MOScout Daily Update: Kehoe Gets Soybean Assoc Nod - Senate Bellyflops Again - Carpenters in Transition - Butz Gets Primary and more...
Driving the Day: Soybean for Kehoe
Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe will announce yet another 2024 endorsement today. This one from the Missouri Soybean Association.
With thoughtful consideration and due diligence, Missouri’s soybean farmers voted to endorse long-time agricultural advocate Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe as the state’s Governor in the 2024 gubernatorial race.
“I’m proud to receive this important early endorsement for governor from the Missouri Soybean Association and stand with their hard-working farmers as we work to make Missouri’s agriculture industry the best it can be,” Lt. Governor Kehoe said…
“It’s critical that we have a friend of agriculture in the Capitol, serving with as much passion to better the industry as we are through the Association,” said Matt Wright, MSA president. “Soybean producers are faced with issues every day that heavily impact the way we operate on our family farms. Having Kehoe in office offers our growers relief from stifling state policy.”
What It Means
· Team Kehoe is running full speed. First the Cattlemens’ endorsement, then the police officers, and now the Soybean Association. These aren’t in the “big 3” (Farm Bureau, NRA, Right to Life), but they are substantial. And the more of these he wins, the more likely others will join in.
· Between the early endorsements and his aggressive fundraising, Kehoe continues to improve his 2024 prospects.
Senate Bellyflops Again
The Senate was a circus again. Sen. Mike Moon wasted a few hours reading a book because he was upset that there wasn’t good communication from Senate leadership about the plan for the day.
The bar for filibustering has sunk incredibly low. One observer thinks the exploitation of the filibuster this session will lead to “reforms” as the majority of the body will seek to reassert more control over the process. For example, a rule could require that debate be germane. Speak on the topic or lose the floor; no more reading of books.
· One hallway source joked about Conservative Caucus members complaining “because they aren’t kept in the loop on what the plan is. The joke’s on them, because there is no plan.”
· And another building denizen echoed the “no plan” sentiment: Schatz and Rowden were spotted at The Grand for a couple hours yesterday afternoon before session. Maybe they should have been talking to the Conservative Caucus.
After Moon’s book reading the Senate tried and failed to gain much traction. The evening ended with a bitter exchange over Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder’s bill on sexual assault offences. An amendment by Sen Rick Brattin to criminalize school districts that have “obscene” material in their libraries sunk the bill.
The Conservative Caucus kept using the word “obscene” when it seems what the really meant was “age-appropriate.” As Sen. Barbara Washington noted, calling the literature of Pulitzer Prize and Noble Prize winner Toni Morrison obscene doesn’t fit.
· It was the second time a bill with bipartisan support and put forth by one of the Senate’s women regarding women’s health was derailed by a Conservative Caucus amendment.
Second House Map Vehicle
Last week, at the deadline to file bills for the year, Rep. Dan Shaul filed a new congressional map bill, HB 2909.
It looks like contingency preparation to send the Senate another map should circumstance demand such action.
But it’s unclear how the House can help in the process at this point, given the internal divisions in the Senate.
Carpenters Say Bond “Defrauded” Union
In a note to union members, Gary Perinar announced that “the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America’s investigation of the former St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council has resulted in internal union charges against former Executive Secretary-Treasurer Al Bond.”
The charges include “misappropriation of union funds and defrauding the Brotherhood.”
Additionally, the statement says that “the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council is completing its own investigation of the former St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council and will be taking appropriate action.”
The Carpenters have been a powerhouse force in Missouri politics. But last week the Carpenters terminated their former political action committee, CHIPP. They sent the over $2.3 million in cash on-hand that was in the CHIPP PAC to two different PACs, both with Chicago addresses.
· $2 million to Mid America Carpenters Regional Council MO-KC Area PAC.
· $350,000 to Mid America Carpenters Regional Council PAC.
Butz Gets Primary
In the candidate filings (below) Rep. Steve Butz gets a legitimate primary from a St. Louis alderman. St. Louis City is undergoing ward reduction, motivating some to consider new offices. Butz is running for his third term.
One politico offers this assessment: [Alderman Bill Stephens] has proven that he will put in the shoe leather. Butz has proven that he can beat a left side challenge as he did it in 2018.
Butz wasn’t an incumbent then, and that will be a huge advantage… Butz has to be careful that some south siders don’t leave the Democratic primary to vote in the flashy Republican US Senate primary….
MEC Off Judiciary
From the House Journal, Speaker Rob Vescovo: I hereby make the following changes to the Judiciary committee: Per Representative Mary Elizabeth Coleman’s request, I hereby remove her from this committee and appoint Representative John Black.
New Candidate Filings
Rachl Aguirre filed to run for Senate 8 (Lee’s Summit) as a Republican. This creates a three-way primary, including incumbent Sen. Mike Cierpiot. Aguirre had previously indicated she was running for state representative.
Bill Stephens filed to run for House 81 (St. Louis City) as a Democrat, creating a primary challenge to Rep. Steve Butz.
Ginger Kissee Witty filed to run in House 156 (Branson) as a Democrat, creating a primary. This is a safe Republican seat.
$5K+ Contributions
MILA PAC - $11,400 from World Finance Corporation.
MILA PAC - $6,750 from SF of Missouri, LLC.
Together KC - $40,000 from The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City.
Together KC - $10,000 from Northland Health Care Access.
Together KC - $25,000 from Burns & McDonnell.
Diane Forte 4 Mayor - $5,015 from Jennifer Coates.
Lobbyists Registrations
Chasity Corbin and Libby Nolan added iHeartMedia, Inc.
Eapen Thampy added The Blue Line.
Casey Wasser added Americans for Fair Energy Prices, DirecTV LLC, and Dish Network LLC.
Drew Weber added Gourmet Grub LLC, Dr. Allen B. McCoy, and The Classical Academy de Lafayette Inc.; and deleted Lombardo Homes of St Louis LLC, Pinnacle Land Development LLC, QuikTrip Corporation, Defiance Ridge Vineyards LLC, and Spring Branch Farms HOA.
Guy Black deleted Swiss Re Management (US) Corporation, Vi-Jon Inc., Dollar Tree Stores Inc, Family Dollar Stores Inc., Dollar Tree Management Inc, Dollar Tree Distribution Inc., and CGB Enterprises Inc.
Mark Habbas deleted The Peridot Tree LLC, Eight Borders LLC, and Strategic Capitol Consulting LLC.
George Oestreich deleted Surescripts, and CPESN USA, LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Dave Monaghan, Nathan Beard, and Luke Reed.