MOScout Daily Update: Carter Leaves Freedom Caucus - Pre-conferencing the Budget - 18 to PQ IP?? - Brattin Gets AG Aid and more…
Splitzville: Carter Leaves Freedom Caucus
Sen. Jill Carter posted on social media that she’s officially leaving the Senate’s Freedom Caucus.
· Over the past few months, it has become increasingly clear that the values and priorities that some current members of the Missouri State Freedom Caucus profess to champion are not reflected in conversations, behaviors or their strategy. While I remain loyal to the same conservative principles and the advancement of legislation that benefits our state and my constituents, I can no longer, in good conscience, be part of behaviors, and actions behind the scenes that defames grassroots, and violates the needs of my constituents…
· I will continue to fight for lower taxes, limited government, and the protection of our constitutional rights. However, I will do so in a manner that helps me do so without compromising my conscience…
What It Means
· The Freedomers just showed that they can slow things down plenty with their current numbers; Carter’s exit won’t have a meaningful impact on their final weeks’ strategy.
· But critics of the Freedom Caucus were quick to point out that they’ve had trouble hanging on to their women members; Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin had been a member of the group in its past incarnation before stepping away as well.
· And her decision will serve as a caution to other legislators who are considering joining the group. Particularly in the Senate, choose your entangling alliance carefully.
Filibuster Fallout
Back-to-back interviews on the Pete Mundo show yesterday gave two versions of the Freedom Caucus filibuster.
Sen. Bill Eigel hailed the slowdown achievement: “When we started [the filibuster] on Tuesday morning, there were not a sufficient number of Republicans prepared to pass and send to the people the initiative reform bill… [Thursday morning] around 3:45AM we were finally able to secure a coalition of 18 Republicans that are now committed to passing and getting the initiative petition bill over the finish line when we return to session next week… 18 Republicans are now prepared to do whatever is necessary to get initiative petition reform over the finish line next week…”
Sen. Mike Cierpiot saw things differently: “We’ve got two or three people in the Chaos Caucus, or the Freedom Caucus as they call themselves, that are running statewide and they get free media and attention for doing it and that’s exactly what it was about. I listened to Sen. Eigel and he talked about how they did it to get 18 Republicans willing to move forward on IP. Absolutely untrue…”
· He says the filibuster ended because “we finally had 18 Republicans who willing to sign a PQ to bring the FRA to a vote.”
From what I can tell, there’s was no formal deal. Obviously, there were already 24 Republican votes for IP reform. So, the Freedomers appear to be implying that they now have 18 that will vote for a PQ to close debate. But they’re not saying that outright, so it’s a little murky.
We’ll see…
Rearranging the Budget Process
With the constitutional deadline to pass the budget looming just a week away, and the bills having only passed one chamber, legislative leaders are plotting a novel path. Their plan: cut out the conference committees this year.
Normally, the House and Senate pass separate versions of the budget, which are then melded into the final version through a series of conference committees.
But with the timeline severely compressed, the Senate Appropriations Chair Sen. Lincoln Hough, and the House Budget Chair Cody Smith will “pre-conference” the bills this weekend. Presumably others will be involved in the talks and negotiations, as they try to hammer out their differences. The aim is to have a final compromise version which can then be passed by both the Senate and House without additional time necessary to send bills to conference.
AG’s Office Defends FC Senators in Defamation Suit
According to court filings, the Missouri Attorney General’s office will be defending the three state senators sued for defamation. Sens. Rick Brattin, Denny Hoskins, and Nick Schroer are all members of the Freedom Caucus who shared a social media post which misidentified Denton Loudermill as the shooter in the KC Chiefs Parade.
Jeremiah Morgan, with the AG’s Office, filed a motion for dismissal today in the Loudermill v Brattin case.
In the filings (see it here), Brattin says he posted the message while “engaged in my regular duties as a Missouri State Senator.”
What It Means
It will drive some of the Regular Republican senators mad. They’ve always distained the way the Freedom Caucus has used social media, and now to have the attorney general defend their imprudent tweeting will make some heads explode.
eMailbag: Evans Committee
It takes special skill to make David Evans, of all people, cut you off completely and make a verbal jab about your attendance record in committee...
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $7,475 from Class Act Management Inc.
Osage River Gaming and Convention (Ozark casino IP) - $132,500 from RIS, Inc.
Osage River Gaming and Convention - $132,500 from Bally's Corp. (Providence, RI).
UAW Region 4 Midwest States PAC (MO) - $6,000 from Midwest State Cap Exchange (Ottawa, IL).
Lobbyists Registrations
Jordan Feuerborn added Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC.
Claudia Alley added Promontory 150 LLC c/o Platform Ventures LLC.
Ralph Bellar added Blue Springs Development Three, Inc.
Brian Millner added Brian Millner.
Mary Beth Luna Wolf added Missouri Hospital Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Sarah Unsicker, Susan Henderson Moore, Sarah Steelman, Roy Temple, Alvin Brooks, Joe Carmichael, Steve Danner, Mike Frame, and Bill Larue.