MOScout Daily Update: Ray Wagner to Retire - Attys Send $$$ to Ashcroft - Lodewegen Leaving Charter - Roorda Backs MEC - New Schmitt Ad and more...

End of An Era: Wagner To Retire

Ray Wagner, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Holding’s Government & Public Affairs, has decided to retire at the end of the year.

·       In an email to employees, Enterprise General Counsel Mike Andrew noted that Wagner “created the company’s initial government and public affairs program.”  That was 27 years ago. Enterprise’s government relations team now spans across the globe with a presence in Spain, France, Germany, the UK, and Belgium.

·       Wagner has told friends that he’s not viewing his next chapter to be “retirement,” but rather a sabbatical before tackling some new projects.

·       Wagner is married to Congresswoman Ann Wagner.

Ashcroft PAC Lands $250K from Attorneys

Trial attorneys Michel Ketchmark and Eric Holland each contributed $125K to Jay Ashcroft’s PAC, Committee for Liberty at the quarter’s end. By my calculation, this late infusion brings the quarterly haul for Ashcroft’s PAC to $375,000.

The firms of Ketchmark and Holland had previously each contributed $250K to the PAC earlier in the year.  It’s a significant investment in Ashcroft who is all but declared his bid to succeed Mike Parson as governor.

By my calculation the PAC of Ashcroft’s rival, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe, has received large contributions of $137,500 in the last three months.  The largest of these large contributions was a $50K check from the Missouri Soybean Association.

·       Depending on how much cash each PAC spent, Ashcroft’s PAC may finish with more cash on-hand for the first time in this race.

Senate To Act on Ag Bill

Today the Senate Appropriations Committee will hear the House’s agricultural tax credit bill, and presumably vote it out.

Tomorrow morning, Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight is scheduled to do the same, prepping the bill for floor debate Tuesday 10AM (Senate time).

And if all goes well – no story time from Sen. Mike Moon – the special session will quickly wrap up…

On the Move

·       Mike Lodewegen is leaving Charter Communications.  He’s been their man in the halls as director of government affairs.  Before that he spent a half-dozen years with Missouri Association of School Administrators.  Look for him return to school issues.  Two LLCs were filed (for those who watch such things) which hint that Lodewegen will be hanging out a shingle.  ELM Consultants and ELM Strategies LLC were recently registered.

·       Also, in the lobbyists’ registrations (below), Heidi Sutherland deleted Missouri State Medical Association.  She’s been with MSMA for about five years.  Before that she staffed Bob Dixon.

Roorda Backs MEC

Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, expected to cruise to a victory in her state senate seat, has a fundraiser coming up at the next of the month.  She gets a pair of congressmen (Reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer and Jason Smith) to add their name to the invite as special guests, but also has Jeff Roorda on the host committee.  See the invite here.

Roorda, a former Democratic representative ran against Coleman as a Republican, and he’s proving that it wasn’t just a stunt for the race – he’s playing the part of a good party member by backing the nominee.

New Schmitt Ad

In Eric Schmitt’s latest US Senate race ad, he contrasts his background with his opponent’s.  See it here.

My grandfather served in World War II and was a butcher.  My dad worked the midnight shift at Anheuser Busch.

I’m Eric Schmitt and these men taught me about hard work.  In college, I gave tours and took out the trash at the estate Trudy Busch Valentine grew up on.

As attorney general, I’ve taken violent felons off the streets.  As your senator, I’ll fight for the forgotten men and women Joe Biden’s left behind…

Panel Announced

The Appellate Judicial Commission announced its panel of nominees to fill the vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District (Judge Francis retirement).

William W. Francis Jr.

The nominees are Ginger K. Gooch, Matthew P. Hamner, and Joseph L. Hensley.

Lobbyists Registrations

Garrett Webb added Tremco CPG Incorporated.

Ronald Reiling added Midwest Auto Care Alliance.

Rodney Gray, Susan Henderson Moore, and Cara Alexander deleted Design-Build Institute of America/Mid-America Region, The Cordish Company, and Nola Education LLC.

Heidi Sutherland deleted Missouri State Medical Association.

$5K+ Contributions

Committee for Liberty (pro-Ashcroft) - $125,000 from Michael Ketchmark.

Committee for Liberty - $125,000 from Eric Holland.

Serve Missouri PAC (pro-McCreery) - $25,000 from Missouri and Kansas Laborers' PAC.

Serve Missouri PAC - $10,000 from Missouri State Teachers Association Legislative Impact Committee.

Protect Missouri Freedom (pro-labor) - $25,000 from Safer Families For Missouri.

Missouri United (pro-Plocher) - $20,000 from Conservative Justice PAC LLC.

Missouri United - $10,000 from Maco Development Company LLC.

Missouri United - $10,000 from Bommarito.

Missouri United - $10,000 from Missouri Senior PAC.

Missouri United - $10,000 from Consulting Engineers Council of MO/PAC.

Missouri United - $10,000 from Ameren.

Missouri United - $5,500 from Missouri Soybean Association.       

Chris Gahagan for KC - $10,000 from Chris Gahagan.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Sen. John Rizzo, Zora Mulligan, Josh Foster, and Maria Chappelle-Nadal.

Happy belated birthdays (sorry missed Sunday!): Congressman-to-be Eric Burlison, Reps. Jamie Burger and Jeff Knight, Tim Remole, and David Zevan.