MOScout Daily Update: Fights Breaking Out All Over the Place… Roberts-Jones, Bailey(+Elon?)-Grain Belt, DTS-Alford and more…

Quick Friday update…

Corley to Lead Pro-PBM Org

Press release: Prescription Benefits Matter launched today as a leading source of information for consumers about prescription benefits and the role that prescription benefits managers (PBMs) play in lowering drug costs. The organization will educate and empower Missouri families and employers, providing transparency about a complex system that serves tens of millions of Americans every year. Helping patients understand an important but often misunderstood part of the American health care system will be a focus of Prescription Benefits Matter…

Ultimately, the organization wants to enhance consumers’ ability to understand prescription benefits and the role of PBMs in lowering costs and providing access to life-saving medications. The effort will be led by executive director Jamie Corley, a Missouri-native with deep experience in government and health policy.

·       See the website here: prescriptionbenefitsmatter.org.

What It Means

Prescription benefit managers, tired of being the punching bag of for small pharmacies closing, are organizing to tell their side of the story.

Roberts-Jones Spat

Jack Suntrup has a humdinger of a story today, reporting on Sen. Steven Roberts comments at the Democratic end-of-the-week press conference “blasting” Mayor Tishaura Jones for minimal engagement with senators beyond Sen. Karla May.  Read it here.

·       “The mayor no longer enjoys the confidence of the people in this building,” Roberts told reporters Thursday. “She couldn’t even be bothered to reach out to the senator who represents nearly the entire city of St. Louis nor engage with any of our Democratic allies.”

·       Roberts said Tuesday's results demonstrate "she has lost the trust of the citizens of St. Louis city.”

The mayor’s spokesperson fired back which surprised me.  It just gives the story more air. 

·       Kerrigan said it was “unfortunate” Roberts did not find “the time or courage to invite the Mayor to be part of any of his private conversations with the Republicans and special interests pushing this legislation.”

Jones has five short weeks to convince voters she deserves a second term. Getting in a verbal slap-fight with a state senator doesn’t inspire confidence.

Bailey Asks Musk To Stop Grain Belt

Here’s the press release from the Missouri Attorney General, Andrew Bailey, asking Elon Musk to investigate the Grain Belt Express project.

"In the waning, chaotic days of the Biden Administration — when the former president’s mental decline had grown to such a severe state that we now know he was not actually running his own White House and often signed documents without even knowing what they contained — left-wing bureaucrats seized the opportunity to advance their radical 'green agenda,'" said Attorney General Bailey. "In the shadows of this confusion, far-left deep staters advanced a $4.9 billion green energy federal loan guarantee boondoggle to bankroll the Grain Belt Express (GBE), one of the most egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars in recent memory."

·       On Twitter, Musk replied with one word: “Wow.”

DTS to Alford: Be A Man

On social media Rep, David Tyson Smith scolds Congressman Mark Alford… Congressman Alford sent 3 staffers to my office to intimidate my Legislative Assistant and told her not to give out his public number to constituents who call and are angry about Trump’s and Musk’s federal policies. They said he was getting inundated with calls and was cornered in a coffee shop by angry people. A VA employee came to my office and we sent her over as well. The staffers said the Congressman doesn’t want to talk about the VA. One of the staffers further tried to intimidate my LA by asking for a picture with her. Congressman Alford, if you have a problem with angry constituents, have the courage to address it with President Trump. Do not try to intimidate my staff. Also, feel free to pick up the phone and call me man to man. I will be following this up with a letter to your office. I am not going to be intimidated by you.

$5K+ Contributions

NKC Schools Community Committee - $10,000 from McCownGordon Construction LLC.

71 Percent PAC - $10,000 from Richard Arnoldy.

Lobbyist Registrations

Tim Brinker added Greater St. Louis, Inc.  

Gamble & Schlemeier added NPRA Missouri.      

Angie Schulte added West Egg Cannabis Partners.

Mike Gibbons and Trish Workman deleted Energy Policy Network.

Jay Reichard deleted Winning for Missouri Education.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Frank Barnitz, Rich AuBuchon, Benjamin Peters, Rory Rowland, and Jeff Layman.