MOScout Daily Update: Hatfield’s Argument Against Redistricting - Carving up KC - Fitz Blasts SLPL - Kehoe ‘The Sh*t’ and more…

Redistricting Talk: Hatfield on Constitutionality

SuperLawyer Chuck Hatfield, in an interview with Missourinet, lays out the case that a quickie redistricting would be unconstitutional:  “Our Constitution says that congressional redistricting shall be done when the Census data is released, and it was done when the census data was released,” said Hatfield. “The way I read our Constitution, and there’s some case law that supports this, it cannot be done again until there’s new Census data.”

·       The case law Hatfield cites is Pearson vs. Koster from 2012. He said the Missouri Supreme Court case ruled the Constitution’s Congressional redistricting provision is triggered when Census data results are released. “Then the Supreme Court said in that case the new districts will take effect for the next election and will remain in place for the next decade or until a Census shows that the district should change,” said Hatfield.

Redistricting Talk: Carving Up KC

With the caveat that we don’t really know exactly what the proposed redistricting map will be, the consensus seems to have Kansas City getting carved up.  6-CD would take some of the north, CD-4 would grab some in the south, and CD-5 would get the rest as it extends eastward.

In terms of how this impacts Kansas City, there are a couple of ways to look at it.

·       The prevailing sentiment is that this deprives them of their one clear Democratic voice. And losing that, their views won’t be represented in DC.

·       But there’s an alternative perspective: KC would now have three advocates, tripling the potential firepower – if not on issues, hopefully in the congressional charge of bring home federal resources.

·       Ultimately, whether the new scheme benefits KC or not will depend on who holds the majority in Congress.  If Republicans retain control, have three GOP reps will be good for KC.  If Dems take control, they’ll have lost an influential voice.

Fitz Blasts SLPL Spending

Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick blasted the St. Louis Public Schools spending practices, releasing an audit with the dreaded “poor” label.  Read the audit here.

Among the findings…

·       The district's long term financial plan is out of date and incomplete, and does not show clear evidence of planning for future years.

·       District personnel purchased items that were questionable, unreasonable, and/or did not provide an educational benefit; and district controls were insufficient to prevent such purchases.

·       District procurement procedures and practices did not comply with Board policy and state law.

·       The district paid approximately $3.5 million in attendance incentives to employees in violation of the Missouri Constitution…

When Governor Mike Kehoe moved to take over the St. Louis Police force, some politicos privately thought that the real St. Louis institution that need a firm hand was the schools.  This audit may embolden those voices.

Murphy for Senate 1 (2028)

Rep. Jim Murphy, in a note touting his wife’s campaign to replace him in House 94, announces his 2028 plans… I have some exciting news to share. I’ve recently updated my campaign committee, and I intend to run for and win Senate District One in 2028. While that may seem a bit far off, we still have what promises to be a challenging final session ahead in my current term…

·       Senate 1 leans Democratic.  Its current incumbent, Sen. Doug Beck, is term limited.

Profiles

·       STL Mag’s profile of Governor Mike Kehoe contains this gem: This white Missouri Republican really had spent time as of late on the solidly Black North Side. Ask Darren Seals…  “The only white man that was at my mama’s funeral,” Seals recalls. Kehoe has even visited Sankofa since being elected governor. Seals, in turn, has given him a nickname: Big Ticket. Asked about its meaning, Seals explains: “As Black folks say, he the shit.”

·       Semafor’s profile of Senator Eric Schmitt calls him the “face of the party’s ascendant Trump wing.” It’s a surprising amount of sway for a rank-and-file senator who’s less than three years into his congressional career. But Schmitt is clearly earning clout in his unofficial role as MAGA liaison in his clubby chamber.

Johnson’s Vocal GOPism Bugs Dems

One Dem shakes a fist at Sen. Angela Mosley keeps an avowed and vocal Republican, Kyerra Johnson, on her staff.  Working for a Democrat while actively running as a Republican, with posts like this, you speak as if you are already in the Republican caucus. So are you sabotaging your Democratic Senator? Is your loyalty to the constituents of a Democratic district, or are you a double agent actively working in a Dem office to Sabotage the Dems and help Republicans?

From Johnson’s social media…

$5K+ Contributions

House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $10,654 from Missouri Law Enforcement for Good Government (MOLEGG PAC).

Lincoln PAC - $15,000 from Missouri AG PAC.

MSCEW PAC Federal Cmte - $27,400 from IBEW PAC Voluntary Fund (Washington, DC).

Lobbyist Registrations

Richard AuBuchon added American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri.

Ryan DeBoef added Quaker Windows & Doors.

Steven Tilley, Tom Robbins, and Caleb Rowden added Circa Sports LLC.

Maddie McMillian Green deleted Safer St. Louis LLC.

Guy Black deleted FreedomRoads, LLC.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Rachael Herndon Dunn, Mark Milton, Bob Nance, Jack Bondon, and Bryan Stevenson.