MOScout Daily Update: What Was Missing from Kehoe’s Speech - STL Says Crime Is Down W/O State - The Best Job Kehoe Ever Had and more…
Kehoe’s Speech
Governor Mike Kehoe hit familiar themes in his inaugural address, reiterating his top priorities (public safety, school choice and cutting taxes).
· Securing Missouri’s future begins with public safety. Too many Missourians don’t feel safe—and too many Missourians aren’t safe. When people are afraid for their lives and for their families, they cannot be productive, and they will not prosper...
· Securing Missouri’s future means strengthening public education and expanding school choice so that every single student has the opportunity to get a world class education. Whether it’s a four-year college or career technical education, schools that teach kids how to think—not what to think—are the key to long-term self-reliance.
· Securing Missouri’s future means creating stable jobs that provide both a source of income and a sense of purpose. My administration will focus on reducing taxes and cutting regulations, so families keep more of their own money, and so job creators want to come here, expand here, and hire more hard-working Missourians.
· Finally, Securing Missouri’s future means securing our agriculture economy.
Kehoe’s speech also displayed his well-known penchant for finding common ground disarming his opponents…
· Political opponents cast each other as traitors and criminals. I reject this. I believe we can work together without sacrificing our core beliefs…
· This is my promise to you: I will talk to anyone, work with anyone, and root for anyone who has a good idea to make our state safer, stronger, and better.
But..
What wasn’t mentioned – not once – Amendment 3. Revisiting the issue of abortion to rein in the new constitutional right has been top of mind for many Republican legislators. And while Kehoe is very pro-life, it was nowhere to be found in his speech. While a cynic might suggest it’s because Missouri Right to Life gave their sole endorsement to Jay Ashcroft, that’s not why. It’s because an abortion fight is one of the lurking pitfalls Kehoe faces as he tries to push his agenda through the legislature.
Last weekend’s “Hallway Index” survey of lobbyists named it the top issue “most likely to derail Kehoe's legislative agenda.”
Here’s the scenario Kehoe wants to avoid…
1. House Republicans, following JP’s recent comments, passes legislation to define fetal viability. Their definition is stringent in keeping with their pro-life position.
2. It comes to the Senate by Spring Break where right-side activists start agitating for it to receive floor time. You could even have Freedom Caucus GOPers filibustering until it’s brought up.
3. It becomes the grass-roots touchpoint, fueled by social media demonizing of any Republican senator who seen as compromising.
4. Democrats, with several newer younger colleagues, launch a filibuster which ends in a PQ and the disintegration of the Senate, sinking boatloads of legislation, Kehoe’s legislative package included.
Kehoe’s “Day One Action”
Immediately after his swearing-in ceremony, Governor Mike Kehoe issued several executive orders, mainly dealing with public safety. See them here.
The move signaled that he’s not waiting to tackle his top priority.
Meanwhile in STL…
Mayor Tishaura Jones, Police Chief Robert Tracy, and Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore will hold a press conference today cheering the 2024 crime statistics which showed “the lowest number of homicides in the city since 2013.”
It’s a message to Jefferson City that the city has public safety a state takeover
· Reminder of the Obvious: 150 homicides is still a problem.
Kehoe Expresses His Love for the Senate
In his final turn as Lieutenant Governor, hours before being sworn in as governor, Mike Kehoe took a moment to impart his love for the chamber.
· The first thing I would tell you is the people that are here and the people that are behind us, remember that you have the best staff anybody in this building could ever ask for. These ladies and gentlemen, they work incredibly hard through all of the ups and downs and then they're here the next day and sometimes the next day is 45 minutes later. And so don't forget what a great staff you have working in Missouri Senate…
· And the second thing is very briefly, as a private businessman, I went and had a meeting with a friend of mine who is the Attorney General named Chris Koster about running for Senate… He said, the Senate is the best job I've ever had. This was the Attorney General of the State of Missouri. And I walked out of that office and I thought, well, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard... I can tell you, serving in this body this body was the best job I ever had…
Profile on Schoor
News Tribune profiles Elisha Schoor. Read it here.
· After graduating from MU, Schoor said he knew he wanted to work for state government and found a job as the Senate's enrolling and engrossing clerk, a role that involves proofreading bills and doing other administrative tasks… Schoor is now one of the main voices of the Senate, speaking on behalf of Secretary Kristina Martin.
· "In session, you'll hear the president of the chamber, the chair, direct the 'Madam Secretary' to call the roll or read the journal. Then you'll hear my much deeper voice on the microphone, and that's because I speak for her," he said...
· As he looks to the session ahead, Schoor said he is particularly excited to see the new class of senators find their place in the legislature and contribute to the policymaking process. "The Senate being the Senate, it's dominated by personality. You get to really see the character behind everybody," he said…
Trump Medicaid Cuts To Hit MO Budget?
Kaiser Health News reports on Republicans’ “plan to use funding cuts and regulatory changes to dramatically shrink Medicaid, the nearly $900-billion-a-year government health insurance program...” Read it here.
The GOP is looking at several tactics to reduce the size of Medicaid…
Cutting ACA Medicaid funding. The ACA provided financing to cover, through Medicaid, Americans with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or $20,783 for an individual last year. The federal government pays 90% of the cost for adults covered through the law’s Medicaid expansion, which 40 states and Washington, D.C., have adopted. The GOP may try to lower that funding to the same match rate the feds pay states for everyone else in the program, which averages about 60%.
$5K+ Contributions
The Madison PAC - $30,000 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield Kansas City.
Lobbyist Registrations
Meagan Howerton added Missouri Soybean Association.
Chad Stebbins added Missouri Press Association.
Ginger Steinmetz added Stupp Fiber Missouri.
Cassandra Allana Henderson deleted Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis.
Heath Clarkston, Doug Nelson, and Michael Henderson added Maverik; and deleted Kum & Go.
Courtney Curtis added ATAV, and Heartland St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce.
Madison Eacret added Safer + Simpler Missouri.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Sen. Mike Cierpoit, Daniel Hall, and Margaret Donnelly.