MOScout Daily Update: Another 36 Hours - Tempers Flare in Senate Again - The Greitens Category and more...

2 Days Left

We’re now at twelve TAFP-ed bills (not including appropriation bills or SCRs). 

·         Joining the list yesterday was Rep. Brenda Shield’s HB 2149 (licensing deregulation) which includes this gag order: “A pharmacist shall not contact the prescribing physician or the patient to dispute the efficacy of ivermectin tablets or hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets for human use unless the physician or patient inquires of the pharmacist about the efficacy of ivermectin tablets or hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets.”

The volatile nature of the rifts between Senate Republicans was again on display.  Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder’s SB 690 provided the flashpoint.

Sen. Paul Wieland lamented that she hadn’t created a spreadsheet to help senators track the changes created in conference committee.  Sen. Bill Eigel took up that cause, expending hours of Senate time reading (often re-reading) the bill.

The Senate Redistricting Committee was cancelled during this filibuster.  It’s now scheduled for Noon today (the same time as the Senate is supposed to reconvene, FYI).  But with about 36 hours left, the paths to TAFP a redistricting map are narrowing.  We’re getting to a point where the House will have to take whatever map the Senate sends them if Republicans want to avoid rolling the dice on potential judicial intervention.

The Senate also spent hours on IP Reform.  It was calmly and competently filibustered by the Democrats.  After that fruitless effort, the Senate moved to HB 2587 loading it up with fourteen amendments.  This was largely drama-free.  Around 10:30PM, Sen. Mike Moon read from “The Deposition” after Sen. Dave Schatz attempted to add his language outlawing “grey machines.”  Schatz eventually relented, withdrawing the amendment after ten or fifteen pages of reading from Moon.

But around 1AM the Senate returned to Thompson Rehder’s SB 690 (she now produced a spreadsheet). Tempers flared.  The Conservative Caucus seems determined to sink the bill.  Thompson Rehder and the CC have been feuding all session, but especially since she held a press conference in March, accusing them of legislative obstruction.  Sen. Bob Onder’s substitute motion, asking to return to conference to add anti-abortion language, enraged Sen. Elaine Gannon.  She said when she talks to constituents, she gets asked, “What the blank is going on up there?” To which she said she usually replies, “It’s an embarrassment.”

The Senate recessed around 3:30AM.  By not adjourning, they save themselves a “Journal Day.”  But real time continues to tick.  We’re now about 36 hours to the Friday 6PM end of session.

Unanimously Defeated Amendment

One lobbyist told me this might be a Missouri Legislative first.  On Tuesday, an amendment was unanimously defeated in the House when even the sponsor, Rep. Jim Murphy, voted against it.

The Greitens Category

Axios, reporting on Pennsylvania Senate candidate Kathy Barnette, refers to the problem of Eric Greitens.  They’re both in the same category of Republican candidates who could gift Dems the seat. Read it here.

[A] cursory review of her Twitter account, @Kathy4Truth, turned up tweets like this one: "Just confronted a Muslim today."  She joins Missouri Senate candidate Eric Greitens — whose alleged misdeeds are numerous and graphic — on a list of potential Republican Senate nominees giving heartburn to GOP leadership.  They not only create the potential of blowing winnable seats but being unmanageable for McConnell should he return as Senate majority leader next year.

eMailbag on Parson Legacy

Sadly, Mike Parson leaves no legacy. He'll leave Missouri in nearly the same shape he left it. It is unfortunate he didn't do anything to move beyond the status quo… How many press avails did we have where he answered to a reporter, well, we’ll see what the legislature does. He’s been absent on the maps and many other issues.  I understand not wanting to rock to boat but he’s taken it to a whole new level.

Candidate Withdrawals

Democrat Renee Hoagenson withdrew from House 50 (Columbia).  That leaves Douglas Mann as the only Democrat.  He’ll face Republican James Musgraves in November.

$5K+ Contributions

JanePAC - $10,000 from Catherine Ruggeri-Rea.

JanePAC - $10,000 from Stephen Rafferty.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Peter Kinder, and Leann Chilton.

MOScout Schedule

No weekend editions coming up.  I’m already dreaming of sleeping in Saturday and Sunday.