MOScout Daily Update: Richardson to Join Catalyst - $2M Into Anti-Referendum PAC - More on MO Clearance Rates - New Mitten PAC and more…

Breaking: Richardson Joins Catalyst

Press release: Catalyst Government Affairs today announced that Todd Richardson, former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and Director of Missouri Medicaid, has joined the firm.

Richardson brings a rare combination of legislative leadership, executive agency experience and policy expertise that further strengthens Catalyst’s national footprint in health care and government strategy. As Speaker of the House, he earned bipartisan respect for his steady leadership, and for guiding major legislative packages through the General Assembly. His tenure was marked by collaboration, fairness and a results-driven approach that earned him the trust of colleagues across party lines…

·       At Catalyst, Richardson will advise clients across a range of industries, with a particular focus on health care, education, and state agencies….

Where Are They Now

Assuming Richardson registers to lobby as part of his new role, he will be the fourth former speaker as an active lobbyist in Missouri…

·       Catherine Hanaway – Attorney General.

·       Rod Jetton – running campaigns.

·       Ron Richard – passed away in 2023.

·       Steve Tilley – lobbyist, businessman.

·       Tim Jones – lobbyist, influencer.

·       John Diehl – awaiting sentencing for COVID fraud.

·       Todd Richardson – lobbyist.

·       Elijah Haahr – radio, running campaigns.

·       Rob Vescovo – lobbyist.

·       Dean Plocher – practicing law?

Put Missouri First Adds $2M

Dark money meets dark money in the redistricting battle.  Yesterday two Republican 501(c)(4)s American Action Network Inc, and Securing American Greatness Inc. each deposited a million dollars into Put Missouri First PAC.  That’s the PAC organized to oppose the redistricting map referendum.

It’s interesting because stopping the referendum is the key objective.  And I’m not sure how an extra million or two helps with that. 

The outcome of the referendum itself would be of no concern to President Donald Trump.  That’s because if the referendum happens, it would – regardless of outcome – mean the changes in the congressional lines wouldn’t occur until after the 2026 midterms.

Congratulations

To former Sen. Lauren Arthur and her husband Russell on the birth of their son, Cyrus “Cy” Arthur Shankland earlier this month (November 7 was Cy’s birthday).  Mom says, “Late night filibusters were good training for our new schedule.”

Follow-up on “Solving Crime”

Arnold Venture’s lobbyist Emily Baldwin writes, following up my mention last week about a tweet concerning Minneapolis’ solve rate: Minneapolis isn't the only place struggling to solve violent crime. Law enforcement agencies report data on their crime and solve rates to the FBI annually. CSG's analysis of this data suggests that Missouri had a 38% solve rate for violent crime in 2024. Low solve rates aren't just a big city problem. Many smaller jurisdictions, including Polk, Dade, Vernon, Stone, Wayne, Pulaski, and Buchanan Counties, also reported a violent crime solve rate under 30% in 2024.

As part of this year's HB 225, the legislature created the Missouri Violent Crime Clearance Grant Program aimed at improving law enforcement strategies and capacity — such as the hiring of additional detectives, forensic collection and testing personnel, victim-witness coordinators, etc. — that should help improve solve rates for violent crimes. But the program will need to have funding appropriated for it in 2026 to actually drive an impact.

During a period of fiscal restraint, the question remains: "Where should the state's limited public safety resources be prioritized?" If perpetrators of violent crimes are getting away with it over 60% of the time, we posit that improving the rate we catch individuals inflicting harm on our communities should be toward the top of the list.

In Fact

According to that data (shown on this map), Buchanan and Pulaski’s solve rate for violent crimes are a ridiculously low 8%.

·       Buchanan County is represented Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, and Reps. Bill Falkner, Sean Pouche, and Brenda Shields.

·       Pulaski County is represented by Sen. Justin Brown, and Reps. Bill Hardwick and Don Mayhew.

Senate 4: Pro-Mitten PAC Formed

In Senate 4, a new political action committee has been formed to support former Rep. Gina Mitten.  See the filing for Good Hands PAC here.

Hancock on Schmitt’s Political “Cowardice”

Missouri Independent’s Jason Hancock dings Senator Eric Schmitt for failing to condemn Nick Fuentes.  Read it here.

Fuentes, a far-right activist and Holocaust denier, has summed up his political worldview as “hating women, being racist, being antisemitic.” Yet that hasn’t blocked his access to a who’s who of the conservative movement — including Donald Trump, who dined with Fuentes and fellow anti-semite Kanye West at Mar-a-Lago in 2022.

More recently, Fuentes appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show for a two-hour softball interview that featured a call for a “pro-white” movement to oppose the “organized Jewry” Fuentes believes is undermining American cohesion… Among those warning against the mainstreaming of Fuentes was Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley.

Hawley’s public condemnation differs from his Missouri colleague, U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt.

Schmitt has yet to make any public comments about Fuentes, and his office did not respond to requests for comment…

Silence doesn’t equal agreement, and Schmitt’s defenders might argue he shouldn't dignify Fuentes with attention. Why give an extremist more oxygen? That might be a persuasive if Schmitt had not already brushed shoulders with the ideological world Fuentes inhabits. Once those lines blur, clarity becomes a duty, not an option...

eMailbag

Good stat [Sunday6] on 8% of Missouri children having one immigrant parent. So what? you ask. The President has five children, 80% of whom have one immigrant parent.

$5K+ Contributions

Put Missouri First - $1,000,000 from American Action Network Inc. (Washington, DC).

Put Missouri First - $1,000,000 from Securing American Greatness Inc. (Beverly, MA).

Lobbyist Registrations

Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, Caleb Rowden, Christopher Schoeman, and Alec Rosenblum added ClassWallet, and Catalis.