MOScout Daily Update: Bailey Hits Montgomery with Nepotism Charge - Howard Running JeffCo First? - Nuke Power Comeback in MO and more…
Bailey Alleges Nepotism
Attorney General Andrew Bailey followed through on his promise to attempt to remove St. Louis City Sheriff Alfred Montgomery. He filed a Petition in Quo Warranto with the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis. See it here.
It’s a pretty interesting filing: 87-pages and signed by 8 attorneys! They seemingly threw every negative thing they could find about the sheriff into the document. A misspelled word on an office sign, twitter posts, lots of recycled news articles.
It looks to me like the filing could have been 2-3 pages long. Yes, there’s a bunch of clownish behavior, but Bailey’s new and damning claim on Montgomery is nepotism. If it’s true, Montgomery’s out. If not, I’m not sure the other 80 pages get you there. Can you imagine the humiliation of the AG’s office losing in court to Alfred Montgomery??
Here’s the allegation: January 1, 2025, Mr. [Malik] Taylor was hired as a sheriff’s deputy. Mr. Taylor is currently employed by Respondent as a Senior Deputy. Upon information and belief, Respondent and Mr. Taylor are related by blood, in that they share the same father. As his half-brother, Mr. Taylor is within the second degree of consanguinity with Respondent.
· Post-Dispatch says Montgomery spokesman, Jack Gieseke, “pointedly disputed the nepotism allegation in a statement, saying Taylor is not related to Montgomery.”
We’ll see…
Howard Running on JeffCO First Platform?
Chris Howard kicks off his Jefferson County Executive race tonight. In his Facebook post, it sounds like he’s running on a JeffCo First platform…
· For too long, Jefferson County has relied on the economies of St. Louis City and County to benefit our residents. Although we will always be interconnected within the region, the current balance is inequitable. We must assert our autonomy and stop being directed by St. Louis County, and the city…
· Having worked in St. Louis County for over a decade… I have seen St. Louis County attempt to manage its decline in a way that pulls Jefferson County down with it.
· We must take control of our own destiny; if we don't, others will…
Nukes Making a Comeback?
Wall Street Journal reports that “New York intends to build a large nuclear-power facility, the first major new U.S. plant undertaken in more than 15 years.”
And… here in Missouri, the Department of Natural Resources is hosting a “nuclear summit” on July 17. National and state energy leaders will meet to explore possible pathways to advance developing nuclear energy in Missouri. This summit will include representatives from National Governors’ Association, U.S. Department of Energy, Missouri’s utility providers, the University of Missouri System, and other key stakeholders.
Hawley Contra Grain Belt
Press release: U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a follow-up letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright demanding he terminate the more than $4 billion in federal funding for the Grain Belt Express, an elitist land grab harming Missouri farmers and ranchers.
eMailbag: PBMs
Pushback on the PBMs…
· Former Rep: If PBM were so great why has 32 states passed bills to address the problems with PBMs [and] help the rural pharmacies.
· Former staffer: From January. There’s a reason both the federal gov and state govs across the country are putting them under the microscope.
· Lobbyist: I love it when industries pay for their own studies and miraculously show they are the savior of western society. Every independent investigation and study (there are numerous) has shown PBMs to be anchors on the health care system.
New Committees
A County That Works PAC was formed. It’s a political action committee to support Ella Jones. She’s running in St Louis County Council District q where Rita Heard Days is currently serving. Jones is the mayor of Ferguson. See the filling here.
$5K+ Contributions
Kingdom Leadership PAC (pro-Fitzwater) - $5,100 from SOCO Red PAC.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $25,000 from GOPAC Election Fund - Federal PAC.
GOPAC Election Fund - Federal PAC - $25,500 from GoPAC Election Fund (Arlington, VA).
Missouri Right to Life Political Action Committee - $25,000 from Michael Ross.
Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $10,000 from Cheyenne International LLC.
Senate Democratic Campaign Committee - $50,000 from Missouri and Kansas Laborers PAC.
CN-MO PAC - $10,000 from Maverik, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT).
Missouri Optometric Association PAC - $10,000 from Missouri Optometric Association.
Lobbyist Registrations
Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, Christopher Schoeman, and Alec Rosenblum added Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Kurt Bahr, Mark Coulter (the big 5-0), and Kirk Mathews.