MOScout Daily Update: Kehoe Signals Nuance on Abortion - O'Laughlin and Energy Policy - Schmitt and NDAA and more...

Quick Friday update.  Off this weekend, see you Monday!

Kehoe OK With Abortion Exceptions

Kansas City Star reports that Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe said he “would consider approving legislation brought forward by the General Assembly that contains exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.”

The Republican playbook has been fixed for years: you never get hurt moving to the right on the issue of abortion.  Kehoe is challenging this heuristic, and in the post-Dobbs era, he may be correct.  We’ll see.

One Republican called it “a major unforced error,” and pointed to social media backlash, wondering if it was “perhaps an ill-fated return strike towards MRL.”

But… the polling is in Kehoe’s corner.  This position is far and away a mainstream position…

Even among Republicans…

And with Missouri Right to Life going all-in for Jay Ashcroft, maybe a little nuance on this issue makes sense – even in a Republican primary.  Again, we’ll see.

Speculation on Geography as Criteria for SCOMO

One observer with sharp eyes and ears says: Don’t be surprised if the commission sends the governor three female Southerners: Becky Borthwick, Ginger Gooch, and Jennifer Growcock (all appointed by Parson to southern district). 

And

·       File under “Everyone’s a Southerner Now”… “Tony [Luetkemeyer] is actually from SEMO.  Born and raised in the old [Kevin] Engler district.”

Schmitt and NDAA

Senator Eric Schmitt , who’s a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, tacked on 9 total amendments to the base text of the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) that passed the Senate last night. These amendments institute a hiring freeze on DEI positions in the Military and require a full accounting of funds/man hours spent on DEI. One amendment expands eligibility for reimbursement for licensure and certification costs incurred by military spouses. Another amendment requires a report on potential cybersecurity weaknesses.

Team Schmitt also notes that he fought to ensure that Missouri’s military installations receive the proper resources necessary. This includes:

·       Fort Leonard Wood – $50 Million for new family housing construction.

·       Whiteman Air Force Base - $87,623,000 for B-2 operations at Whiteman AFB.

·       Boeing (St. Louis) - $100,006,000 in funding for F-15 Strike Eagle purchases; $1.2 Billion for support of the Navy’s new MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based unmanned aircraft system.

·       National Nuclear Security Administration Kansas City National Security Campus (NNSA) - $3,097,167,000 in stockpile major modernization.

·       $28,000,000 in funding for a National Guard Readiness Center at the Army National Guard in Belle Fontaine, Missouri.

·       $2,000,000 in funding for an Entry Control Point at Rosecrans ANG Base in Buchanan County, Missouri.

·       $2,000,000 in funding for the 139th Airlift Wing Entry Point at Rosecrans ANG Base in Buchanan County, Missouri.

eMailbag on O’Laughlin Contra PSC

Cindy O’Laughlin’s tirade is based on three fundamental misunderstandings: 1) time of use rates: they can actually save customers a lot of money but allowing them to use electricity at its cheapest. 2) renewables: it’s not government policy that’s driving it, it’s corporations sustainability policies because their customers are demanding cleaner energy and 3) the PSC: the PSC was designed 100 years to make tough decisions on rates so legislators didn’t have to…if they constrain what the PSC can do in statute then they have the responsibility for what happens to rates and reliability…so if rates go up or the lights go off, that’s on the General Assembly…which is not something they want.

$5K+ Contributions

Southern Drawl PAC (pro-Reder) - $6,000 from Missouri Senior PAC.

Kansas City Regional Association Of Realtors Missouri RPAC - $5,708 from Missouri Realtors PAC, Inc.

Jasen Crump for Sheriff - $5,200 from Jasen Crump.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jonas Hughes deleted Strategic Workforce Development.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Gary Otten, and Dale Ludwig.

Saturday: Sen. Karla Eslinger, and Vicki Englund.

Sunday: Bruce Darrough (the big 7-0).

MOScout Schedule

No weekend editions.