MOScout Daily Update: The Coming IP Fight - Child Care Crisis Continues - Rally Runner Made Poor Choices and more...
1 Big Thing: The Coming IP Showdown
After the failure of the Missouri legislature to change the initiative petition process last session, the issue appears to one of the big battles brewing in 2024.
Legislative leaders are expected to take another whack of the topic. They’d like to make sure that any 2024 IPs (abortion, minimum wage, approval voting) face a higher threshold to become enshrined in the constitution.
But… opposition is already preparing for a potential fight.
The Realtors drew a line in the sand when legislators debated the issue last session. Their warning was one of the contributors to the legislature’s inability to get something passed.
· Now the Realtors are readying to beat back any new proposal that they deem irresponsible. They’ve just formed a campaign committee, Missourians for Fair Governance, to support a ballot measure on the August 2024 ballot “to protect Missourians' power of the petition for citizen governance.”
And a second campaign committee was filed this week as well. Missourians for Direct Democracy will oppose “statewide ballot measure related to initiatives and referendums.”
What It Means
Legislators will have to mindful, again, as they consider changes to the initiative petition process: it’s not just what you can pass in the building, but it’s what can also pass with voters (and a potential vigorous opposition campaign).
Child Care Crisis Continues
Just one data point, but not a good one… EarlystART announced they’re closing one of their child care centers due to staffing shortage.
They wrote to supporters: Educators looking to leave the profession continue to indicate that low pay (43%) and poor mental health (40%) are driving their decision to leave. In response, EarlystART has increased teacher salaries and invested in the wellbeing of staff. Despite these efforts, we continue to struggle to attract and retain teachers in this highly competitive job market. EarlystART is not alone. Over 200 providers across Greater Kansas City closed during the pandemic; a permanent loss of over 5,000 childcare spaces. Kansas City must address the diminishing early childhood workforce to provide quality early education for all children. Investments from Governor Parson and Covid-19 relief funding has helped but it will take all of us to solve this problem.
Kreider Passes
Springfield News Leader reports that “Jim Kreider, former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and former executive director of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association and Public School Personnel, died Tuesday at the age of 68.”
Kunce’s Fox Op/Ed
Lucas Kunce, running for US Senate, penned an op/ed for Fox News about Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military promotions. Read it here.
Less capacity to convince our allies to take hard positions on Russia and the energy reliance that funded an expansion of Putin’s war machine. Less ability to apply leverage. Fewer opportunities to advocate for American interests and exhibit American strength… one person at the top. The military is now down nearly 300 top officers. If you continue putting enough strain on an organization, it’s only a matter of time before it snaps.
Rally Runner Rioter
Post-Dispatch reports that “federal authorities charged a Cardinals super fan known as ‘Rally Runner’ this week with being on the front lines of a mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.” Read it here.
· Daniel Donnelly Jr., 43, is facing five federal charges, including a felony count of civil disorder and multiple misdemeanors. Court documents say he donned his signature red face paint and a “Keep America Great” hat as he held a riot shield and led thousands of protesters toward the building.
· Cardinals fans know Donnelly as the “Rally Runner,” a fan who painted his face red and jogged around Busch Stadium. In 2013, he told the Post-Dispatch that he believed his running “strengthens the spirit for the Cardinals to get the energy to win.”
· Federal authorities said Donnelly, who has legally changed his name to “Rally Runner” in DMV records, helped a crowd pass a ladder to the entrance of a tunnel that led into the Capitol. Video also showed him holding up a riot shield as members of the crowd sprayed chemical irritants, threw items and screamed at law enforcement officers.
· Donnelly was interviewed by law enforcement agents in January 2021, according to court documents. But when he still hadn’t been charged by December, he became the source of a conspiracy theory. In late 2021, a lawyer who represented several Jan. 6 defendants, speculated on former Fox New host Tucker Carlson’s show that the “Rally Runner” was actually a federal agent who had dressed up to make Trump supporters look bad.
Help Wanted
The Missouri Bar seeks Government Relations Director. The ideal candidate has excellent communication and management skills (both written and verbal), as well as flexibility, the willingness to work long hours, and resilience under stress. The ability to provide services on a confidential, nonpartisan, and impartial basis, including objective, neutral, and in-depth legal analysis and conclusions, is required. A reputation for trustworthiness, credibility, and loyalty is essential. The ideal candidate must be able to work well with legislators, other elected officials, staff, and other individuals with different party affiliations, opinions, and philosophies, as well as work on legislation related to a variety of public policy positions.
Lobbyist Registrations
Bradley Pryor added South Fifth Street CID.
Summer Denilla Richardson added Missouri American Water.
Thomas Robbins, Brittany Hyatt Robbins, Christopher Schoeman, and Alec Rosenblum added Conte Enterprise Holdings LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
Lincoln PAC (pro-Hough) - $22,000 from Missouri AG PAC.
Lincoln PAC - $25,000 from IAFF FIREPAC VIC Missouri (Washington DC).
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Mazzie Boyd, Dan Engemann, Bev Randles, and Larry Wilson.