MOScout Daily Update: Roe Joins Team Kehoe - Plocher Makes Cold War Move Against Senate - Teen Shot in KC - Houx on Sports Betting and more...
First in MOScout: Kehoe Over $3M COH
Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe will report over $3.3M combined cash-on-hand for his 2024 campaign, with nearly $300K raised in his candidate committee and $315K raised in American Dream PAC, for a total of over $600K raised in Q1.
· Team Kehoe crows that they’ve built a “fundraising juggernaut with a donor base representing every corner of Missouri, super donors, and national donors, while securing key endorsements from 13 statewide organizations providing a powerful network of financial and grassroots support to the campaign.”
Scoop: Roe for Kehoe
But the big news isn’t in the topline numbers this quarter. Kehoe’s American Dream PAC report contains news that goes beyond the showing of another strong fundraising quarter. Axiom Strategies appears on filing. Jeff Roe and Axiom will be with Kehoe in the Governor’s race and will be managing the PAC’s efforts.
· This is a big get for Kehoe as Axiom continues to be a powerhouse firm in Missouri and nationally. Axiom, most recently, guided Eric Schmitt to his US Senate victory.
1 Big Thing: House Draws Line in Sand
Aligned’s weekly capitol report had this little nugget/huge bombsheel: It is rumored that on Thursday Speaker Dean Plocher met with his committee chairs and instructed them to slow down passage of any additional Senate bills out of committees until the Senate begins to move on some of the House priorities, most notably initiative petition reform.
· Multiple MOScouters confirm this rumor is true.
What It Means
Obviously, the House and Senate operate with different rules. In the Senate, every senator regardless of party, has influence. It makes for a slower, more deliberate, process.
Senate leadership seems committed to passing IP reform this year, but the upper chamber clearly doesn’t run on a timeline of Speaker’s choosing.
If the House waits to work on Senate bills, there will be a lot of collateral damage. There just won’t be enough time or capacity for the House and Senate to reconcile their various bills.
· One observer, gaming out how this resolves itself, isn’t optimistic: “get ready for fifty car pile-up at end of session.”
Softball on Tuesday
The Legislative Softball tournament is scheduled for Tuesday this week. That’ll be an early end to the legislative work day, and hopefully not too many folks limping around Wednesday morning.
Houx Undeterred
Advocates for sports betting remain optimistic that a deal on sports betting is within reach. Rep. Dan Houx shared that sentiment in an interview with Missourinet this weekend: “I’m working with Senator Hoskins,” said Houx. “We had a meeting this week. I’m very optimistic that we’re going to come to agreement to get it done. As everybody knows, it’s kind of been hinging on Senator Hoskins, so I’m going to keep working on.”
The contours of a deal had been thought to be…
· Define VLTs to include gray games. Torch would become regulated and rescued from lawsuits, and they’d be the incumbent at many sites.
· Allow a limited number at a narrowly defined number of venues. Other VLTs would get the green light to enter Missouri.
· Sports betting with reasonable tax rate. Casinos would get sports betting revenue, and the new regulated VLTs/grays might reduce their actual number across the state.
But as far as I can tell, not one of the three sides liked that deal.
So I guess it makes sense that Houx is talking about jettisoning the VLT portion and just working on massaging sports betting.
The Hallway Index over the weekend was very pessimistic on sports betting passing.
We’ll see…
Will KC Tragedy Make Any Difference in Gun Policy?
A Kansas City teen was shot twice apparently after “attempting to pick up his siblings from the wrong address, police say. Officers responded to a residence just before 10 p.m. and found the minor injured. The victim was told by a parent to pick up his siblings from an address on 115th Terrace, according to a statement from the Kansas City Police Department. However, he traveled to a residence on the 1100 block of 115th Street instead.”
· There have been protests over the shooting. And I think there’s a fear that Missouri’s Stand Your Ground/Castle Doctrine (see statutes here) will shield the homeowner from prosecution.
Lee for Scharf
Utah’s US Senator, Mike Lee, endorsed Will Scharf on Twitter, following Scharf’s defense of Justice Clarence Thomas.
Huge Smith Quarter
Congressman Jason Smith, now Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee raised nearly $1.5 million last quarter. His campaign report $1M in the campaign account. His leadership PAC, Mr Smith PAC (Mr. Southern Missourian in the House PAC), raised $480K in Q1.
Eyes on Ameren
Post-Dispatch reported about Ameren program that doesn’t seem to going as advertised. Read it here.
“The Ameren Power Play Goals for Kids program aims to help children in need. For every goal the Blues score during a power play, the region’s electric utility pledges to donate $500 to a local children’s organization. But this year, state officials have been scrutinizing the program — and accusing Ameren of funding Power Play through rate charges on customers while donating only a fraction. Missouri regulators say that for every $1 Ameren has donated to charity, its customers have paid more than $11 for the power play program itself — an arrangement described by one economist as ‘a horribly inefficient way to help kids in need.’”
· The article was tweeted by Democrat Sen. Tracy McCreery, and retweeted by Republican Sen. Nick Schroer. That’s both sides of the political spectrum raising their eyebrows.
Derges Hits to the Pokey
Springfield News Leader reports that “Former Missouri state Representative Patricia Derges has reported to a federal prison in Lexington, Kentucky to begin serving her six-year-and-three-month sentence. Derges, who represented Nixa in the state legislature until last year, was convicted on 22 counts, including wire fraud, illegal distribution of controlled substances and making false statements to investigators in June 2022.”
Gubby Appts
Governor Mike Parson announced two judicial appointments…
· Derek Spencer, of Raymore, will be appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Cass County in the 17th Judicial Circuit.
· The Honorable James Beck, of Troy, will be appointed as Circuit Judge for the 45th Judicial Circuit.
Lobbyists Registrations
Alex Eaton, Rebecca Lohmann, Danny Pfeifer, Greg Porter, Jeff Smith, Jasmine Wells, and David Willis added Missouri Future LLC.
Zach Pollock added 1900 Vine Street LLC, and Vine Parking LLC.
Aaron Baker added Community Health Systems.
Strategic Capitol Consulting added Feel State.
Noel Torpey added My Missouri.
Jon Mandel deleted Dish Network LLC, and DirecTV.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Joe Pierle, Ryan Silvey, Tom Rackers, Gregg Hartley, Sarah Fenske, and Patrick Shami.