MOScout Daily Update: Freedom Caucus Outlines Special Session Position - Martin in Senate 8? - $611M RoundUp Payout and more…

First in MOScout: Freedom Caucus Fires Warning Shot

The Freedom Caucus is issuing a statement today about their position on the coming special session.  They’re calling for “broad-based tax relief” to be a part of the package.  Without it, they say they are No votes, and hint at a possible filibuster.

This jibes with recent social media posts from Freedomers…

The statement: If Governor Kehoe and Missouri’s Legislative Leadership are interested in broad-based tax relief for ALL taxpayers, and a reformation of Missouri’s broken initiative petition/ratification process, as part of an overall Special Session plan that will benefit ALL Missourians, and not just wealthy billionaires, the Missouri Freedom Caucus is ready and willing to deliver. But the end-product of this Special Session must be a win for ALL residents of the Show-Me State, and not just a handout to wealthy special interests. If the Governor and legislative leaders insist on using taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars for a more than one-billion-dollar handout to billionaire sports team owners in a stand-alone bill, the Missouri Freedom Caucus will vote against such a proposal and will consider utilizing any tools at its disposal to stop it.

Meanwhile…

Kansas City Business Journal reports that a “Kansas City Royals affiliate this month bought a large loan backed by Overland Park's Aspiria campus — potentially a target for a team stadium.”

·       In its statement, the Royals said: “As part of our ongoing efforts, we have negotiated with or made investments in multiple potential sites — both in Missouri and in Kansas. One of these investments was the acquisition (by an affiliate) of the mortgage on the Aspiria campus through an arms-length sale process. As evidenced by stadium development plans across the country, these are complex, time-consuming processes that involve a variety of considerations. Our organization is therefore evaluating multiple options at the same time…”

Martin Eyes Senate 8?

Jeff Martin, president of Martin Underground, is considering running in the Republican primary for Senate 8 where Mike Cierpiot is term limited.

·       Martin is said to be good friends with Congressman Mark Alford, and is mulling either a Senate big, or running for Rep. Jon Patterson’s (House 30) seat.

MO Dems Keep Missing Onder

For the second time in two days, a State Democratic email blast mis-identified the members of the Republican Congressional delegation, continuing to list Blaine Luetkemeyer instead of Congressman Bob Onder.

The error is driving one Republican consultant mad… “I know they are down, but at least try a little. They have to do their part for our system to work.”

·       I want to believe they will figure things out and be prepared to take advantage of unique opportunities presented to them next year with Donald Trump in the White House, no big federal statewide race to drive turnout (first time since 2014 when the GOP got to our highwater mark in the House), the likelihood of a new populist pro-worker constitutional amendment on the ballot… history would suggest they will once again fail to seize the opportunity.

·       In doing so they will further encourage and empower the more extreme individuals in the GOP to push an ever-increasing radical agenda because the Democrats have failed to recruit and win the campaigns to show the consequences of such actions. 

·       I am not expecting a lot from the Missouri Democratic Party these days but at least know who the members of the Missouri Congressional Delegation are, especially when the whole premise of your email is attacking them.

MOIndy Reports on RoundUp Suit

Rudi Keller reports that “Bayer received no relief from runaway litigation costs associated with Roundup herbicide Tuesday when the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a $611 million judgment that its product causes cancer.”

·       The decision, in a case involving three plaintiffs who sued in Cole County, is one of the reasons the company, which acquired Roundup as a product when it merged with Monsanto, in 2018, is considering dropping the product entirely. The company faces 67,000 lawsuits claiming the main ingredient, glyphosate, causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with many of those cases awaiting trial in St. Louis County, where the company has its Bayer Crop Science headquarters.

Rep. Dane Diehl’s HB 544 aimed to shield Bayer from future lawsuits.  It passed the House 85-72 in February, but never gained traction in the Senate where the Freedom Caucus publicly opposed it.

Hobbs to Mission Critical Partners

One MOScouter says that Tyler Hobbs left state government and is now going to be the client services director for Mission Critical Partners.

·       Hobbs was most recently Legislative Director at Missouri Department of Commerce & Insurance.

Carol in Kennet

New York Times reports from Kennett Missouri about the impact of deporting non-citizens who are part of a community.

·       She was as reliable as the sun rising over rice and melon fields in her adopted hometown, Kennett, Mo., a conservative farming hub of 10,000 people in the state’s southeastern boot heel, where “Missouri” becomes “Missour-uh.”  In the 20 years since she arrived from Hong Kong, she had built a life and family in Kennett, working two waitressing jobs and cleaning houses on the side. She began every morning at the bustling diner, serving pecan waffles, hugging customers and reading leftover newspapers to improve her English.  “Everyone knows Carol,” said Lisa Dry, a Kennett city councilwoman.

·       That all ended on April 30, when federal immigration officials summoned Carol, 45, whose legal name is Ming Li Hui, to their office in St. Louis, a three-hour drive from Kennett….

·       Ms. Hui’s detention has forced a rural Missouri county to face the fallout of President Trump’s immigration crackdown, which was supported in theory by many residents in this Trump-loving corner of an increasingly red America…

·       “I voted for Donald Trump, and so did practically everyone here,” said Vanessa Cowart, a friend of Ms. Hui from church. “But no one voted to deport moms. We were all under the impression we were just getting rid of the gangs, the people who came here in droves.” 

Cap Police Collar Partier

From a probable cause statement: Andrew Lawrence Barnette-Kruger was seen consuming alcohol on State property, which is against Code of State Regulations 35-1.050 Section 5, Line 2, under the Public Use of the Capitol Building and Grounds.

·       After advising him of Code of State Regulations 35-1.050 Section 5, I asked Barnette-Kruger to leave State property, and he refused. Sgt. Manion asked Barnette-Kruger to leave State property, and he held his hands in front of him as if he was surrendering to arrest, but went on to resist…

·       In the ensuing altercation, which lasted about 8 minutes, he bit Sgt. Manion on the left wrist. The bite broke the skin, causing the wound to bleed and bruise.

Here’s the Code of State Regulations, by the way.

·       And this isn’t Barnette-Kruger first tango with the po-po.

Lobbyist Registrations

Sara Rutherford deleted DCM Land, LLC.

Paul Mouton deleted Graduation Alliance, Inc.

$5K+ Contributions

Local 41 Political Action Fund - $32,452 from Missouri PAC Federal Committee.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Chris Dunn, Kevin Windham, and Chuck Banks.