MOScout Daily Update: Bernskoetter Pokes Hoskins - Big Bailey Money - More Flee Gardner Office - Kehoe Kick-off Coming and more...

Bernskoetter Pokes Hoskins

Yesterday Sen. Mike Bernskoetter poked Sen. Denny Hoskins by offering an amendment similar to Hoskins’ DEI amendment to the budget bills.  However, now the DEI amendment was proposed for a bill Hoskins was handling, HB 268, the “regulatory sandbox bill.”

Of course, Dems started filibustering the amendment, creating an obstacle to passage the underlying bill.  The message: See what it’s like when your work is sabotaged in the name of “good policy?”

Hoskins brought a new substitute to dispense with the amendment, but it turns out that Bernskoetter wasn’t just sending a message.  He was getting revenge, and again offered his amendment: “No applicant shall become a sandbox participant if the applicant has any statement or policy regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, or belonging.”

The bill was laid over.

And

Hoskins could be in for a long two weeks.  I had one Republican tell me we could see the House try to use Hoskins’ bills as leverage to get him to move on sport betting…

Another Bailey PAC

It looks like a second pro-Andrew Bailey PAC has been established, Missouri Law Enforcement for Good Government.

·       Its inaugural contribution came in yesterday, $300,000 from Mike and Carolyn Rayner. 

·       They’re part of the Cargill family which gave $375,000 to the pro-Bailey Liberty and Justice PAC last month.

·       Gonna be a lot of money spent on this race, folks.

UPDATE: I’m told this is NOT a pro-Bailey PAC. Rather it’s “to support pro-law enforcement candidates including those who support The St. Louis Police takeover effort.” 

Driving the Day: Budget

Budget conference committee is scheduled for 3:10 this afternoon (Joint Hearing Room 117, get there early if you want a seat). 

·       Often times this first meeting between the two chambers are bang in-bang out sort of affairs as the sides wrangle behind the scenes.

Lobbyists Join Police Fray

With debate on the St. Louis crime situation expected to come to the Senate floor today or tomorrow, both sides in the St. Louis police takeover fight have added last-minute lobbyists…

·       Michael Lodewegen joined the pro-takeover Safer St. Louis team.

·       Jeremy LaFaver joined the anti-takeover Missouri Future team.

Meanwhile

The other St. Louis crime issue – the sinking City Prosecutor’s Office – was in the news again yesterday.

KSDK reports on another resignation from Kim Gardner’s office…

·       Assistant Circuit Attorney Chris Desilets resigned, effective immediately Monday… He is the fifth prosecutor in the Violent Felonies Unit to leave the office since February… Their departures mean there is now just one prosecutor in Gardner’s Office handling about 500 violent felony cases.

·       That’s a number Gardner’s spokeswoman Allison Hawk disputes, telling 5 On Your Side there are well over 30 attorneys in the office handling violent felonies.  5 On Your Side filed a Sunshine request asking for a list of the people employed by Gardner's office. It shows 22 people have the title of attorney, and only one is assigned to the Violent Felonies Unit.

Coming Soon: Kehoe Kick-off

Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe will kick-off his campaign for governor later this month…

Grisham in 136

Press release: Republican Shannon Grisham has announced her campaign for State Representative of Missouri’s 136th District covering parts of Springfield. Grisham is a local family law attorney and community leader who believes her community involvement has given her a keen sense of the issues impacting Springfield citizens.

What It Means

This is the seat in Springfield that Republicans lost last cycle when Rep. Stephanie Hein ousted incumbent Craig Fischel.

·       Springfield is clearly one of the new battleground areas as Dems try to claw back from under a superminority.

·       Republicans are recruiting early to find the right candidates.

1 Funny Thing

That look when you’re supposed to be having fun, but there’s two weeks left in session…

Photo credit: Jackie Bardgett.

$5K+ Contributions

MBA Ozark Region PAC - $5,777from Legacy Bank and Trust.

Northland Strong PAC - $50,000 from Heavy Constructors Association.

IRP PAC - $25,000 from McCownGordon Construction.

Missouri Law Enforcement for Good Government - $300,000 from Mike and Carolyn Rayner.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jeremy LaFaver added Missouri Future LLC.

Michael Lodewegen added Safer St. Louis, LLC.

Strategic Capitol Consulting deleted Proffer Produce.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Scott Dieckhaus, Jac Cardetti, and David Smith.