MOScout Daily Update: J & J Near $1M in Contributions - Jeff City Approves Lodging Extension - Jackson Assessor Change - Williams Fundy and more…
J & J Ventures Spends Big on MO
In today’s large contributions, J & J Ventures contributed $100,000 to the pro-Mike Kehoe PAC, American Dream PAC.
It’s an indication of two things:
· First, Governor Kehoe isn’t going to enter his re-election cycle flat-footed. He’s still in his first year, but he’s not waiting to start building the necessary war chest to discourage any credible opposition.
· Second, J & J Ventures remains a serious player in the efforts to open the legal VLT market in Missouri. The issue has been stymied by controversial existence of “gray machines,” and opposition from casinos who don’t want every gas station to be a new competitor.
With the Kehoe contributions, J & J is now approaching $1 million in contributions since the end of the last legislative session. According to my calculations they’ve made $877,000 in donations in the last six months.
Most of these contributions have gone to three PACs related to three of their top lobbyists…
· Another Viceroy PAC – Jeffrey Altmann.
· Paladin PAC – Andy Arnold.
· The Rowdy PAC – Ryan Rowdy.
The money then goes on from those PACs to a wide range of legislators.
What It Means
Th VLT issue will once again be a topic for legislators next session. Perhaps with sports betting approved and no longer a complicating factor, and Torch fighting various legal fronts, there will be an opportunity for a compromise.
Williams Builds Momentum
Sen. Brian Williams held a major fundraiser on Monday night at Clayco, with one source saying the night “netted 300K. With 550K already in the bank, Williams is on pace to have 1M cash on hand by years end.”
Among the attendees: former Congressman Lacy Clay, Sens. Tracy McCreery and Stephen Webber, Council Members Shalonda Webb, Gretchen Bangert, and Rita Days, lobbyists Jeff Aboussie and John Bardgett, and Robin Carnahan.
Election Results
Jefferson City voters narrowly approved a lodging tax extension on Tuesday with about 54% of the vote.
Meanwhile in Jackson County, where voters were asked if the assessor should be elected, it wasn’t even close…
Nationally
Dems had a good night across the country. From Politico Playbook: If Republicans aren’t scared by what happened Tuesday night, they should be… the biggest challenge for Republicans is that Trump’s poll numbers have fallen dramatically, especially on the economy. Trump wants to be at the center of the national conversation all the time, turning every race into a national referendum. Yet the issue now is whether that’s good for Republicans up and down the ballot.
See these MOScout Hallway Index from a few weeks ago. I’ll be curious if these numbers shift at all after last night…
“What are the chances of a "Dem wave" in the 2026 midterms?” 22 replies…
RESULTS
1. Very likely… 9.1%
2. Somewhat likely… 31.8%
3. Somewhat unlikely… 40.9%
4. Very unlikely… 18.2%
Cattle Prices Pull Back
From the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s always interesting Weekly Market Summary…
This week was kind of the tell of two tales with many producers choosing to take the chance and hold off given the abrupt downturn in the markets, some others however, not willing or able to take the risk chose to sell, knowing even with the sharply lower markets prices were still historically very high…
The price pullback happens as Governor Mike Kehoe – and other Republicans – break with Donald Trump over his plans to increase beef imports from Argentina.
COVID $$$ Misuse
Post-Dispatch reports on the latest politico using COVID relief funds illegally. A construction contractor who dated longtime politico Virvus Jones and worked with developers seeking city grants admitted Tuesday to a $1.7 million pandemic loan fraud scheme. Corretta “Cory” Elliott lied on applications for two COVID-19 relief loans and then used the money to pay unions — though the charges made it unclear why — and make a $200,000 deposit into a personal investment account, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said in court.
Minimum Wage Heads to $15
Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations alerts folks that the “minimum wage of $15.00 per hour takes effect on January 1, 2026.”
· That’s up from the current rate of $13.75 per hour.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $100,000 from J & J Ventures Gaming of Missouri LLC (Effingham, IL)
American Dream PAC - $100,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
American Dream PAC - $25,000 from FCA PAC.
American Dream PAC - $20,000 from Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (Henderson, NV).
Missouri Leadership PAC (pro-Riley) - $13,000 from Living Well PAC.
Missouri Leadership PAC - $10,000 from Penn Entertainment Inc. (Wyomissing, PA).
Missouri Enterprise Fund (pro-Hardwick)- $10,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
Missouri Enterprise Fund - $7,500 from Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (Henderson, NV).
Stop the Ban - $10,000 from Brian McInerney.
People Not Politicians - $10,000 from Brian McInerney.
People Not Politicians - $75,000 from SEIU MO/KS State Council.
People Not Politicians - $10,000 from SEIU Local 1 (Chicago, IL).
Freedom Incorporated - $7,000 from Forward Jackson County.
Lobbyist Registrations
Heath Clarkston, Michael Henderson, and Doug Nelson added Azova, Inc.
Michael Gibbons added Missouri Smallflows Organization.
Ryan Gill added Missouri Flagship Council.
Kelli Richardson added Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
Jered Taylor terminated his registration. He had represented American Federation For Children.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Aaron Jeffries, Becky Willard, and Brad Ketcher.