MOScout Daily Update: Scharf Drops $500K into AG Race - Opening Day - New Ed PAC - Gore for US Atty? and more...
BOOM: Scharf Drops $500K into AG Race
Will Scharf contributed $500,000 to his campaign committee at the end of the quarterly deadline. It’s an “I’m all-in” statement. And it will make a stark contrast with Attorney General
Andrew Bailey, who was sworn in yesterday. Bailey hasn’t established a candidate committee yet (thought I’d expect that to happen very soon).
What It Means
· While both candidates are unknown to Missouri Republican primary voters, Scharf will need to seriously outraise Bailey because the incumbent AG has an enormous advantage: the AG is second only to the governor in being able to generate free media.
· Folks don’t think Bailey was be as aggressive as Eric Schmitt was. Schmitt filed swarms of lawsuits, some seeming legally hopeless, but designed to generate headlines. With hires like Ray Wagner and Bill Corrigan, Bailey’s office is looking more restrained.
· Still, the office will be involved in big fights, and Bailey will accrue name ID over the next two years as a result.
Driving the Day: Speeches
The General Assembly convenes today. It will be mostly pageantry.
· I don’t expect any new revelations from the opening speeches of either Speaker Dean Plocher or Pro Tem Caleb Rowden. We may hear some mention of priorities: crime, education, IP reform would be good guesses.
· Worth watching… New rules from both chambers. We could seem them filed today or tomorrow. It will be our first glimpse of the committee structures. I think we’ll see some consolidation of committees.
MOChamber Legislative Agenda
The Missouri Chamber held their pre-session kick-off yesterday. See their legislative agenda here.
· One of their priorities: public safety. According to a poll they conducted of 600 Missouri business leaders, “two-thirds of employers said the rising crime rate in Missouri is impacting the state’s economic competitiveness. Most employers – 60 percent – said public safety and crime was a growing concern, while 24 percent of business leaders said it was currently their top concern.”
And
Pat Thomas, chief of staff to Sen. Lincoln Hough, was presented with the inaugural Legislative Staff Leadership Award.
Rumorville: Gore for US Attorney?
One MOScouter tips that “Gabe Gore appears to be front runner for US attorney eastern district.”
· See his profile here.
· But… one worry is that newly sworn-in US Senator Eric Schmitt. Gore is said to have the backing of Congresswoman Cori Bush among others. And Schmitt might itching to “block any nomination from far-left progressive Bush, particularly in the area of law enforcement.”
Cities Eying New Pot Taxes?
News Tribune reports that the Jefferson City Council voted to put a citywide tax on recreational marijuana on the April ballot. Read the article here.
House Announces Education PAC
Ted House, former Democratic state senator from St. Charles, has formed a new PAC, St. Charles Families for Public Schools. See their website here.
“The PAC will enable us to raise and expend funds to support candidates for local school boards who support public education, as well as to support ballot measures that improve funding for our schools… This is a non-partisan outreach of Republicans, independents, Democrats, liberals, moderates and conservatives… If we have one specific litmus test it is that we oppose the diversion of public funds to private K-12 schools through voucher schemes or other methods. At a time when our public schools are having difficulty hiring sufficient staff and paying teachers what they are worth, transferring resources away from our schools would be devastating...”
Strategic Capitol Adds GC
Press release: Strategic Capitol Consulting, LLC (SCC) announced St. Louis based attorney Alec Rosenblum will join its team as general counsel. In this role, Rosenblum will lead the firm’s legal, compliance, ethics, and corporate business services… Prior to joining SCC, Rosenblum resided in Israel and served as a consultant and grant writer for Tel Aviv based firm Eagle Point Funding. Prior to working as a global grant writer, he served as a data privacy attorney for BOTCOPY and was an associate in the civil litigation division at Rosenblum, Schwartz and Fry. Rosenblum earned his JD from Saint Louis University and his B.S. in Philosophy from San Diego State University… Alec is the son of prominent St. Louis based criminal defense attorney Scott Rosenblum. Alec is a partner at Robbins Law Firm and lives in St. Louis with his rescue dog Billy.
Class Clown?
Politico writes about how the exit of Billy Long from Congress is leaving them without a “class clown.” See it here.
Who’s Missouri legislature’s class clown? Email your (anonymous) nomination to dave@moscout.com
Lobbyists Registrations
Erin Elizabeth Coppenbarger added March of Dimes Foundation, Missouri Chapter.
Richard Craighead added Missouri AFL-CIO.
James Harris added Opaa! Food Management Inc; and deleted American Bail Coalition.
Mike Lodewegen added Missouri Cable Telecommunications Association.
Zach Pollock and Jon Hensley added Missouri Bankers Association.
Zach Pollock added The Britton Group LLC.
Casey Burton and Matthew Paul Doellman added Phelps Health.
Alec Rosenblum added Torch Electronics LLC, Strategic Capitol Consulting LLC, and Robbins Law Firm.
Nexus Group added Missouri Eastern Railroad, and Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc; and deleted Niehaus Building Services LLC, Express Scripts, Juul Labs Inc, Valley Minerals, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Missouri Installment Lenders Association, Empower Schools, and Good Day Farms.
Heath Clarkston and Doug Nelson added Public Education Employee Retirement System of Missouri, Public School Retirement System of Missouri, Carfax Inc, EBSCO Information Services, and Specialized Education of Missouri Inc; and deleted Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Helena Agri-Enterprises LLC, Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline Inc, Orscheln Management Co, Lathrop GPM LLP, Lathrop GPM Consulting LLC,
Wesley Financial Group, Ciox Health LLC, St. Louis County, Association of Health Information Outsourcing Systems, Peak Performance, and Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis.
Andy Blunt and Jay Reichard added US Strategic Metals; and deleted Community Health Systems, Accela Inc, and FEI Systems.
Andy Blunt deleted Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Dell Inc, Revolution Global, Lockton Companies, and Holistic Industries.
Angie Schulte deleted Community Health Systems, Dell Inc, Wellpath, Elara Caring, John Bardgett & Associates, and Holistic Industries.
Susan Henderson Moore, and Cara Alexander deleted St. Louis Economic Development Partnership.
Jacqueline Bardgett and Chris Roepe deleted Missouri Primary Care Association.
David Barklage deleted The Opportunity Trust.
Irl Scissors deleted OTGEXP, and Kinder Morgan.
Mike Gibbons and Tricia Workman deleted Total Wine & More.
Kurt Schaefer deleted 3M Company, Catapult Learning LLC, Consumer Data Industry Association, Copart Inc, FCS Financial, Kum & Go, Bally's Corporation, Panorama Education, Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis, KC Fiber, FORVIS, Odyssey, US Chamber of Commerce, Wesley Financial Group, Ciox Health LLC, Missouri Alliance for Children and Families, Mighty Good Solutions, Association of Health Information Outsourcing Systems, Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits LLC, Bristol Care Inc, Diamond Game, Missouri Broadcasters Association, Missouri Press Association, Garcia Laboratory, Missouri Association of Cosmetology Schools, Missouri Fireworks Association, Missouri Society of Accountants, Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, Mortgage Bankers Association of Missouri, and Renaissance Learning, Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
Citizens for Scharf - $500,000 from Will Scharf.
Missouri Leadership Fund - $60,000 from Accel Entertainment Gaming LLC.
Taneyhills Library Inc. Beyond Books Campaign - $54,000 from Taneyhills Library Inc.
Page PAC - $8,000 from Protect Saint Louis Freedom.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Dottie Bailey, and Rob Schaaf.