MOScout Daily Update: Ashcroft to DC - Hatfield Helps Bailey? - Treasurer Talk - Red Flag Stalemate and more...

Ashcroft to DC

Press release: Wednesday, December 7th, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft will be attending the oral argument in Moore v. Harper at the United States Supreme Court. Ashcroft was the first elected official to file an amicus brief, weighing in on the redistricting case that originated from North Carolina, having major implications on future elections in Missouri and nationwide…

·       FYI: Moore v Harper has generated a lot of attention.  Read SCOTUSBlog’s explainer here.

What It Means

Think of this as one more move by Team Ashcroft as they position themselves for the 2024 race.  One Ashcroft-ite explains…

·       The 2024 race is more than just periodic COH updates. You have to create relevancy and capitalize on earned media opportunities all while speaking to conservative primary voters. 

·       Objective number one, win the primary.  GOP primary voters care about core issues and are motivated to support candidates who will challenge the status quo… Ashcroft has a brand and will continue to challenge the existing system to better reflect the conservative values of voters across the state.  It's going to take a whole lot more than net even or marginally ahead COH numbers to move the needle for any candidate attempting to beat Ashcroft.

Schmitt’s Oddball Bedfellows

Missouri Independent writes about the cast of characters who have glommed onto someof Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s high-profile lawsuits.  Read it here.

·       A quartet of vaccine skeptics that have each been accused for years of spreading medical misinformation is asking a judge to allow them to join Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit that alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies to suppress freedom of speech…

·       The possible intervention comes after Schmitt drew criticism last month over his decision to add St. Louis conspiracy theorist Jim Hoft as a plaintiff in the case. Hoft’s website, Gateway Pundit, has spread debunked conspiracies on topics ranging from the Parkland school shooting to former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. He was banned from Twitter last year after repeatedly promoting falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election…

Meanwhile Team Bailey Signals

At the press conference announcing his appointment Andrew Bailey said he planned to “stand in the gap” against federal overreach, signaling to some that he wouldn’t back off of Schmitt’s routine filing of lawsuits against President Joe Biden.

But one building denizen says as Team Bailey plans for their transition, there’s a noticeable difference: Bailey appears to be focused on the job, not the next office.

This source says Bailey’s sought out a range of advice, including consulting Jay Nixon’s former chief of staff (when he was AG) Chuck Hatfield…

·       “Smart move by AG designee Andrew Bailey to turn to Chuck Hatfield for counsel on how to properly structure the Attorney General’s office… After more than 6 years of having AG’s who aspired for higher office, it will be good to have an AG more focused on running the office…”

Treasurer Talk

Most of the talk concerning Governor Mike Parson’s upcoming state treasurer appointment has focused on women.  But there’s one school of thought that says the governor is also eying the appointment of a minority.

Whereas a woman doesn’t break any “glass ceilings,” putting a non-white Republican in statewide office would a “legacy appointment.”

·       One name mentioned to me yesterday: Attorney Vivek Malik.  Born in India, he’s a Republican donor, who was previously appointed by Parson to the Board of Governors of Southeast Missouri State University.  (He earned an MBA from SEMO.)

Pre-Files of Note

Catching my eyes as I skimmed through House pre-files yesterday…

·       Rep. Adam Schwadron would honor the late Rep. Tom Hannegan by renaming a portion of a St. Charles Highway.  HB 94.

·       Rep. Mitch Boggs mandates that “the vote-counting process for every election in this state shall be livestreamed and recorded.”  HB 333.

·       Rep. Adam Schnelting would exempt current and former legislators from various conceal carry laws.  HB 282.

Red Flag Stalemate

When two senators sponsor exact opposite bills, it’s a pretty good indication that the issue is headed for a stalemate.

·       Sen. Karla May pre-filed SB 33, which would allow “a court to restrain or enjoin a respondent from possessing any firearm if a law enforcement officer or agency proves by a preponderance of the evidence that an immediate and significant danger exists.”

·       Sen. Bill Eigel pre-filed SB 10, “The Anti-Red Flag Seizure Act.”

Rematch Watch

Jess Piper formed a candidate committee to run for House 1 in 2024.  See the paperwork here. Piper lost to Rep-elect Jeff Farnan. (She’s also starting a new podcast).

Leslie Derrington formed a candidate committee to run for House 96 in 2024.  See the paperwork here.  Derrington lost to Rep-elect Brad Christ.

·       Caveat: These could simply be placeholder committees to take leftover funds after the 2022 race.

eMailbag

·       As far as Jay Ashcroft running, “hard right,” his position that marriage is between one man and one woman was that of Barack Obama and Joe Biden until 2012, and Hilary Clinton until 2013… And who really thinks we shouldn’t protect kids from age-inappropriate material?

·       The I-70 fetish on steroids ignores the fact that there are a dozen highways that could use upgrades not on the St. Louis—Columbia—Kansas City axis. You want 8 lanes, toll it to pay as you go. “User pays” should be holy writ among authentic Senate conservatives anyway…

·       Gambling is priority 1 in the Missouri Senate this year.  The people handwringing chances are low are probably with the sports teams to keep the wagons from circling, so they have more elbow room to broker a deal…

Lobbyists Registrations

James Harris added Banner Public Affairs on behalf of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; and deleted Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute.

Jean Evans deleted Brief.

Mike Gibbons and Tricia Workman deleted Red Tractor Investment, LLC.

$5K+ Contributions

Serve Missouri PAC (pro-McCreery) - $8,000 from Protect Missouri Freedom.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rodney Hubbard (the big 5-0), Kiki Curls, Nick Maddux, Bree Bowen, and Churie Spreng.