MOScout Daily Update: Ashcroft Swatted - New House Committees - Walsh In 3-CD? - The Campaigning Senate - 5 More House Freedomers and more...
Breaking… Posted at 10PM last night, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft on Twitter: My home was just swatted. My family and I are safe. I am grateful to Jefferson City law enforcement for the professionalism with which they handled the situation.
· Swatting explained on Wikipedia: Swatting is a criminal harassment act of deceiving an emergency service (via such means as hoaxing an emergency services dispatcher) into sending a police or emergency service response team to another person's address. This is triggered by false reporting of a serious law enforcement emergency, such as a bomb threat, murder, hostage situation, or a false report of a mental health emergency, such as reporting that a person is allegedly suicidal or homicidal and may or may not be armed, among other things.
House Adds New Committees
According to the House Journal, Speaker Dean Plocher added two new committees.
Special Committee on Education Reform, chaired by Rep. Bishop Davidson, includes members: Reps. Justin Hicks (Vice Chair), Mark Sharp (Ranking Minority Member), Phil Christofanelli, Chris Dinkins, Ben Keathley, Ian Mackey, Bob Titus, Cheri Toalson Reisch, and Kevin Windham.
· Aligned’s latest Capitol report: One hot take on this recent move is that an extra education committee gives the speaker a place to direct the controversial school choice education bills, allowing the regular education committee to tackle more popular reforms.
Special Committee on Policy Review, chaired by Rep. Chris Dinkins, includes members: Reps. Paula Brown (Vice Chair), Gretchen Bangert, Barry Hovis, and Louis Riggs. It’s unclear what the purpose of this committee will be.
More intriguing, though, is the new committee NOT listed in the Journal, the newly formed Policy Development Committee. This isn’t a formal committee. It doesn’t post hearings or allow the public or press to follow their deliberations. It’s more like an intra-Republican Caucus committee. It’s being chaired by Rep. Mike Henderson, and will consist 30 Republican representatives chosen by Plocher.
The idea is that the Speaker will refer certain bills to this shadow committee which will vet the bills. From what I’m told, if 2/3 of the members agree, the bill will be “fast-tracked” as a priority with the commitment that no major changes will be entertained. If the bill doesn’t meet that threshold, it will be shelved.
Lobbyists seem agnostic on the new structure, unsure whether it’s something which could be used to the advantage (or disadvantage) of their clients. However, generally speaking, it’s not a recipe for good government for the majority caucus to get locked into a position on an issue before they’ve heard from the public about it.
1 Big Thing: The Campaigning Senate
One-quarter of the state senate is actively campaign for higher office right now. That doesn’t include folks who have been rumored to be considering campaigns. If you include those as well, it’s close to a third of the state senate.
· Mary Elizabeth Coleman – IN for 3-CD.
· Bill Eigel – IN for governor.
· Travis Fitzwater – rumored to be considering 3-CD.
· Denny Hoskins – IN for secretary of state.
· Lincoln Hough – rumored to be considering statewide.
· Andrew Koenig – IN for state treasurer.
· Tony Luetkemeyer – telling folks he’s IN for 3-CD.
· Karla May – IN for US Senate.
· Holly Rehder – IN for lieutenant governor.
· Caleb Rowden – IN for secretary of state.
· Brian Williams – rumored to be considering 1-CD.
What It Means
This makes the upper chamber a more difficult place to move legislation.
· First, folks who are running for higher office will have another layer of motivations to eschew compromise and play to their primary base through filibusters, inquires, and offering amendments to “take a stand” on issues.
· Second, and more poisonous, is that the motives of everyone will be questioned in light of their ambitions, undermining trust and increasing the level of cynicism.
Walsh Awaits Direction on 3-CD
On Facebook, former Rep. Sara Walsh posted: You may have heard that Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer is not seeking re-election for Missouri's 3rd Congressional District. This newly-drawn district includes my home and all of my former House District 50 constituents. I have presented the opportunity before the Lord in prayer, and have requested prayer from close friends and family and am awaiting the Lord's direction. Please join me in prayer for wisdom, clarity and direction for the Lord’s Will for my life for such a time as this…
· I have added her to my 2024 Watch spreadsheet.
Additional Freedom Caucus members
Five more House Republicans have joined the new Freedom Caucus, bringing their number to 10 in the House. The new inductees are: Reps. Bill Hardwick, Brad Hudson, Doug Richey, Adam Schnelting, and Bob Titus.
They joined founders: Reps. Mazzie Christensen, Holly Jones, Ben Keathley, Brian Seitz, and Justin Sparks.
Also
Sen. Mike Moon published an open letter, expressing confusion that he’d been passed over for initial inclusion in the Caucus. Read it here.
MRL for Hoskins?
Press advisory: Conservative Republican Denny Hoskins, a candidate for Missouri Secretary of State, will be announcing a campaign endorsement on Monday.
WHO: Sen. Denny Hoskins, Candidate for Secretary of State
WHAT: Campaign Announcement
WHERE: Missouri Right to Life Podcast Room, 514 E. High St…
Hamra To Show $750K Raised
Press release: Missouri businessman, entrepreneur, and Democratic candidate for governor Mike Hamra announced that his campaign will report taking in more than $750,000 since it launched in October. This includes a personal loan of $250,000.
KC Stadium
The Royals and Chief back the April sales tax extension with commitments to keep their stadiums in Jackson County if it’s passed. See the press release here.
· One observer wryly notes that the polling isn’t good, but “put Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce on one commercial” and it’s probably in OK shape.
Pro-Hudson PAC Formed
Brad PAC was formed. See the paperwork here. It’s in support of Rep. Brad Hudson who’s running for Senate 33 where Sen. Karla Eslinger has decided not to run for re-election. The PAC will allow Hudson to raise money in excess of candidate campaign contributions.
Mother-Son Governing Team?
So… Apparently there’s now a mother-son team running for governor-lieutenant governor in the Republican primary.
Dr. Janice Cotrone formed a committee to run for governor.
Philip Cotrone formed a committee to run for lieutenant governor.
Lobbyist Registrations
Shawn D’Abreu added D'Abreu, Davis, & Silk, LLC.
John DeStefano added Utility Strategic Missouri, and IGT.
Jerod Lee Breit added Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Matthew Crowell and Gina Teresa Savoie added Missouri State Public Defender.
Brent Hemphill and Meagan Howerton added Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Virgil King added Dexcom.
Nathan Nickolaus added Village of Kingdom City.
Johnny Richardson added Missouri Automobile Dealers Association.
Damon Stewart added DirecTV LLC, and Dish Network LLC.
Renee Bivens added Dish Network LLC.
Kim Krohn added Missouri Federation of Animal Owners.
Ben Straka added Freedom Foundation.
Don Stamper added Old Hawthorne Development, and Club Car Wash.
Jeff Aboussie added TSI Global, Goodwin Brothers Construction, Osage River Gaming, City of Lake Ozark, Building Resources, IUOE Local 101, IUOE Local 148, IUOE Local 513, and Noah's Arc Foundation of Missouri.
Nexus Group (Rodney Boyd, Kate Casas, Brian Grace and Kelvin Simmons) added WEPOWER, and SparkWheel; and deleted Opportunity Solutions Project, Communities In Schools of Mid-America Inc., Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, The Philanthropy Roundtable, Okta Inc., GS STL CM Property Owner LLC, Rivian Automotive LLC, GoGuardian, Zscaler Inc, American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment, and Good Day Farms.
Angie Schulte deleted Metrc.
Charlie Smarr added Missouri Beer Wholesalers Association.
Scott Swain deleted Central States Water Resources.
Sam Licklider deleted Missouri Association of Landscape Architects.
Trent Watson deleted TIAA, and Zoll Services LLC.
Aaron Baker deleted American Federation For Children, City of Clarksville, Magnitude 7 Metals LLC, and Cass County.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Justin Hicks, Mike Cunningham, and Janson Thomas.