MOScout Daily Update: STL Police Forum Ahead of Confirmations - Kehoe’s SOTS Come Early - Henderson to MTC - MEC Rulings and more…

May, Roberts Hold Police Board Forum

Tonight Sens. Steven Roberts and Karla May are hosting a public town meeting “to discuss the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s return to state control.”  The forum will feature all five appointees to the new commission, as well as Mayor Cara Spencer.

Why It Matters

What’s interesting about this forum – and what’s mentioned in the press release – is that “any commissioner appointed by the governor must receive the approval of the senators who represent the City of St. Louis.”

That means Roberts and May have veto power over whether interim appointments can come up for consideration in Senate next month.  They’ll presumably be listening to and watching how the commissioners respond to questions from the public as they weigh whether to sponsor their appointment.

·       Event Details… Tonight, 6-7:30PM at Harris-Stowe State University, Henry Givens Jr. Administration Building, Room 112 Auditorium

Kehoe State of the State

The governor’s office announced yesterday that Governor Mike Kehoe will deliver the 2026 State of the State Address on Tuesday, January 13.

The address is traditionally where the governor touts his legislative agenda and unveils his budget blueprint.

The expectation is that Kehoe will largely stick with the platform on which he ran: education, crime, taxes, and agriculture.  Having notched wins in those categories last session, we’ll see how big a step he tries to take in each this session.

The centerpiece of the speech – and the session – will likely be his plan to phase out the state income tax.

What It Means

If this feels early, it is.  I looked back and last year Kehoe gave the SOTS address on the fourth Tuesday – not the second one.

And the year before – Mike Parson’s final SOTS – was delivered on the fourth Wednesday.

·       Team Kehoe clearly wants to get moving on its priorities, and doesn’t want to cede the month of January as a void for others to fill.

eMailbag: Once More on ‘Greedy’ Pro-lifers

The Republicans are projecting. Just because they are incapable of keeping deals they make (redistricting, trans, etc.) doesn’t mean Dems can’t. Chuck Hatfield isn’t suing without the ACLU directing him to and paying, and they weren’t doing so with the deal that top Rs were fine with (but Sen. Adam Schnelting vetoed).

Henderson Joins MTC Board

It looks like Sen. Mike Henderson has joined the board of the Missouri Technology Corporation.  He takes the slot designated for a state senator.  Sen. Travis Fitzwater resigned last month.

MEC Dismisses Complaints

The Missouri Ethics Commission dismissed a slew of complaints including…

·       Derrick Spicer - The Commission received a complaint alleging Derrick Spicer and his candidate committee, Spicer for Missouri falsely reporting that Spicer loaned his committee $100,000. The investigation showed that Derrick Spicer did loan his candidate committee $100,000 and it was properly reported.

·       Dusty Blue - The Commission received a complaint alleging Dustin Blue and his candidate committee, Friends of Dusty Blue falsely reporting that Blue loaned his committee $100,000. The investigation showed that Dustin Blue did loan his candidate committee $100,000 and it was properly reported.

·       Bill Eigel - The Commission received a complaint alleging Mr. Eigel failed to report an in-kind contribution received from the owner of a digital billboard after an advertisement was displayed in support of Mr. Eigel’s candidacy. It was determined that Mr. Eigel was not aware of any expenditures made for the billboard in question… It was also confirmed that Mr. Eigel did not have knowledge of the sign.

·       Ken Waller and Building JeffCo Together - The Commission received a complaint alleging Representative Waller, his committee, Building Jeffco Together and Scott Steimann failed to report in-kind contributions in relation to coordination while producing campaign materials. The investigation confirmed that both committees used the same political consultant to produce mailers... However, the investigation found no evidence that the two committees communicated with each other regarding the mailers, the photographs, or any campaign strategy… The only proven fact is that the committees shared a common vendor, and the vendor reused the same photos and design elements. This alone is insufficient to demonstrate coordination under applicable standards.

Knodell Statement

Robert Knodell issued a statement admitting his “lapse in judgment” regarding drinking and driving, apologizing and taking a leave of absence from his employment to work on “healing.” Several public officials – including Congressman Jason Smith – issued supportive statements for Knodell.

In this era of constant deflection – denial, “fake news,” what-aboutism – Knodell’s straightforward acceptance of responsibility was a reminder that true leadership sometimes involves saying, “I screwed up.”

Those Meddling California Dems

Getting passed around…

$5K+ Contributions

House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $20,000 from AT&T.

House Republican Campaign Committee Inc. - $10,000 from HCA Missouri Good Government Fund.

House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $6,000 from Hruza for Missouri.

Missouri Patriot PAC - $10,000 from Xcaliber International LTD LLC (Pryor, OK).

Lobbyist Registrations

David Overfelt deleted National Waste & Recycling Association.

Erin Schrimpf added Tata America International Corporation "TCS"; and deleted MoCannTrade.

Eapen Thampy deleted ARMJ Enterprises.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthdays Jeff Smith, Heidi Geisbuhler Sutherland, and Blake Lawrence.