri Budget Project.
Franc Flotron, David McCracken, and Richard McIntosh deleted RAYUS Radiology.
Claude Brown deleted City of St. Louis.
$5K+ Contributions
MO Insurance Coalition PAC - $25,000 from The Travelers Indemnity Company.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Evergy Metro Inc.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $7,500 from RQC PAC.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $7,500 from MO DSV PAC.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Missouri Health Plan Association PAC.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $30,000 from AT&T.
Rural Missouri Healthcare PAC - $12,500 from Noble Health Real Estate II LLC.
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $10,000 from Dave Sinclair Buick GMC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Erin Brower, Benjamin Terrell, Brad Jones, Rich Magee, and Lee Ann Pitman.