MOScout Weekender: Wash U Rebuts Charges - MOScout Poll: Now and Then - Hallway on Trouble Spots - Who Won the Week and more...

Wash U Rebuts Charges

Washington University released the results of its internal investigation, rebutting the charges that had been leveled at it by former employee Jamie Reed.  See the Post-Dispatch article here.

One Capitol veteran’s take…

·       To me, what pushes back hardest [is that] most adolescent patients have not been prescribed puberty blockers or hormones since Reed was hired in 2018, contrary to Reed’s claim that the clinic has a ‘prevailing narrative of immediate cross-sex hormones for all by the prescribing physicians.’

·       Reed claims the Transgender Center “does not provide mental health care or refer children for mental health care.” But the story says “Patients are required to have a letter of support from a licensed mental health provider before beginning medical interventions.”  And most patients receive continuing mental health care.  And “Staff at the center includes a psychiatrist and a psychologist.” That seems to undermine Reed's claims.

·       On the subject of surgeries, the story says that “six surgeries have been performed by Washington University physicians since 2018, but they were not from Transgender Center referrals... All six surgeries were chest surgeries for adolescents transitioning to male.” So NO PENISES CUT OFF, which seems to be what fascinates so many GOP men.

·       I would add that WashU is being ploddingly thorough, but 2 and a halfmonths late since the critics’ narrative has baked in and festered.

What It Means

If there was any doubt… there’s now absolutely no way if the Senate bill comes back from the House changed that it passes again with three weeks left.

Remington/Chilenski/MOScout Polls: Now and Then, 2013 and 2023

Below are questions I asked last weekend – and ten years ago.  The answers from 2013 are in parenthesis.  See the 2023 survey here.  See the 2013 report here.

Q1: In general, are things in Missouri headed in the right direction, or are things off on the wrong track?

Right Direction: 29%  [51.9%]

Wrong Track: 49%      [44.2%]

Not Sure: 22%             [3.9%]

Q2: What is the most important problem facing the State of Missouri right now, unemployment and jobs, government spending, education or health care?”

Jobs: 11%               [43%]

Spending: 16%       [22%]

Education: 22%      [16%]

Health Care: 24%   [17%]

Not Sure: 27%        [1%]

Q3: Which of these two options do you think would do more to reduce gun violence in schools: having stricter gun control laws or having armed guards in schools?

Stricter Laws: 57%    [35.1%]

Armed Guards 37%   [52.7%]

Not Sure: 13%           [12/2%]

Q4: In general, do you think unions are still necessary to protect workers or are unions unnecessary these days?

Still Necessary: 62%   [56.9%]

Unnecessary: 25%       [33.1%]

Not Sure: 13%             [10%]

MOScout’s Hallway Index: Trouble Spots

I asked lobbyists, “Which relationship is most likely to be a troublesome source of conflict in the final weeks of session?”  27 replies…

RESULTS

1. Governor – House… 0%

2. House – Senate… 29.6%

3. Plocher – Patterson… 0%

4. Republicans within Senate… 52.3%

5. Republicans – Democrats… 7.4%

6. Something else… 3.7%

Sample of Comments

·       The annual House-Senate standoff is the number one cause for non-movement of legislation at the moment.

·       Ballgame is in the Senate.

·       [House – Senate]Logjam is going to be tough to get through since both the speaker and the Pro Tem waited too long to move the other chambers bulls.

·       GOP infighting (both within the Senate and between the House and Senate) will slow things down but the final showdown will be on a partisan issue between Dems and GOP.

·       GOP on GOP crime. The MO Senate isn’t big enough for all the great big feelings coming from their caucus.

·       [Republicans within Senate] That’s a clown question bro

·       Water is wet. R on R crime in the Senate.

·       This question is too easy. Trial-lawyer-lovin' Eigel will cause the senate to adjourn early like they did for spring break.

·       [Republicans within Senate] Evergreen answer

·       It will be a test if the speaker’s leadership team can keep frogs in the wheelbarrow and concentrate on negotiating the deals they can get done with the senate. Not an easy switch to flip when you have been steamrolling your bills for 3 months.

Who Won the Week?

Jean Evans – American Federation for Children’s point person in Jefferson City shows she, with an ad targeted at Rep. Chris Lonsdale for flip-flopping on her issue, can play hard ball.

Mike Kehoe – The LG put up another strong quarter of fundraising, but more interesting is that he’s landed Axiom as the consultant for his PAC.

Tony Luetkemeyer – The Senate handler of Rep. Lane Roberts bill to deal with Kim Gardner gets a boost from devastating news reports indicate that the St. Louis City Circuit Attorney’s office only has two prosecutors remaining handling felony cases.

Rob Vescovo – With Trish Derges reporting to federal prison, it’s a good time to remember that Vescovo’s zero tolerance ethics policy improved the institution of the House.

Find a downloadable version here.

$5K+ Contributions

Electrical Workers Voluntary Political Education & Legislative Funds - Missouri - $26,191 from IBEW Local One.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Dana Rademan Miller, and Gary Romine.

Sunday: Gina Walsh, and Jeff Pogue.