MOScout Daily Update: Mrs. Plocher Speaks - Senate Appros Kicks Off - House To Pass Landfill Bill - Looking Back 6 Years Ago Today and more…
Plocher Mum, But His Wife Speaks
Speaker Dean Plocher quickly ended his press conference last week after reports asked questions about the Ethics Committee. But his wife, Rebecca, is speaking. On Facebook she attacks Hannah Kelly and calls the investigation a “witch hunt.”
· For the past seven months I have sat by quietly while my husband, our family name, and even me personally, have been repeatedly slandered by a fountain of leaks from unelected bureaucrats and the House Ethics Committee activities. Hannah Kelly either participated in or turned a blind eye, to the lies and innuendos being fed to the liberal press, both of whom are determined to destroy the Speaker of the House, my husband…
· Hannah appeared not to care about the truth. Rather, she intentionally slowed down what should have been a quick investigation and instead turned it into a witch hunt.
· This exhaustive investigation proved exactly what I already knew, that my husband did nothing wrong!...
Senate Approps Begins
Today (1:30PM) the Senate Appropriations Committee will start its work on the House budget bills. Here’s the general schedule for passing the budget by its constitutional deadline (Friday, May 10).
· This week: Senate Approps marks up bills.
· Next week: Senate floor debate and passage.
· Following week: Conference committees with the House to hammer out difference and pass in each chamber.
Of course, the huge FRA renewal is still waiting to be passed as well, with Freedom Caucus members wanting the defund Planned Parenthood bill done ahead of it. The House has no FRA renewal vehicle moving. They’re determined to let the Senate pass it first.
April So Far
I am loathe to report on the zigs and zags of the Daily Revenue report because state tax receipts truly can be volatile in their day-to-day comparisons with the previous year. But I can’t help having one eye on those reports in these critical days as the April 15 checks are coming into the state coffers and being processed.
As of yesterday’s report, close of business April 19, revenues were running hot. Revenues were nearly $300 million ahead.
Though we will surely encounter sharp down days amid normal fluctuations, it gives a bit of a cushion to show some strong days immediately after that deadline.
Flashback: Greitens Era
Six years ago this day, the mighty Jason Rosenbaum caught up with Al Watkins outside the courthouse and had a very memorable interaction regarding the $100,000 cash that he received amid the Eric Greitens extramarital affair scandal.
Of course, later we would learn that it was Scott Faughn who carried the cash to Watkins. He would testify that he was buying recordings from Watkins in order to write a (still forthcoming?) book.
· That might have been the craziest session in my 15 years here.
Senate Sputters on Utilities Bill
The Senate debated, without resolution yesterday, Sen. Mike Cierpiot’s SB 740 dealing with utilities. There were plenty of folks who stood to speak about it. But when the afternoon kicked off with the left-right combination of Sen. Bill Eigel and Sen. Tracy McCreery, it signaled there was likely a fair amount of resistance.
House to TAFP Landfill Bill
Press release: The Missouri House of Representatives is set to deliberate on a proposed piece of legislation concerning the construction of a landfill in Raymore, Missouri. HB 1751, which passed out of the Missouri House earlier this session, seeks to impose stricter regulations on waste disposal facility development near the Kansas City border, requiring municipal approval from neighboring jurisdictions… Floor Leader [Jon] Patterson intends for the Missouri House to send the bill to the Governor’s desk on Tuesday, April 23rd.
And
Later this week, JP is expected to bring up SJR 74, the IP reform bill. The House will vote to send that back to the Senate – with the ballot candy added back. That will anger Senate Dems. And sets up another big floor fight there.
2024 Watch Updated
I’ve updated the 2024 Watch to plug in the cash on-hand numbers from the April Quarterly reports. Find those spreadsheets here.
And What I’m Watching
I’m most curious to see if any big checks start coming into allied PACs, or we see some self-funding from some of the newer names at tossed their hat in the ring…
· Jamie Corley (SOS)
· Matthew Porter (LG)
· Lori Rook (Treasurer)
· David Wasinger (LG)
3-CD April Quarters
One MOScouter sends this summary of the 3-CD major GOP candidates’ April quarters…
· Kurt Schaefer: $116,862 raised + $0 self-funded = $116,862 total.
· Justin Hicks: $16,900 raised + $27,900 self-funded = $44,815 total.
· Bob Onder: $200,119 raised + $500,000 self-funded = $700,119 total.
Two things to note…
· At this stage in the game (little over 3 months until the primary election), I count self-funding money as good as money raised. Right now, it’s what’s in the bank to use for voter contact.
· One must expect that these figures are only part of the equation. We’ll surely see third-parties come in with independent expenditure as well.
2nd Chance Job Fair
Lobbyist Jeff Smith tweets that he’ll be moderating the Transformative Workforce Academy’s Virtual 2nd Chance Job Fair (9AM). It will focus on expungement, and Sen. Brian Williams will join the discussion. Watch it here: https://slu.zoom.us/j/99956408876?pwd=Y0w3VWxqNStaZHNjOXczYkliTnZXdz09#success
Lobbyists Registrations
Zachary Federico added Jeffersonian Project dba ALEC Action.
Beth Gugino added Indivior.
Alex Tuttle added Missouri School Boards’ Association, and Cameron Regional Medical Center.
Gamble & Schlemeier deleted Tata America International Corporation "TCS".
$5K+ Contributions
MBA Pony Express Region PAC - $5,893 from BTC Bank.
Association of MO Electric Cooperatives (AMEC PAC) - $7,000 from Southwest Electric Cooperative.
MO Republican Attorneys for Civil Justice PAC - $6,000 from Nash & Franciskato, L.L.C.
Missouri Realtors PAC Inc - $8,200 from Donald Allen.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Gina Walsh and Jeff Pogue.