MOScout Daily Update: Dems Decry MEC Comments - SLU Poll - Wasinger Kick-off - Hawley Schmitt = No MO Pork and more…

Dems Decry MEC Committee Comments

Minority Leader John Rizzo seized the floor of the Senate yesterday to decry Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman’s testimony before the House Elections Committee.  Coleman, in presenting the IP reform bill, asked the committee to restore the various provisions which the Senate dropped in its compromise.  While the expectation is that this would be the House’s impulse, Rizzo was horrified that a senator would openly urge the move, undermining the Senate position before the lower chamber.

“It was said by a senator, in their first few years, to please send the IP bill back with all of the ballot candy, and then we'll move the previous question in a House hearing. So I think it's appropriate to have a conversation for a long time... unfortunately for everyone else, about how you act as a senator and what you do and don’t talk about outside of this chamber, and who has the ability to threaten PQs to our caucus and who does not? Because I can tell you who does not… a senator in their first or second year does not.”

·       Watch Coleman make the ask here.  “There is a number of other provisions that I’m hoping that you’ll add back in…”

·       And then in response to Rep. Ken Waller asking if adding back in the provision won’t just kill it in the Senate, Coleman floats the idea Senate would be more willing to PQ it after the House has passed it.

But

Rizzo’s larger point has to do with how to act as a senator.  The Freedom Caucus has shattered norms this session. It’s not senatorial to call another senator “the worst pro tem in the history of the chamber” on the floor.  It’s senatorial to shout over each other in debate.  It’s not senatorial to filibuster an order of business because you would think the floor leader hasn’t moved something fast enough. It’s not senatorial to think that your issue, or your campaign, is more important than the institution.

·       Rizzo: It's just been a bizarre session. And I am afraid, truthfully, as someone who's in their 14th year, that new senators think this is normal. This is not normal.

Wasinger Preps Kick-Off

David Wasinger, Republican running for lieutenant governor, will kick-off his campaign on March 25, with an end-of-the-quarter fundraiser in St. Louis County.  If the host committee is maxing out to Wasinger’s candidate committee, that should be $200,000 right there…

SLU/YouGuv Poll

St. Louis University released a wide-ranging poll.  The poll was conducted over 12 days, from February 14 through 26, with a margin of error at +/- 3.74%.  See summary here. See all toplines here.

GOP Gov’s Race

Jay Ashcroft… 28%

Mike Kehoe… 10%

Bill Eigel… 8%

MO Senators to Constituents: No Pork for You!

KCStar looks at the meager amount of dedicated funds that Missouri has in President Joe Biden’s budget and blames Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt.  Read it here.

·       President Joe Biden last Friday signed into law a spending package that includes more than $95.1 million for Missouri projects… But the total is only about half of the $189.5 million Kansas received, despite Missouri having double the population. And it’s less than a third of what the state got in similar legislation during the previous fiscal year.

·       The reduced funding comes after Missouri Republican Sens. Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt refuse to participate in congressionally directed spending to steer federal money back home – a process more commonly called “earmarks.”

·       Instead, Missouri relied on requests from just four lawmakers – Reps. Cori Bush, Emanuel Cleaver, Sam Graves and Blaine Luetkemeyer…

·       “Earmarking is the way the lobbyists and others get their talons into you,” Hawley said….

What It Means

Building denizens think that the 3-CD race could reduce Missouri earmarkers – depending who wins.  Kurt Schaefer is seen as a continuation of Luetkemeyer’s belief that bringing money back to Missouri is part of the job, while Bob Onder’s rhetoric more in line with Hawley’s “drain the swamp” attitude.

PSTD from Chiefs Parade

Kaiser Health News looks at the trauma felt by those who were officially wounded at the Chief parade shooting.  Read it here.

·       Gabriella’s legs were burned by sparks from a ricocheted bullet, Bridget was trampled while shielding Gabriella in the chaos, and Jason gave chest compressions to a man injured by gunfire. He believes it was Lyndell Mays, one of two men charged with second-degree felony murder.

·       One month after the parade in which the U.S. public health crisis that is gun violence played out on live television, the Bartons are reeling from their role at its epicenter.

·       Twenty-four other people were injured. Although the Bartons aren’t included in that official victim number, they were traumatized, physically and emotionally, and pain permeates their lives: Bridget and Jason keep canceling plans to go out, opting instead to stay home together; Gabriella plans to join a boxing club instead of the dance team.

Burlison Asks For UFO Committee

Press release: Congressman Eric Burlison (R-MO-07) led a bipartisan letter to Speaker Johnson requesting the establishment of a select subcommittee under the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability to investigate the Federal Government’s response to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).

eMailbag on Schwadron Milegae

5,436 miles is weak… I think Eigel is up to 60k…

New Candidate Filing / Withdrawal

·       Gavin Bena (Democrat) withdrew from the Secretary of State’s race.       

·       Sandy Van Wagner (Democrat) filed for House 8.  She will face incumbent Republican Rep. Josh Hurlbert.

New Committees

Missourians for Truth in Petitioning was formed.  Its treasurer is Paul Bocci; its deputy treasurer is John Payne.  The committee’s purpose is to oppose the potential IP efforts to “allow a 14th casino license to be issued on the Osage River.”

$5K+ Contributions

Southland Progress - $40,000 from Kansas City Royals Baseball Club.

American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $50,000 from Midwest Cement Company Inc.

Lincoln PAC (pro-Hough) - $7,500 from Missouri Pork PAC.

Lobbyist Registrations

Heather Coil added Crown Castle.

Doug Stone added Savoy Properties LLC, 45 Summit LLC, 4627 Madison LLC, BK Plaza LLC, KDM 4600 SPE LLC, Associated Landlords Seeking Reasonable Modifications, 1818 Investors LLC, Crossroads Community Association, 1108-1110 Grand CID, and Northland Gateway CID.

John Payne deleted Missouri Essentials, and 29 and 79 LLC.

Noel Torpey deleted Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Ryan DeBoef, Mark Bruns, Jason Klindt, and Sara Howard.

MOScout Schedule

I’ll be off this weekend, and a short week next week for Spring Break.