MOScout Daily Update: People on the Move… Vescovo, O’Donnell, Jetton, Kern - Which Way Wolfin? - Freeman Disputes Election - Kehoe Rounds Out Team and more…

Former Reps Register to Lobby

Rob Vescovo is the latest former speaker of the House to register as a lobbyist in the state of Missouri. He joins former speakers Steve Tilley and Tim Jones with that distinction.

Vescovo and former Rep. Jered Taylor registered to represent the pro-school choice organization, American Federation for Children.  Additionally, Vescovo will lobby for Missouri Hospital Association.

Rumorville: Jetton Out At Revenue

I’m told that Trish Vincent, Governor-elect Mike Kehoe’s pick to run the Department of Revenue, has shown former Speaker Rod Jetton the door.

Jetton took leave from DOR last year to staff Speaker Dean Plocher, but returned afterwards. 

·       One observer thinks it may be less political than folks will imagine: “I think Trish wants to bring in her team.”

O’Donnell to SOS

Rep. Michael O’Donnell is joining the Secretary of State’s Office.  He’ll be the Commissioner of Securities. His last day in the House will be next Wednesday, January 15.

·       MOScouter: [O’Donnell] has spent his entire career in securities so it is nice to see Denny Hoskins taking his appointments seriously…

Chhikara Exits Treasurer’s Office

Kern Chhikara will be leaving the Treasurer’s Office where he’s been Director of Communications.  Taking his place will be Caty Luebbert.  Luebbert has been  

Deputy Communications Director for the past two years at the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance.

·       Chhikara is headed to law school at Mizzou.

Which Path Will Wolfin Take?

Freshman Rep. Bryant Wolfin (see his bio here) stepped up to the House floor microphone on Wednesday and confidently gave the nominating speech for Rep. Justin Sparks to be Speaker. 

I spoke to a few folks befuddled by Wolfin’s decision.  He had to know that Sparks’ challenge was doomed. What’s the purpose of putting yourself on the outs with leadership for the next two years, and signaling to the likely next speaker (Alex Riley) you’re not a team player?

One supporter of Wolfin’s said they don’t see this as “political suicide,” he can repair the damage – if he chooses.  But they worry that he may “go the way of Mazzie [Christensen].”

This is, in their view, insanity: You’re in the supermajority.  You can actually get stuff done.  There are 52 Democrats who have zero chance of passing a single bill in their eight years in the House.  As a freshman Republican, you can pick a subject matter, become an expert and have a real impact on state policy in the next eight years.  And instead, you might throw bombs, and spend eight years telling everyone else they’re not conservative enough??

eMailbag: The Case for Sparks

One MOScouter thinks “[Justin] Sparks pulled off a classic Eigel: Heads I win; Tails you lose.”

JP went from saying he wouldn’t overturn Amendment 3 a week before the election to making it the number one priority of his speech, from being lone republican “no” vote on transgender to again pushing it as a priority and now calling for “guns!” on transit…  Sparks gets to claim moral victory combined with ideological one.

Freeman Contests Race

Stephanos Freeman has petitioned the House to disqualify Rep. Jeremy Dean, alleging that Dean didn’t meet the residency requirement.  See the petition here. 

Freeman, a Republican, lost to Dean in House 132 general election race to replace termed Rep. Crystal Quade. 

According to Rule 36: Whenever there shall be filed with the Speaker a notice of contest of the election of a member of the House, he or she shall refer the same, without discussion, either to the regular standing Committee on Elections and Elected Officials or a special standing committee appointed to hear the matter. Such committee shall examine the timeliness and sufficiency of the notice, the depositions, and other documents submitted and report to the House its recommendations, whereupon the House shall act by resolution to sustain or reject the committee recommendations.

·       One Republican tells me that they’re aware of allegations but don’t think it’s a worth pursuing for a variety of reasons: residency claims are difficult to disprove, overturning an election is bad optically for the GOP, and they probably can’t even win a special election in that district.

The Blunt-Kehoe Connection

If there’s any doubt about how close Mike Kehoe is with the Blunt family, Monday’s inaugural schedule makes it very clear…

·       11:30 a.m. | Inauguration Ceremony begins on Capitol South Lawn with welcome by Andy Blunt, Chairman of Securing Missouri’s Future Inaugural Committee

·       12:00 p.m. | Oath of office administered to Governor Mike Kehoe by Senator Roy Blunt

Kehoe Rounds Out Team

Press release: Governor-Elect Mike Kehoe announced the appointment of several additional individuals who will serve on his staff in the governor’s office…

Policy

·       Halle Herbert, Senior Policy Advisor

·       Johnathan Shiflett, Senior Policy Advisor

·       Sydney Scott, Policy Advisor

·       Catherine Kirkweg, Administrative Assistant – Policy

Legal

·       Jordan Roling, Deputy General Counsel

Operations & Constituent Services

·       Keri Stuart, Boards and Commissions Director

·       Sheila Luebbert, Constituent Services Director

Communications

·       Madelyn Warren, Communications Manager

·       Macee Ernst, Communications Specialist

Administrative

·       Tammy Allee, Executive Scheduler to the Governor

·       Amanda Holtmeyer, Office Manager

First Lady & Governor’s Mansion

·       Carley Travis, Chief of Staff to the First Lady

·       Shari Childs, Mansion Executive Director

·       Erica Hansbrough, Mansion Deputy Director

·       Ellanie Jamison, Mansion Events and Social Media Coordinator

·       Brandon Kampeter, Executive Chef

·       Rodney Sammons, Pastry Chef

$5K+ Contributions

American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $74,956 from Class Act Management.

Gail Smart for School Board - $5,208 from Jeff Hutchens.

I Like Mike - $20,000 from Tri-County Seed.

YES for KC Kids - $25,000 from JE Dunn Construction.

Lobbyist Registrations

John Pauley added Underdog Fantasy.

Scott Penman added Safer + Simpler Missouri.

Jered Taylor added American Federation For Children.

Rob Vescovo added Missouri Hospital Association, and American Federation For Children.                                                   

Adam Rapert deleted Department of Sheriff/City of St. Louis.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Roy Blunt, Trevor Fox, Carmen Schulze, and Randy Jotte.