MOScout Daily Update: Hoskins Vow Revenge on Bernskoetter - Senate Loses Interest in Trans Athlete Bill - Next Week Budget Timeline - Rosenbaum on Greitens and more...
Hoskins Vows Revenge Against Bernskoetter
Yesterday on the Senate floor, Sen. Denny Hoskins explained the demise of the sports betting bill the night before, and vowed revenge against Sen. Mike Bernskoetter for his involvement.
The Senator from Andrew [Dan Hegeman] and I had come up with a compromise. It was something that neither he or I were very real excited about, but we had come up with a compromise. Unfortunately, the casinos… people asked, ‘what killed the bill last night?’
I said, ‘casino greed.’ The greed of the casinos killed the bill last night because they got everything they wanted in the sports book portion…
Casinos stood to make millions and millions of dollars. They had their version that they came up with with the professional sports teams in that bill last night. But you know what they didn’t like? They didn’t like the video lottery portion…
The Senator from Cole [Mike Bernskoetter] decided that he was going to take a particular interest in gaming after the casinos came to him and said, ‘Hey how can we screw over the Senator from Johnson?’ So the Senator from Cole decided that hey I’m going to do the casinos bidding and I’m going to offer this amendment even though I’ve never been involved in any discussion in this in the last six years…
So the Senator from Cole decided that he was going to get in the gaming discussion. And you know what? I think that’s great. That’s a good example to set because I know the Senator from Cole has some bills coming up that I really haven’t really been involved with…
If that’s the example we’re going to set, Hallelujah. I’m in. I’m in. Like I said, I know the Senator from Cole has some bills coming up that I have not taken an interest in really before, but I am definitely taking an interest in now. And I look forward for him to bring those up so I can make those bills better. I can make those bills more conservative.
I don’t care, you know he may have a deal worked out on whatever. I don’t care because he didn’t care when I had a deal worked out with the Senator from Andrew.
And so I look forward to him bringing up some bill, whatever that bill is that he may have, be a priority for him and he may be passionate about that I really haven’t focused on in the past, but I’ve got a laser like focus on now.
And I’m excited. I’m excited to make whatever bill that is, I’m excited to make that bill more conservative, I’m excited to make that bill better.
It doesn’t matter if he’s got an agreement with Republicans, Democrats, or whoever he’s got an agreement with. Because we’ve seen that’s how we’re going to treat each other...
Senate Loses Interest in Trans Athletes Legislation
Sen. Mike Moon’s SB 781, “Save Women’s Sports Act” came up for debate yesterday afternoon. Moon has attempted to add this language to other bills, but often was asked instead to pass it as a stand-alone bill, because it would generate filibuster opposition.
Indeed it was filibustered. Sens. Greg Razer and Lauren Arthur held the floor, with Razer offering a history lesson about the gay rights movement.
And after a few hours, a quorum call revealed that the legislation wasn’t a priority for a lot of the Senate. Several senators (including, I’m told, some of Moon’s Conservative Caucus colleagues) had left rather than stick around to debate and maybe pass the bill on a Thursday. Unable to muster a quorum to continue business, the Senate adjourned.
Next Week Budget Schedule
Senate Appropriations Chair Dan Hegeman outlined next week’s timeline as the legislature hurtles towards it May 6 constitutional deadline to pass the budget.
He sees the Senate dealing with HB 3020 on Monday or Tuesday. This is the ARPA funds. 3020 could generate fireworks on the floor as some senators think Missouri’s acceptance of $3 billion in federal funds could accelerate inflation in the nation’s $21 trillion economy.
Then Hegeman plans to go to conference with the House on all the budget bills Tuesday or Wednesday, with work being tied up for final passage on Thursday or Friday.
Fear of Greitens on the GOP Ballot
The mighty Jason Rosenbaum writes about fear and loathing of Eric Greitens among many “political class” Republicans. Read it here.
Concerns about Greitens' general election chances are only part of the story behind Missouri Republican angst around him. After he became governor, Greitens made plenty of enemies among the state's political class — including elected officials like Hawley. He had a bad relationship with the GOP-controlled legislature, a body he derided as "third graders" after a contentious legislative session. Some of his policy initiatives alienated GOP figures. And many of his detractors found him to be profoundly hypocritical: Even though he chastised his opponents for relying on "secretive super PACs," some people connected to him started a politically active nonprofit that attacked sitting Republican legislators — and never revealed the funding sources…
And
Coming tomorrow in the MOScout Weekender… Greitens vs Trudy Busch Valentine polling…
Candidate Withdawals
Brian Steele withdrew from running in House 139 (Nixa) as a Republican. That leaves Republican Bob Titus now unopposed in both the primary and general.
Lobbyists Registrations
Shawn Rhoads added Growth Capital Investment Fund LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Missouri PAC - Federal Committee - $25,000 from IBT Drive 25 (Washington DC)
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Missouri PAC - Federal Committee - $74,154 from IBT Drive 25 (Washington DC).
SCOPE PAC - $8,000 from Western Anesthesiology Associates, Inc.
MO Society of Anesthesiologists Political Action Committee - $8,000 from Western Anesthesiology Associates, Inc.
Physician Led Anesthesia Care PAC - $24,000 from Western Anesthesiology Associates, Inc.
Viceroy PAC - $30,000 from Golden Entertainment (Las Vegas NV)
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Brad Bates and Belinda Harris.