MOScout Daily Update: Pro Choice IP Hits $4M - Time to End Exploratorys - Plocher’s Payroll - Puttering MO Economy and more…

Pro-Choice IP Hits $4M Raised

With the latest contribution to Missourians for Constitutional Freedom listed today (see below), the pro-reproductive rights initiative petition has recorded over $4 million in large contributions.

The largest contributions were from the Sixteen Thirty Fund ($1M), followed by The Fairness Project ($500K), and Global Impact Social Welfare Fund ($500K).

·       Signatures are due 5PM, May 5.

Exiting Exploratory Phase

Rep. Chris Dinkins announced she was officially leaving the exploratory phase and entering Senate 27.  “After extensive polling conducted this month showing us in, we know our message has resonated with voters and I look forward to earning their support and vote over the next several months.”

One Republican snarks that it’s about time because she’s been breaking the law for the past six weeks.  Section 130.11 of the Missouri Revised Statutes: "Exploratory committees", a committee which shall be formed by an individual to receive contributions and make expenditures on behalf of this individual in determining whether or not the individual seeks elective office.  Such committee shall terminate no later than December thirty-first of the year prior to the general election for the possible office…

·       Another pol whose committee is still Exploratory: Sen. Bill Eigel.

Let’s Go Brandon?

Thanks to the reader for pointing out to me that there is yet another candidate in the Third Congressional race… Brandon Wilkinson.  See his website here.  According to the website, Wilkinson is a 35 year-old truck driver who would like to impeach Joe Biden.

·       For those watching the gender dynamic in this race, with Wilkinson and possibly Kurt Schaefer, there’d be five men and one woman running.

Another Plocher Political Err

Post-Dispatch reports that Speaker Dean Plocher has added to his office’s payroll.  “According to payroll records provided by the House human resources office, the annual payroll for the speaker’s office as of Feb. 1 was $746,427, compared to $495,832 in his maiden year as the leader of the Legislature’s lower chamber.”

What It Means

I’m not sure how much this matters.  For a normal politician seeking higher office, it’d be considered a bad mistake because you’re handing your opponents an easy 30-sec ad.  But given the other hits – an ethics probe, double-dipping reimbursements, and remodeling an office into a bar – I’m not sure this matters in terms of his political future.

MO Not Growing

Missourinet reports that “Missouri’s economy is growing, but not as fast as the country’s economy overall. That’s according to Joe Haslag, an economics professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He said the U.S. economy grew by 2.5% last year, while Missouri’s grew by only 2%.”

·       If this were a one-year blimp, that’d be one thing.  But has been a sustained trend of underperformance. 

·       And it has caused zero self-reflection from Republicans who have controlled the legislature for over two decades. 

·       What It Means: Our economic development policies aren’t working.

Cupps Criticizes Malek

Missouri Independent reports that Rep. Scott Cupps “blasted state Treasurer Vivek Malek Wednesday for refusing to answer questions about new ads for the state Unclaimed Property Program appearing on unregulated games that offer cash prizes.”

·       Cupps said he refused an offer to meet privately with Malek, and vowed to schedule a committee hearing every day until Malek appears.

·       At issue are gaming machines operated by Torch Electronics. The machines have been controversial for years, with some Republican lawmakers and state gaming officials arguing they are illegal gambling devices.

·       “If you are trying to hide something or you are not willing to talk about something funded with taxpayer dollars, openly and publicly, then that right there is the red flag that there’s something nefarious taking place,” Cupps, a Republican from Shell Knob, told other members of the committee.

431,000 Frustrated Missourians

Winning for Missouri Education, the campaign to legalize sports betting in Missouri, said that hundreds of thousands of Missourians tried to bet on the Super Bowl…

“New data from Super Bowl Weekend reveals the depth of Missouri’s missed chances to capitalize on the benefits of legalizing sports betting, which could provide tens of millions every year for Missouri classrooms. Gaming compliance company, GeoComply, which tracks and monitors compliance for online betting companies, found that 431,000 Missourians tried, but failed to place bets in neighboring states over Super Bowl weekend alone, a 51% increase from last year.”

$5K+ Contributions

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom - $125,000 from Health Forward Foundation.

Lobbyist Registrations

Jay Reichard and William Shoehigh added Paypool.

Gunnar See added Sheriff's Retirement System, and Winning for Missouri Education.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Rep. Josh Hulbert.

MOScout Schedule

Taking the weekend off.  No Saturday or Sunday editions.