MOScout Daily Update: O’Laughlin Tells Hawley to Chill - Royals to NKC? - New Day in Clay? - Eigel Maintains $$$ Lead and more…
Quick Friday update…
O’Laughlin to Hawley: Easy There, Buddy
Senate Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin sent a letter to Senator Josh Hawley asking him to please avoid lumping in Missouri with states where big data centers will impact electricity rates. Read the letter here.
I saw that you recently shared a headline about energy rates in Missouri and suggested that the increase could be tied to data center development. While I appreciate your concern for Missouri consumers, that claim is misleading and—without the proper context—can unnecessarily alarm the very people we both serve…
I want to make sure you have the full picture. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 4, legislation designed specifically to protect Missouri consumers from higher electric rates caused by large industrial users, including data centers.
Powered Land
CNBC reports that in the “sudden surge in demand for data is fast creating new commercial real estate sectors… “quantum real estate” and “powered land.”
· The former refers to structures designed to house specialized quantum computers. The latter is land prepared and ready for data center operations, with a focus on obtaining a reliable and sufficient power supply. That land would have to be secured with the permits, utility commitments, and infrastructure needed to deliver power to a data center.
· There are currently about 20,000 acres of powered land sitting under operational data centers around the world. Roughly 40,000 acres of powered land, almost 2 billion square feet, are needed to support current projections for data center growth over the next five years, according to a new research paper from Hines, a global real estate investment manager…
· “The challenge isn’t building walls anymore. It’s getting megawatts to the site,” said David Steinbach, Hines’ global chief investment officer. “Hines is focused on this front-end work, making land AI-ready before the buildings even rise.”
New Day in Clay?
Kansas City Realtor and Advocate Jennifer Justus kicked off her campaign for Clay County Presiding Commissioner. Clay County State Reps. Chris Brown and Bill Allen, as well as Speaker Jon Patterson were in attendance to support her. Clay County Auditor Vic Hurlbert and Brown introduced her.
What It Means
Current Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte is said to be undecided about running again. This might signal a changing of the guard…
Royals to NKC?
Pete Mundo reports that “North Kansas City was getting more serious in its conversations with the Royals.”
Mayor Jesse Smith says, “These discussions are substantial and will ultimately involve collaboration among the State of Missouri, Clay County, and the City in any final framework.”
St. Charles County Executive
Bill Eigel raised $168,108; spent $11,022; and has $330,828 on-hand.
· Bill PAC: $162,269 COH
Mike Elam raised $2,887; spent $7,711; and has $43,661 on-hand.
Steve Ehlmann raised $0; spent $7,382; and has $2,436 on-hand.
Jason Law raised $32,514; spent $65,231; and has $366,120 on-hand.
· Law and Order PAC: $6,000 COH
Team Eigel likes the lay of the land: Eigel has 85% name ID firmly entrenched on the “conservative fighter” lane, a 30 point lead in early polls, more cash on hand between his candidate committee and PAC than all his opponents COMBINED, and is hosting an event next month with Bob Onder and both state senators.
Readers React to AG Suit Against Referendum
· I'm not surprised but I am a bit galled at AG’s lawsuit. Members of the General Assembly were more than happy to use the logic that “the constitution doesn’t specifically prohibit us” to change the congressional maps mid-census but Hanaway’s logic in her suit is the exact opposite that the constitution doesn’t specifically allow them to use the referendum so they can’t possibly be allowed to use this maneuver. These people are fundamentally unserious and only interested in control for the sake of power.
· You mean to say Hanaway’s suit against the restricting is bat-shit crazy? Remember she’s playing ball in Hawley’s court, the US District Court for eastern MO., now dominated by Hawley - Trump picks. And the appeals go to the federal appeals court for the 8th Circuit, which is tied for no. 1 (with 5th circuit) in Trump rankings. A Roy Cohn legal dream come true where power = law.
· Hanaway’s (very novel) argument is that a referendum on a plan would take away state legislature’s ability to draw a plan. The choice people would have on a referendum in this case is between two legislatively-crafted plans. Missourians have already done a referendum on congressional maps, and it is/was perfectly constitutional. See ye olde Blue Book…
Lobbyist Registrations
Thomas “Shad” Burner added Jefferson City Regional Economic Partnership.
David Sweeney added Associated General Contractors of Missouri.
Bill Gamble, and Troy Stremming added Ashbritt, Inc.
Dan Mehan deleted Blackstone Administrative Services Partnership LP.
$5K+ Contributions
People Not Politicians - $12,803 from Missouri Democratic State Committee Federal Account.
Show Me Leadership PAC - $8,000 from Rex Sinquefield.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Jamilah Nasheed, Scott Rupp, Warren Erdman, and Sara Baker.
Saturday: Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, Jim Talent, Ray McCarty, and Chris Dinkins.
Sunday: John Lamping and Patricia Pike.
MOScout Schedule
No MOScout this weekend. Back on Monday!