MOScout Daily Update: House Passes Hough's Bill - Look at Senate 8 #s - MAPA Against A3 - New Schmitt Ad - Garrison Angles for AG and more...
Quick Friday update…
Income Tax Done
On the House floor yesterday Budget Chair Cody Smith stripped the provisions his committee had added to the Senate income tax cut bill. Smith had advanced a corporate income tax phase-out the day before. But Smith’s plan was doomed when the governor said he was opposed to it and wouldn’t change the special session “call” to incorporate it.
Faced with that reality, Smith engineered a hasty retreat, and reverted to the original Senate bill which the House then passed.
· The governor’s office issued a statement saying they were “thrilled.”
Next Up
The Senate will consider the House’s agricultural tax credit bill. Senate Appropriations is scheduled to hold a hear on it Monday (3PM).
Not Only Hruza
I’m told that although clearly Senate 24 is the center ring of the state senate races this November, Republicans will be keeping an eye on a few of their incumbents as well.
“I don’t think it’s fair to say Missouri Senate Campaign Committee won’t have to spend anywhere else.”
On their Watch List: Senate 8 (Sen. Mike Cierpiot), Senate 30 (Sen. Lincoln Hough), and Senate 34 (Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer). MSCC will probably have to spend some cash in at least two of those three.
Here’s a look at the Senate 8 numbers from 2020 where Donald Trump was the least popular Republican…
· Republican Donald Trump beat Joe Biden by 6.6%.
· Republican Mike Parson beat Nicole Galloway by 8.8%.
· Republican Mike Kehoe beat Alissia Canady by 11.2%
· Republican Scott Fitzpatrick beat Vicki Englund by 13.7%.
· Republican Eric Schmitt beat Rich Finneran by 14.7%.
· Republican Jay Ashcroft beat Yinka Faleti by 17.8%.
· And in 2018, Republican Josh Hawlye beat Claire McCaskill by 3.5%.
Prosecutors Against Legalization
Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys issued a position paper (see it here) arguing against Amendment 3.
We know from the Colorado experiment, recreational marijuana dramatically increases the threat posed by drivers high on marijuana – Colorado saw a 138% increase in traffic fatalities where the driver tested positive for marijuana. Under Amendment 3, our legislature could not even set a maximum limit for marijuana in the bloodstream, while Colorado does. Amendment 3 is dangerous and makes drugged driving tougher to prosecute than drunk driving. For these reasons and many others, your Prosecuting Attorneys urge you to vote NO on Amendment 3.
Schmitt Joins Suit Over Student Debt Relief
AP reports… Six Republican-led states are suing the Biden administration in an effort to halt its plan to forgive student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, accusing it of overstepping its executive powers…
· In the lawsuit, being filed Thursday in a federal court in Missouri, the Republican states argue that Biden’s cancellation plan is “not remotely tailored to address the effects of the pandemic on federal student loan borrowers,” as required by the 2003 federal law that the administration is using as legal justification. They point out that Biden, in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” this month, declared the Covid-19 pandemic over, yet is still using the ongoing health emergency to justify the wide-scale debt relief…
· Biden’s forgiveness program will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, will get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven…
New Schmitt Ad Hits Inflation
Attorney General Eric Schmitt released a new ad. The blowtorch is gone and replaced by a spatula and red plastic cup. See it here.
I’m Eric Schmitt, and I’m a grill dad who flips a mean burger. But thanks to Biden, it now costs an arm and a leg to cook out. Ground beef is up 36%. That’s crazy. Biden’s inflation is taking the sizzle out of our economy… and costing your family over seven hundred dollars a month. In the Senate, I’ll end the wasteful spending and put more money back in your pocket…
Garrison Angles for AG
Tipster says to “be on the lookout from increased activity from Tim Garrison” who’s working on advancing his candidacy to be appointed attorney general if Eric Schmitt win the US Senate race.
· It’s evident Tim Garrison has the professional resume and credentials as a career prosecutor and decorated Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, but now to prove his political strength he’s helping Back the Blue PAC raise resources from across the state.
· Expect Tim’s political network to flex in support of helping him make the case he not only has the right credentials, but show the Governor he has what it takes to put together the necessary resources to win in 2024.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $50,000 from Missouri Soybean Association.
Serve Missouri PAC (pro-McCreery) - $50,000 from Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Missouri-Kansas Area PAC.
Hruza for Missouri - $50,000 from George Hruza.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $16,552 from Missourians for Mike Cierpiot.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $29,800 from Brighter Days for Missouri PAC.
Deere & Company Political Action Committee MO-Federal Committee - $26,000 from Deere & Company PAC (Moline, IL).
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Dave Muntzel and Chris Benjamin.