MOScout Daily Update: Mehan Dings Eigel - Casinos Appeal Gray Suit - Roorda Sue SLPOA - Kimble Announces Quarter and more...
Mehan Dings Eigel
Missouri Independent reports on Missouri Chamber President Dan Mehan, speaking about the need to address the child care crisis directed his ire at the Missouri legislature and calling out Sen. Bill Eigel in particular. Read it here.
“You can’t go to work if your kids have nowhere to go,” Mehan told the crowd of about 100 gathered at the University of Missouri’s Center for Family Policy and Research. “Due to knuckleheads doing filibusters – Bill Eigel – it didn’t come up for a vote.”
What It Means
· Mehan is not alone among business leaders in expressing his frustration with the General Assembly’s inability to find compromise and pass legislation.
· It appears to be one of the reasons that MOChamber endorses Mike Kehoe for governor.
· There’s great pessimism concerning the upcoming legislative session because senators running for higher office are expected to use the floor as a platform for their campaigns.
Casinos Appeal Gray Slots Suit
Missouri Gaming Association, the trade group for the casinos in Missouri, issued a press release saying they planned to continue their lawsuit to remove “gray” machines from Missouri: Torch Electronics is an illegal competitor and its illegal gaming devices are harming our members. Torch’s illegal gaming devices take money away from Veterans, local cities and education in the form of lost tax revenue and admission fees, and this needs to be stopped. The Missouri Gaming Association filed an appeal today as we believe that the trial court erred because we have a right to bring an action to stop illegal competitors. We look forward to the decision being reversed, to trying our case and stopping Torch’s illegal competition.
What’s Gray? Torch claims their machines are legal because you can see the result before you enter your dollar to play. This is true. But casinos argue that folks are simply paying their dollar to “see” the next result. The essential gambling nature is the same.
· Drebes: It would be great if the courts would settle this dispute so we could all move on.
Roorda Sues SLPOA
Former Rep. Jeff Roorda sued his former employer, the St. Louis Police Officers Associations, alleging he’s owed back pay. Read the lawsuit here.
As a direct and proximate result of the breach of the Employment Contract by Defendant St. Louis Police Officers Association, Plaintiff Jeff Roorda has suffered actual damages in an amount in excess of $25,000.00 as follows:
a. $144,875.00 being the estimated annual base salary of $91,500.00 due and payable for the period October, 2022, through April, 2024;
b. $6,100.00 being the estimated additional salary based on 8.0% raises paid to a 5-year police officer due and payable for the period July, 2023, through April, 2024;
c. $2,000.00 being the estimate annual bonuses;
d. $4,971.68 being the estimated IRA-SEP contribution;
e. $3,800.00 being the estimated cost of mobile phone service;
f. $31,672.00 being the estimated pay for unused holidays, sick days, vacation days and personal days;
g. $100,000.00 being the estimated damage to reputation and diminished employment opportunities; and
h. $100,000.00 being the estimated attorney’s fees incurred in the prosecution of this claim.
· The SLPOA always seems to hire combative folks, and it’s not too surprising when it ends with some acrimony.
Kimble Gets a Jump in House 82
Press release: 82nd District State Representative Candidate Nick Kimble filed the first campaign finance report of his campaign. During the first financial quarter Kimble raised over $20,000 from 141 donors. 77% were contributions under $100.
He also secured the support of various community leaders within the 82nd District, most notably the State Representative he is vying to replace, Donna Baringer. Baringer who is reached her term limit has fully thrown her support behind Kimble…
What It Means: This is a strong Dem district (+34 Biden in 2020), so you’d expect a full field of contenders. So far, Kimble is putting together the support, with the help of Baringer, to freeze out others. We’ll see if it holds…
AFP Contra Trump
Politico’s Influence reports that Americans For Prosperity is planning to spend “upwards of $70 million to defeat former President Donald Trump in the GOP presidential primary.”
· AFP’s man in Missouri is Jeremy Cady.
eMailbag on Brattin Letter of Support
There’s a special irony in John and Mary Webb being at the top of Brattin’s letter chastising Rep. Mike Haffner for challenging an incumbent. John Webb, as many will remember, unsuccessfully challenged Vicky Hartzler for Congress in the Republican primary in 2014, 2016, and 2018…
Lobbyists Registrations
James Harris added Varsity Tutors.
Andy Blunt deleted Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Brent Hemphill deleted US Term Limits, Freedom's Rest Family Violence Center, Guaranteed Asset Protection Alliance.
Scott Jones deleted National Rifle Association of America.
$5K+ Contributions
MoCannTrade PAC - $25,000 from Robert Baris.
MoCannTrade PAC - $25,000 from Good Day Farm (Little Rock, AR).
MoCannTrade PAC - $25,000 from Elevate Missouri.
MoCannTrade PAC - $12,000 from GF Saint Mary LLC.
MoCannTrade PAC - $12,000 from Agri-Genesis.
MoCannTrade PAC - $12,000 from Timothy Schlesinger.
MoCannTrade PAC - $12,000 from Christopher McHugh.
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from ARB Holdings LLC.
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from Grow Generation USA Inc (Greenwood Village, CO).
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from Old Route 66 Wellness.
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from David Morrisey.
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from Janet Maginness.
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from Mike Pearcy.
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from Jonathan Rosenthal (Denver, CO).
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from EDKH LLC.
St. Charles Realtors PAC - $10,000 from National Association of Realtors (Washington, DC).
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Joe Keavney, and Nick Marshall.
MOScout Schedule
After tomorrow morning’s update, I’ll be off for the long weekend (Monday is Columbus Day).