MOScout Daily Update: Emery as Model Senator? - $100M for EVs - Dems Hunt for Midterm Hope and more...

What Kind of Senator?

With the looming rift between Republicans in the Senate, an interesting exchange between Americans for Prosperity’s Jeremy Cady, and Sen-elect Travis Fitzwater points to the late Sen. Ed Emery as an alternative way of operating.

Emery was perhaps the body’s most consistent conservative senator, but he didn’t join the Conservative Caucus and he rarely engaged in filibusters.  Instead, he preferred to explain his objections to a piece of legislation, content afterwards to simply vote No.

I think it’s very hard to hard that he was effective by not exercising one of the greatest powers of a senator – the ability to slow passage of legislation.  But maybe these folks are arguing that the power should be employ judiciously.  Whereas the Conservative Caucus last session seemed to think that any personal slight or disrespect warranted a retaliatory filibuster.

·       Cady: If the newest members of the Senate want to be effective I recommend they not join the CC and instead emulate the late @edemery. Hold to the principles, treat everyone with love, dignity, and respect, and work with anyone to do the right thing.

·       Fitzwater: Ed lived with us during session as we rented him a room. He’s the example of how to be principled and effective without dividing the Senate.

The consensus is that future-Sens. Nick Schroer, Ben Brown and Jill Carter will be joining the Conservative Caucus.  Lobbyists eyes are watching future-Sens. Mary Elizabeth Coleman and Curtis Trent.

·       Some Regular Republicans don’t care so much whether folks caucus with the CC.  But they want reasonable CC members.  They point to Sens. Andrew Koenig and Eric Burlison who often eschewed the filibuster-du-jour, but stayed focused on advancing legislation.

MO Seeks To Build Out EV Infrastructure

Post-Dispatch reports on Missouri Department of Transportation working to build out an infrastructure for electric vehicles.

·       Missouri transportation officials are preparing to spend more than $100 million on electric vehicle charging stations as part of a national plan to boost the number of battery-powered cars and trucks on the road… The move could reverse a trend: Missouri has lagged behind other states in charging station build-out, a key issue in the expansion of electric vehicles. The state had been hesitant to invest, with electricity regulators and utilities at first waffling on their involvement. But the new plan is a signal that government and private industry are now preparing for a future with more EVs on the roads…

·       Missouri’s plan will spend its first year studying good systems. And while it has identified some “priority locations,” private investment could change current plans.  “Even with improvements in charging technology, the amount of time that will be required for EVs to recharge at DCFC sites along the highway will likely be around 30 minutes for the near future,” the draft says. “Charging sites should be co-located with amenities that drivers can use while waiting for their vehicles to charge. These amenities could include convenience stores, restaurants, and parks.”

Dems Hunt for Midterm Hope

Axios reports that Dems think the recently-passed federal legislation dealing with prescription drug prices could provide some political benefit in November.  Read it here.

·       This comes on the heels of the motivating Dobbs decision, and falling gas prices.

And

The CDC’s latest relaxation of COVID protocols would seem to alleviate the potential to score political points over the virus.

New Committees

Patriot PAC was formed.  Its treasurer is Clem Smith.

Alliance for Missouri Conservation was formed. Its treasurer is Marc Ellinger.

Local Political Action Account-Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 was formed. Its treasurer is Theodore Ramsdell.

AshPac was formed. Its treasurer is Bety Shackelford.

Capaha PAC was formed to support John Voss.  Its treasurer is Robert Guard.

Lobbyist Registrations

Jim Foley, Andy Foley, Chris Liese, Tony Dugger, and Neal English added MERATIVE L.P.

Graham Officer added Brevan Howard US LLC.

Stuart Lindeman added Mission Health Communities LLC.

David Winton added Kinship Health.     

Tim Keck deleted Mission Health Communities LLC.

$5K+ Contributions

POL PAC - $17,500 from J.E. Dunn Construction Company.

UAW Region 5 Midwest States Political Action Committee (PAC) (MO) - $6,000 from UAW Region 4 Exchange Account.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Sen. Barbara Washington, Rep. Mike Haffner, Sharon Jones, and Vicki Schneider.