MOScout Daily Update: House Candidate Arrested - House J & J Money Flows - Kehoe Open t Data Center ‘Guardrails’ and more…
Drama in Joplin
The talk of yesterday was the arrest of Thomas Ross. He won the House 161 Republican primary. That’s a heavily Republican district so he’s the presumed next state representative from Joplin.
Former Speaker Elijah Haahr gave the first heads up that something was afoot.
Then the news: The republican nominee for the Joplin state representative seat for the 161st District is in police custody today… Ross is being held without bail in the Joplin City jail on what the city says is an unspecified warrant. He won the race against Louise Secker by just 32 votes.
“Unspecified warrant” had rumors flying. What most people were saying (just a rumor, folks): Ross hatched a plan to plant drugs on his primary opponent!
· Missouri Republican Party Chair Peter Kinderissued a statement that Ross was “entitled to due process,” but should “immediately withdraw his candidacy.”
J & J’s Money Spread
As J & J Ventures Gaming works to build support for legalizing VLTs in Missouri, they’ve been utilizing three PACs: Another Viceroy PAC, Legio III PAC, and Paladin PAC.
Looking at the July and 8-Day reports of these PACs, J & J has contributed $441,000 to these three PACs…
· Another Viceroy: $85,000
· Legio: $266,000
· Paladin: $90,000
It is the sole contributor to these three PACs with the odd exception of $400 from Citizens to Elect David Casteel to Paladin.
From those PACs, the money spread out to various candidates and legislators. Here’s the list of contributions made by those three PACs…
$15,000 – MO Maverick PAC (supporting Sophia Shore candidates).
$10,000 – Show Me Liberty PAC (Bishop Davidson).
$10,000 – Values First PAC (Jill Carter).
$7,200 – Bill Hardwick for Missouri.
$6,000 – Committee to Elect Jacquie Aziere Stenger (House 35, GOP).
$6,000 – Friends of Jeff Shawan – (House 152, GOP).
$6,000 – Friends of Lucas Green (House 146, GOP).
$6,000 – We the People 4 Kelley (House 127, GOP).
$5,000 – 417 PAC (Curtis Trent).
$5,000 – Integrity First PAC.
$5,000 – Missouri Conservative Principles PAC (Mike Steinmeyer).
$4,800 – Friends for Ed Lewis.
$4,800 – Sam Alexander for Missouri.
$4,800 – Sharpe for Missouri.
$4,400 – Rudy Veit for State Senate.
$4,000…
Bosch for Missouri (House 98, GOP).
Bruce Sassmann Election Committee (House 61 GOP).
Citizens for Fowler (House 31, GOP).
Citizens for Jeff Martin (House 30, GOP).
Citizens for Sergent (House 57, GOP).
Committee to Elect Jeff Vernetti (House 123, GOP).
Committee to Elect Joel Mace (House 159, GOP).
Committee to Elect Jonathan Russell (lost, House 160 primary).
Committee to Elect Walter Hayes (lost, House 162 primary).
Friends of Michael Davis (lost, House 56 primary).
Friends of Russ Gosselin (House 152, GOP).
Friends to Elect Dr. Kem Smith (House 6, Dem).
Henderson for State Representative (House 85, Dem).
Mahacek for Missouri (House 95, GOP).
Missourians for Sandy Karnes (lost, House 139 primary).
Reed for Missouri (House 83, Dem).
Warwick for 128 (House 128, GOP).
$2,800 – Friends for Tricia Byrnes.
$2,500 – 964 PAC (Jeff Myers).
$2,400 – John Bowman for Missouri (lost, Senate 14 primary).
$2,400 – Lead the Way PAC (Jake Vogel).
$2,400 – Missourians for Vogel.
$2,000…
Amy DeClue for State Representative (House 118, GOP).
Caton for Missouri (House 33, GOP).
Citizens for Brendan Webber (House 43, GOP).
Citizens for Dimmitt (lost primary House 83).
Citizens for Lovasco (House 63, GOP).
Citizens for Owen (House 131, GOP).
Citizens for Wroblewski (House 72, Dem).
Citizens to Elect Micheal Todd (House 32, GOP).
Citizens to Elect Todd Caraway (lost, House 3 primary).
Committee for Glen Reynolds (lost, House 59 primary).
Committee to Elect Marlene Terry (House 66, Dem).
Committee to Elect Nicole Greer (House 71, Dem).
Committee to Elect Phelps (House 54, GOP).
Committee to Elect Roth McElvain (House 5, GOP).
Costlow for Missouri (House 108, GOP).
Dr. Jeff Brown (House 142, GOP).
Friends for Sattler (lost, House 145 primary).
Friends of Broach (lost, House 114 primary).
Friends of Israel Baeza (House 52, GOP).
Friends of Shane Kampeter (House 60, GOP).
Friends to Elect Gragg (House 140, GOP).
Friends to Elect Marla Smith (House 74, Dem).
Hickey4MO (House 12, GOP).
Jason Iannantuoni for State Representative (lost, House 64 primary).
Jimmy Lappe for St. Louis (House 81, Dem).
Kansas City Forward (Chris Brown).
Michael Young for Missouri (House 21, GOP).
Missouri Dream PAC (Brandon Phelps).
MORES.
Pritchard For Missouri (House 121, GOP).
Ready to Lead with Tonya Rush (House 67, Dem).
Sander for Missouri (lost, House 106 primary).
Smoke on the Mountain PAC (Jamie Gragg).
SOCO Red PAC.
Spencer for State Representative (lost, House 60 primary).
Titus for Missouri (House 139, GOP).
Travis Smith for Missouri (lost, House 154).
Kehoe on Data Center ‘Guardrails’
MissouriNet reports that Governor Mike Kehoe is “open to guardrails on data centers.” See it here.
“The investments that some of these companies can make are generational,” Kehoe said. “They’re likely dollar amounts that those communities will never ever see or have an opportunity yet again. But it’s got to be right for the community.” The governor also acknowledged growing interest among lawmakers in establishing statewide standards for data center development. He said legislators are expected to file proposals next year aimed at creating guardrails while still allowing economic growth.
What It Means
The backlash against data centers – a big issue in some Republican primaries – hasn’t gone unnoticed by Team Kehoe, and they’ll help craft compromise legislation to allay some concerns.
Britton Gives A3 Campaign $250K
The campaign to pass Amendment 3, restricting abortion again, received a $250,000 check from Rick Britton. He’s not a household name in Missouri political giving. He’s the founder of Digital Monitoring Products in Springfield.
He’s been involved in pro-life efforts previously. He’s president of the Jeremiah 924 Foundation. Its 2024 grants included $400,000 to Resource Health. That organization explicitly says it seeks to become the first choice for women “at risk for abortion” and to create a “culture of life” through advocacy, evangelism and discipleship.
· My scan of Missouri Ethics Commission filing doesn’t show him showing up in political giving except in the 2016 gubernatorial campaign. Digital Monitoring Products gave $75,000 to John Brunner in the primary, then $100,000 to Eric Greitens after the primary.
Show-Me Backs 3rd Grade Retention
The Show-Me Institute, in a blog post, says that the latest Missouri Assessment Program results show English language arts (ELA) scores “have largely remained stagnant. Not only did ELA scores remain below pre-pandemic levels, they remain below the post-pandemic dip in 2021.”
They support requiring basic reading skills before graduating kids from 3rd grade. And they point to dismal 4th grade scores as a reason it’s an urgent problem.
Lobbyist Registrations
Dena Ladd deleted FKG Oil Company.
Regina Lazarus deleted People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Strategic Capitol Consulting deleted City of St. Louis Sheriff's Department.
Cassandra Allana Henderson deleted Besa Hospitality Group LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
Her Health, Her Future PAC - $250,000 from Rick Britton.
Her Health, Her Future PAC - $20,000 from Aaron Ferber.
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $20,000 from SNK Real Property Holdings LLC.
Conservative Justice for Missouri PAC (pro-Hanaway) - $20,000 from SNK Real Property Holdings LLC.
Forward PAC (pro-Fogle) - $10,000 from MSCEW PAC Federal Committee.
DougPAC (pro-Beck) - $25,000 from Volunteer Political Fund.
Beverly PAC (pro-Mike Jones)- $7,000 from Hunt Midwest Enterprises Inc.
Serve Missouri PAC (pro-McCreery) - $6,500 from Dollar Burns Becker & Hershewe LC.
Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $20,000 from Kathy Steinhoff for the 45th.
Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $10,000 from Ashley for Missouri.
Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $10,000 from MHA HealthPAC.
Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $7,500 from Anheuser Busch.
Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $6,000 from Charter Communications.
Missouri Leadership Forum - $15,000 from GJ Grewe, Inc.
Another Viceroy PAC - $25,000 from J&J Ventures Gaming.
Strong and Courageous PAC - $6,000 from Derek Sewell (Plano, TX).
MoCannTrade PAC - $15,000 from OXG LLC.
Protect Freedom and Democracy - $45,000 from MISSOURI WIN.
HDR, Inc. Employee Owners PAC - Missouri - $10,000 from HDR Inc. Employee Owners PAC (Omaha, NE).
GOPAC Election Fund - Federal PAC - $20,500 from GoPAC Election Fund (Arlington, VA).
Citizens for Daniel Wilson - $6,000 from Henry County Republican Club.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Adam Crumbliss.
MOScout Schedule
I’ll be off for the Labor Day weekend.