MOScout Daily Update: Unions’ Burgeoning War Chests - Referendum Campaign gets $750K More - Christ Raises $270K - Williams PAC Nears $200K and more…

It’s Columbus Day.  State offices are closed…

1 Big Thing: Burgeoning Labor War Chests

The deadline for October campaign finance reports is this Wednesday, but I skimmed the Missouri Ethics Commission website this weekend for early filers. 

One eye-popping pattern: organized labor’s war chests are burgeoning.  Here are some cash on-hand figures from some unions…

·       Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Missouri-Kansas Area PAC - $2.1 million.

·       Missouri and Kansas Laborers' PAC - $1.2 million.

·       Pipefitters Assoc Local #533 - $725,877.

·       International Union of Operating Engineers Local 101 PAC - $539,041.

·       MO National Education Assoc-PAC - $514,562.

·       Unite. Inspire. Lead - $495,533.

·       International Union of Operating Engineers Political & Educational Fund - $442,716.

·       Local Political Action Account-Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 - $359,811.

·       Operating Engineers Local 101 Political Fund - $350,234.

·       Plumbers Local Union No. 8 - $293,889.

·       KCFOP PAC - $286,702.

·       Laborers Union Local #110 Voluntary Political Fund - $221,443.

Why It Matters

Missouri AFL-CIO President Jake Hummel has said that organized labor is energized to push back on the legislature’s recent redistricting map.  They have plenty of firepower to do so.

Christ Raises $270K

Rep. Brad Christ reported $270,000 raised between his candidate committee and his PAC with over 200 donors.  That’s a big number from a rank-and-file legislator – a House member, no less – not seeking statewide office. While it certainly doesn't mean he will become floor leader and doesn’t even mean that his re-election is guaranteed, it suggests that he’ll have ample resources and, in all likelihood, the ability to simultaneously outspend opponents in both of those races.

·       Interesting to note: his PAC sent contributions to over 70 House Republican members.

Pro-Williams PAC Nears $200K COH

The pro-Brian Williams PAC, STLCO PAC, filed its report, showing $188,600 raised – powered by $50,000 checks from Mike Rayner, Eric Holland, and Robert Blitz.

It now has $193,013 cash on-hand.

·       Williams is trying to take advantage of incumbent Sam Page’s indictment troubles to grab a clear lead in the money race.

PNP Adds Another $750K

People Not Politicians added another huge check over the weekend.  This one – for $750,000 – came from Health Forward Foundation.   PNP is the vehicle to put the redistricting map to a referendum vote.

HFF: This investment supports all of Missouri by advancing equitable representation and health across our communities – from people in rural areas facing systemic underinvestment that hinders optimal health, to people of color impacted by longstanding injustice, to all hardworking Missourians without health coverage.

Hancock on FBI Investigations

Missouri Independent Editor-in-Chief Jason Hancock writes about former House Speaker John Diehl’s recent guilty plea, wondering whether wider charges will follow.  Read it here.

Six years ago, federal grand jury subpoenas started rolling in across Missouri. The FBI wanted records pertaining to a pair of lucrative utility contracts in Independence. Trump’s Justice Department also demanded records related to Missouri medical marijuana business licenses. Independence city council members and staff were interviewed by agents. Eventually, so were Missouri lawmakers, lobbyists and legislative staff…

Chatter about the FBI probe petered out over the last year, as the investigation seemed to go quiet and charges never materialized.

But interest rekindled last month when former Missouri House Speaker John Diehl pleaded guilty in federal court to an unrelated wire fraud charge for illegally obtaining nearly $380,000 in COVID-relief loans.

Diehl served as general counsel for the company awarded one of the lucrative utility contracts at the center of the FBI inquiry…

Is that it? It's impossible to say. Investigations often go quiet before they get very loud…

Scott to Am Juris

Todd Scott, former Missouri legislative staffer, has joined American Juris Link as Senior Counsel/Director of Legal Coordination.

·       Scott was most recently with the Attorney General’s office where he was Senior Counsel.

Fitz Audit of Joplin

I’m late on this one… Last week’s audit of the City of Joplin found multiple concerning practices.  See the full report here.  Among the findings…

·       The City Council limited opportunities for public comment and reduced transparency by presenting 80% of ordinances as emergency ordinances.

·       Finance Department personnel do not have adequate procedures to collect outstanding accounts receivable balances.

·       Approximately $12,769,000 in planned expenditures were not included in the approved fiscal year 2023 budget and only added in late November 2022. The City Council did not disclose the additional expenditures to the public.

·       Building Department personnel do not report all dangerous buildings to the Building Board of Appeals as required by city code.

·       The City Council does not perform adequate oversight of the Joplin Sports Authority (JSA). During fiscal year 2023, the city paid the JSA $443,000, or 30% of the actual receipts from the 4% lodging tax, for the purpose of sports marketing for the city.

·       The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) did not bid some purchases as required.

·       The city lacks an internal audit function.

Joplin is represented by Sen. Jill Carter and Rep. Lane Roberts.

Greitens Re-emerges?

Former governor Eric Greitens talks to Bold Journey, giving timeless self-help advice (“Resilience begins with and comes from you... There is no one that can give you your ‘why’, your ‘how’…you have to, you get to, create that for yourself.”).

Read it here.

Help Wanted

Senate Research seeks Legislative Attorney (“requires excellent writing and oral communication skills. Law degree, but not admission to the Missouri Bar, required”), and Research Secretary (“requires excellent organizational skills, an attention to detail, good typing, spelling and proofreading skills, and a great attitude”).

See the postings here.

Lobbyist Registrations

Ron Berry and Cassandra Allana Henderson added Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis; and deleted Missouri Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

Troy Stremming added Missouri Charter Public School Commission.

Eapen Thampy deleted Pinnacle Distribution, Silo Wellness, Satya Therapeutics, Vapor Maven MO, Magic Vapor LLC, Vine Street Brewing, and Agro-Shield.

$5K+ Contributions

People Not Politicians - $750,000 from Health Forward Foundation.

Growth and Opportunity PAC - $10,000 from Plaza Car Wash Inc.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rep. Hardy Billington, Larry Pleus, John Mayfield, and Mike Dauphin.