MOScout Daily Update: Waller in Senate 22? - Isom to Spencer - Riley on Chiefs Situation - Hilton Passes and more…
Quick Friday update…
Waller in Senate 22?
Rep. Ken Waller may be getting serious about jumping into the Senate 22 scrum where Sen. Mary Elizabeth’s recently decided to forgo a second term.
Former Rep. Adam Schwadron was in the building a couple weeks ago touting Waller’s potential candidacy, and now – in the large contributions – it appears Schwadron is putting some bank behind the notion.
Schwadron’s PAC, Missouri Values PAC, sent $21,000 to Waller’s PAC, Building Jeffco Together.
· Waller should have pretty good name ID throughout JeffCo where he’s held various positions over the years.
· Waller had looked at the senate race back in 2022 but decided instead to run for House.
Riley on Chiefs/Royals Situation
House Floor Leader Alex Riley, answering questions from reporters, gave an update on the “Chiefs situation,” and indicated that the action may or may not need legislative approval depending on the “tools” utilized.
· We have been having numerous conversations with House and Senate leadership, with the governor's office on a strategy for that. We don’t have something that we’re ready to release and announce at this point. But we have been having weekly conversations about that very topic.
· There’s numerous tools that are being considered. Some of the things that we’re looking at is do we have current programs, already in existence, that are within the purview for example of the department of economic development… [We’re] looking at other options too… things that the legislature would need to do to come alongside the department to give them more tools. Those things that are currently being worked on and under consideration…
Follow-Up on Gov’s Schedule
I wondered yesterday if the governor’s rescheduled visit to Coffee Zone was related to the gun incident, but I’m told the change was unrelated. It was made so he could attend the visitation services for the fallen firefighter in Southeast Missouri last night.
Isom to Spencer
Post-Dispatch’s Austin Huguelet reports that “Beverly Isom will be [Mayor Cara] Spencer’s communications director. Her resume begins with a job at the St. Louis American, the prominent Black newspaper, winds through the mayor’s office in Atlanta and federal agencies there, and includes more recent stints with Nestlé Purina and FleishmanHillard in St. Louis.”
· Isom recently was Director of Policy & Advocacy for Operation Food Search.
New Police Training Center
Post-Dispatch reports on a “$50 million state grant will pay for the construction of a new police training facility serving St. Charles, St. Louis, Jefferson and Franklin counties… The grant is a major step forward for a shared training complex first proposed 15 years ago.”
· One pol on why this matters… The quality of police training in the St. Louis region is uneven. The center will be especially helpful for departments with fewer training resources. The goal is to standardize regional police training and emphasize hands-on experience… With the State take over of the St. Louis City police dept, this facility could provide the highest level of training for St. Louis City police officers.
Gubby Appts
Governor Mike Kehoe announced five appointments…
· Joseph Barbaglia and Andrew Schwartz were reappointed to the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners.
· Cary Corley was appointed to the Committee of Professional Counselors.
· Kelly Marriott was appointed as the Henry County Clerk.
· Dudley McCarter was reappointed to the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.
Hilton Passes
Steve Hilton passed away. See his obituary here.
In 1978, U.S. Senator John Danforth hired Steve to manage his office in Springfield. Shortly, Steve moved his young family to Washington as Danforth’s news secretary, a post he held until Danforth retired…
Steve and family returned to Lebanon in 1994, where he became editor of the Lebanon Daily Record, a job his father held earlier. Then, Danforth’s successor, John Ashcroft, asked Steve to serve as news secretary and manage his Springfield office. Steve returned to Senate employment and retired in 2001.
Self-employed as a political consultant, Steve helped many Missouri Republicans, including Matt Blunt, Vicky Hartzler, Roy Blunt and even some national campaigns…
Lobbyist Registrations
Cathy Enz deleted Missouri Society of Naturopathic Physicians.
$5K+ Contributions
Building Jeffco Together (pro-Waller) - $21,004 from Missouri Values PAC (pro-Schwadron).
MBA River Heritage Region PAC - $6,600 from Sterling Bank.
YES for KC Kids - $10,000 from Burns & McDonnell.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Cara Alexander, Heidi Kolkmeyer, Matt Sain, Dave Leipholtz, Meghan McCann, and Steve Roberts Sr.