MOScout Daily Update: Chiefs and Royals - Hawley and National Ban - Bloomberg Adds $1M to Pro-Choice IP - More JJ Ventures $$$ and more…

What Chiefs Tax Vote Means for Royals

Fox4KC reports that Speaker-elect Jon Patterson “is pushing for another Jackson County sales tax vote just for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.”

“I think if we’re going to keep the Chiefs in Jackson County, there will have to be another vote,” Patterson said in an interview with FOX4 Friday…. “From the talks that I’ve had, I think they’re open to a deal like that,” Patterson said when asked if the Chiefs are on board with his idea…

The Chiefs wouldn’t comment to FOX4 Friday, but a sales tax question like that would seemingly leave the Royals without county money.

One observer: The decision to go to the ballot for just the Chiefs in Jackson County leaves the Royals with two options:   Follow Mayor Quinton Lucas’s lead and go to another site in KC (the third now) – with a significant state appropriation, or ask Clay County voters to approve a new tax for the development, and significantly lessen the state burden. 

Hawley Against National Abortion Ban

US Senator Josh Hawley, in his debate last week, said he didn’t support a national ban on abortion.  He quickly pivoted to attack the Democrats’ position.  But the fact that leading pro-life politicians like Hawley are publicly against a national ban is an indicator of the extent that the Republican Party continues to inch toward the middle on the issue of abortion.

·       Lucas Kunce has made abortion an important part of his ad campaign.

Illegal Immigrant Charged in Cop’s Death

Post-Dispatch reports that a St. Louis City police officer’s death was caused by a drunk driver – an illegal immigrant without a driver’s license.  Read it here.

It’s the perfect kind of story to inflame passions against immigrants and illustrate the “every state is a border state” talking point.

However, with the primary season passed, there may be less fire behind the issue.

Bloomberg Gives $1M to Pro-Choice IP

Former New York City Mayor and entrepreneurial billionaire Michael Bloomberg sent $1 million to Missourians for Constittuioal Freedom.

This is the latest huge out-of-state check to back the pro-choice ballot question, though several others came from dark-money 501c4, the source of these funds is clear.

·       Bloomberg is a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the presidential nomination in 2020, spending $1 billion on that effort.

More JJ Ventures $$

I wrote about JJ Ventures yesterday funding the Paladin PAC as they pursue opening the Missouri market to legalized video gambling.  In the large contributions (below) there are two more checks from JJ Ventures to Another Viceroy PAC.  That PAC is associated with lobbyist Jeff Altmann.  His firm is Viceroy Government Relations. 

·       Altmann lobbies for JJ Ventures.

Fitz Details Former Washington County Collector Misdeeds

State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick released an audit of the Washington County Collector and Property Tax System which detailed the mishandling of money by the former collector.  Read it here.

From 2018 to 2021, receipts collected from county trustee property sales totaling at least $107,0815 were not deposited and were instead paid in cash to County Collector's office employees and the County Trustee. In addition, from 2018 to 2022, the former County Collector improperly transferred at least $3,700 to her personal bank account and made questionable disbursements totaling at least $3,211 from the Tax Maintenance Fund…

The County Collector wrote a check for $1,000 made payable to herself... Three $400 ($1,200 total) ATM withdrawals… Debit card purchases at a Rhodes convenience store ($42.55), Walmart ($52.30), and Longhorn Steakhouse ($45.49)... An additional $1,278 in questionable disbursements were identified by the MSHP between 2019 and 2020. These disbursements primarily included payments to Verizon and Amazon.

·       Washington County is represented by Sen. Elaine Gannon, and Reps. Chris Dinkins and Mike McGirl.

Lobbyists Registrations

Ron Berry deleted Gardner Capital Inc., Wickham and Wood LLC, Bloom Medicinals, Legal Missouri 2022, BRB DB Holdings Inc, Everstream Solutions LLC, Health Pals Company LLC, and Zoellner Construction Company Inc.

$5K+ Contributions

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom (pro-choice IP) - $1,000,000 from Michael R Bloomberg (New York, NY).

Vote "NO" on 3 - $75,000 from Columbian Charities of Missouri Inc.

American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $15,000 from Leo Marshall.

American Dream PAC - $10,000 from Conservative Leadership for So.

Protect our Kids PAC (pro-Schnelting) - $50,000 from Mid- American Carpenters Regional Council.

MO Six PAC - $20,000 from Cole County Republican Committee.

Another Viceroy PAC - $40,000 from J&J Ventures Gaming of Missouri.

Another Viceroy PAC - $15,000 from J&J Ventures Gaming of Missouri.

HealthPAC - $9,350 from HCA Midwest Health System (Nashville, TN).

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Harry Otto, and Terry Witte.