MOScout Daily Update: Gardner Under Fire - Richey Backs Patterson - McGaugh Silences Stacy - SB 1 Constitutional Challenge? and more..
1 Big Thing: STL Tragedy Fuels Gardner Critics
Post-Dispatch front page today…
There was a cascade of calls for St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner to resign after details emerged surrounding the reckless driver who hit a teenage volleyball player downtown. It seemed to encapsulate everything wrong with the city’s approach to crime: soft on criminals, incompetent bureaucracy, streets where lawless behavior is rampant and victims are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Pro Tem Caleb Rowden was the first on my Twitter feed to call for Gardner’s resignation. But it soon was echoed by other top Republicans. And by the end of the day, even Gardner’s natural allies – Mayor Tishaura Jones and Board President Megan Green – were beseeching her to step down.
The culmination came when Attorney General Andrew Bailey declared if Gardner didn’t resign by noon today, he’d start legal proceeding to have her removed.
What It Means
· First, gives an enormous boost to the crime bill that the House passed. Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer tweeted that he’s itching to move on it as the Senate handler.
· Second, highlights what I’ve said before about Bailey being able to use every situation for the next eighteen months to lift his name ID. This is just one more example. The high noon deadline was nice touch.
· Finally, what next? If the state removes Gardner, that’s just the first step, and by far the easiest. Are they ready to own this?… the shortage of attorneys, the backlog of cases.
Richey Endorses Patterson For Speaker
> From: Doug Richey <Doug.Richey@house.mo.gov>
> Date: February 22, 2023 at 14:33:44 CST
> To: _Republican Representatives <_RepublicanRepresentatives@house.mo.gov>
> Subject: Speaker/Senate Pivot
> Colleagues,
>
> A most unexpected shift in my plans has occurred. I'm discontinuing my race for Speaker and am preparing for a senate effort. I've found this past year to be tremendously rewarding. Our conversations, shared interests, and collaboration have left a deep impression. That impression includes my appreciation for the way my conversations have developed with our Floor Leader. I'm confident that Representative Patterson has the demeanor, skill set, and commitments necessary to serve us well as Speaker of the House, should he desire to serve us in that capacity. He has my full support….
· Richey is currently in Senate 21 (Hoskins termed).
Parson PAC $$
In the large contributions (below), another $50,000 headed into the pro-Mike Parson PAC, Uniting Missouri. It’s surprising given that he’s entering the final stretch of his term with no elective office in his future.
Perhaps this war-chest will be used to help his appointees win in 2024?...
McGaugh Silences Stacy
Election Committee Chair Peggy McGaugh has effectively silenced Rep. Dan Stacy in her committee. The two had feuded the last time she presented a bill. But on Tuesday, she clearly had a plan when she presented HB 783. She handed the gavel to Rep. Bill Falkner, instead of vice-chair Stacy. And when Stacy tried to inquire of McGaugh, Falkner simply refused to recognize him.
New Sports Betting Wrinkle
The sports betting and VLT debate has been raging for a few years now in Jefferson City. But in yesterday’s Appropriations hearing on the subjects, there was a new twist: the possibility of a constitutional challenge to Sen. Denny Hoskins’ SB 1 should it become law.
Attorneys Marc Ellinger and Stephanie Bell has produced a memo outlining their belief that “SB1’s provisions on VLTs’ revenue distributions to the VLT industry and veterans are
unconstitutional.” Ellinger and Bell argue that the constitution is clear that all lottery proceeds after prize winnings and administrative costs go toward education. Therefore, they say the bill’s payments to VLT operators and split with the Veteran’s Fund would be illegal.
What It Means
Just a reminder that there are four obstacles in passing legislation: the House, the Senate, the Governor, and… the Courts.
Kids Coalition On the Air
A coalition of children advocates has started an ad campaign to support pro-child proposals moving through the legislature.
Press release: The Missouri Champion of Children Coalition of child advocates, business groups, law enforcement, healthcare advocates and community leaders have launched a new television advertising campaign in the push to make child care and early education a top priority in Missouri.
See the ad here. It features lots of politicians…
· I’m told it’s a $50K ad buy.
Senate Perfects Moon Bill
The Senate has been working through tax cut bills lately. One of them was SB 133, sponsored by Sen. Mike Moon.
It still has a long way to go but if he gets it passed out of the Senate by Spring Break, maybe, just maybe, this could be Moon’s first bill to get passed ever in his career?
His record from his House days…
· HB 1647 (2014) died in senate committee.
· HJR 98 (2016) never had a senate hearing.
· HCR 86 (2018) died in senate committee.
Missouri Agrees Cheers Fundraising
Press release: Missouri Agrees is excited to share that we concluded a successful 36-hour crowdfunding campaign which raised over $200,000 from more than 130 individuals, with individuals and organizations from Missouri accounting for 91% of funds raised. We are encouraged by this display of grassroots enthusiasm, which will be crucial to our success in 2024...
Policies the coalition is considering
· Audits: require audits of 5% of precincts in every county before the election is certified. Currently this is only in regulation, and not enforceable under law.
· Election observers: Allow independent and non-partisan candidates to have election observers present, just like parties do, including at absentee voting locations.
· Remove deceased individuals from voter rolls: Ensure accurate voter rolls by requiring election authorities to remove deceased voters.
· Fair ballot language: Require all ballot summaries for ballot questions to be unbiased and only include language found in the proposed measure.
· Give voters the freedom to choose all the candidates they want in separate primaries and general elections. Very similar to school board elections: let voters select multiple candidates, and most votes wins. It ensures the most popular candidate wins, prevents vote-splitting between similar candidates, with results decided on Election Night.
And Then There’s This….
Lobbyists Registrations
Cassandra Allana Grewing added Jefferson County 911 Dispatch.
$5K+ Contributions
Uniting Missouri PAC (pro-Parson) - $50,000 from Evergy Metro, Inc.
Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Missouri-Kansas Area Political Action Committee - $17,513 from United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 777 PAC.
Missouri Leadership Fund - $25,000 from Jeff PAC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Paula Brown, and Rick Stream.