MOScout Daily Update: APR Scores and Poverty - York to Onder, Scharnhorst to MEC - Schmitt on Trump Speed Dial and more…
Quick update before taking off for Thanksgiving! I’ll be back in your in-box on Monday…
APR Data
Aligned’s latest capitol newsletter digs into the Annual Performance Report numbers released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
· Aligned's take: Many schools with the lowest APR scores have high rates of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, a proxy for poverty. Aligned has supported legislation to utilize census data as an alternative way to measure poverty and provide greater accuracy. We are also studying school finance policies to identify ways to direct additional resources to underserved public districts and charter schools.
And
Aligned breaks out the top 5% and bottom 5% of the APR rankings. See it here.
York to Onder, Scharnhorst to MEC
Press release: Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, today announced staff changes at her office. “I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Seth York for his dedicated service to the people of Missouri Senate District 22. Seth's hard work and commitment have been invaluable to my office, and his efforts have made a lasting impact on our community. As he transitions to his new role supporting Congressman-elect Bob Onder in serving the people of Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District, I wish him every success in this exciting new chapter.
· I am pleased to announce Jaret Scharnhorst will be joining my office as Chief of Staff. With his extensive experience and shared commitment to advancing our conservative values, Jaret will be instrumental in ensuring a productive and impactful legislative session…
Foley to Stay At Corrections
Press release: Governor-Elect Mike Kehoe announced the appointment of Trevor Foley as Director of the Missouri Department of Corrections (DOC). Foley will continue to lead DOC after being sworn in as acting director in December 2023.
· Foley began his career with the Missouri Department of Corrections as a budget analyst in January 2000 and was promoted to budget analyst III by May 2001. In August 2008, he accepted a position with the Missouri State Senate as an appropriations analyst. He was promoted to assistant director of the Senate Appropriations Staff Office in July 2015. Foley left the Senate and returned to the Department of Corrections as the director of budget and finance in August 2018.
More on Greitens
One MOScouter’s take on the Greitens news…
Eric Greitens claims to be alarmed that Trump-connected wheeler-dealer Boris Epshteyn was angling for a payday to promote the disgraced former governor to become Trump’s Secretary of the Navy.
But Greitens knew what Epshteyn is when he reached out to him earlier this month. After all, Greitens paid Epshteyn more than $83,000 between June 2021 and June 2022 to support his unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate, according to FEC records. Epshteyn is no altruist and Greitens isn’t that naïve. So don’t spit your coffee laughing when you consider this narrative about Greitens from John Solomon’s “Just the News.”
Whatever Greitens is shooting for, here’s a more plausible take – that Greitens, who disappeared from public view after losing to Eric Schmitt in the 2022 Senate primary, hasn’t got the money to pay Epshteyn to work for him this time around. After all, lobbyists get paid to advance causes and people. Media reports suggest Epshteyn asked for tens of thousands of dollars to help others gain jobs from Trump, and perhaps $100,000 in one case. For Greitens, those dollars are out of reach, compared to 2022, anyway.
Meanwhile
Axios says that Senator Eric Schmitt is on Trump’s “speed dial.” Read it here.
Sparks Speaks
Judge Mike Carter interviewed Rep. Justin Sparks on his insurgent challenge to Speaker-designate Jon Patterson. Listen to it here.
New Committees
Former Rep. Clem Smith formed a campaign committee to run for a St. Louis Countywide office in 2026. See the filing here.
· The three countywide offices up for election are county executive, county prosecutor, and county assessor.
Lobbyist Registrations
Jeffrey Altmann added MO Hemp Trade Association.
Gamble Schlemeier added LearningMate Solutions Inc, and Double Line; and deleted Fortinet, Inc.
Nexus Group added New Beginning Sanctuary, and Better Life in Recovery.
Lamar Carl Brown added Neutron Holdings, Inc. d/b/a Lime.
Jeff Smith deleted Quality Schools Coalition, and Campaign Zero.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Ward Cook.
Thanksgiving: Rep. Jim Kalberloh, Dave Schatz, Janet Hirschman, Jeff Messenger, Ed Schieffer, and Lenny Jones.