MOScout Daily Update: Supremes OK Pro-Choice IP - More House PowerRankings - Anti-Sports Betting Committee - Silence in Sikeston and more…
Situational awareness: No great shakes expected to occur at today’s perfunctory Veto Session. Tomorrow, it’s back to the campaign trail for Missouri pols.
· Of note: this is not Mike Kehoe’s last time gaveling in the Missouri Senate as Lieutenant Governor. He’ll get to do it again in January. Session starts the week before the next LG will be inaugurated.
Supremes OK A3
After all the dancing, we’re right back where we started. The Missouri Supreme Court ordered that the pro-choice initiative petition be put on the November ballot, reversing the ruling of Judge Chris Limbaugh. See the order here. The actual SCOMO ruling has yet to be published.
Interestingly, the Missouri Republican Party isn’t soft-shoeing the issue which Dems think help them – especially in suburban swing districts. MOGOP statement: Today, the Missouri Supreme Court has made a devastating decision by allowing Amendment 3 to remain on the November ballot. This ruling marks the most dangerous threat to Missouri’s pro-life laws in our state’s history. Make no mistake—this amendment, bankrolled by radical out-of-state interest groups, is a direct assault on Missouri families and the values we hold dear.
Anti Sports Betting Committee
Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment was formed. See the filing here. Its treasurer is Kathryn Drennen.
I doubt we’ll see the kind of money come into this opposition committee to make a big difference in the outcome of this vote. But as always, we’ll see…
PowerRankings: House Districts Most Likely to Flip 6-11
I added the second installment of “House Districts Most Likely to Flip.” Find it here.
Of the initial 26 “battleground” House districts, these 11 are the ones which will likely be most hotly contested. There are 6 GOP-held seats, and 5 Dem-held seats.
· This list may change (and the rankings will surely change) in the coming weeks as the election approaches. But this is the starter list.
Silence in Sikeston
KFF Health News has a podcast Silence in Sikeston. The first episode is called “Racism Can Make You Sick.”
It was 1942. While the United States was at war marching to stop fascism, a white mob here went unchecked and lynched a man named Cleo Wright. The lynching of a Black man in America was not uncommon. And often barely documented. But in the case of Cleo Wright — perhaps because the death challenged what the nation said it was fighting for — the killing in this small town made national news. The case generated enough attention that the FBI conducted the first federal investigation into a lynching. That investigation ultimately amounted to nothing. Meanwhile — here in Sikeston — the response to the brutal death was mostly silence.
Eight decades later, another Black man was killed in Sikeston. This time by police.
Lobbyists Registrations
Lindsay Vierheilig added Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Amy Blunt, Claudia Alley, and Olivia Wilson added Pawsperity.
Oliva Wilson added BlackRock.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Voter Project - State PAC - $750,000 from Missouri Wins Investor Network.
Missouri Voter Project - State PAC - $10,000 from Laura Horwitz.
Missouri Law Enforcement for Good Government - $10,000 from KCFOP PAC.
Missouri Law Enforcement for Good Government - $10,000 from MOFOP PAC.
Missouri Law Enforcement for Good Government - $10,000 from St Louis Police Officers Assoc PAC.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $5,150 from Citizens for Sean Pouch.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $7,500 from The Cigna Group Employee Missouri PAC - Federal (Washington, DC).
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to TJ Berry, and A.J. Bockelman.
· (O’Laughlin chief of staff Drew Dampf’s birthday is tomorrow, by the way, if you see him in the halls during Veto Session today).