Missouri Times - October 26, 2017 by Missouri Times

Missouri Times

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OCTOBER 27, 2017

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HAAHR CHOSEN AS NEXT SPEAKER

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OPINION

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There’s Room at the Table By Gary Wheeler CEO/Executive Director of the Missouri Soybean Association Family ties deeply into so much of what we do. In agriculture, we talk about it a lot because farming isn’t merely an occupation, it’s a lifestyle. Within your statewide soybean organizations, we keep that top of mind, making time for fellowship among our farmer leaders and their families and prioritizing building relationships while taking care of business. Like a family, we’ve also seen that nothing brings us together like an attack from the outside. In 2010, Missouri agriculture came together to form Missouri Farmers Care, a coalition that has now grown to include more than 45 ag organizations, foundations and agribusinesses. At the time, we were facing an initiative financed largely by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) aimed primarily at the pet industry, and with potential for significant implications for livestock producers. Then, North Dakota saw a similar challenge, and we pulled together resources and manpower to assist our extended ag family. The same with Oklahoma after that. A few years later, in 2014, it was Amendment 1 and the freedom of our farmers and ranchers to operate at stake. Each time, we came together and ensured that our farmers’ opportunity to support their families raising crops and livestock was protected. It wasn’t about the size of the farm, its owners or business structure, or their marketing methods. Fewer than two percent of Missourians are actively engaged in farming or ranching. We are not just the top industry for Missouri, we are quite literally the fuel for our state’s economic engine. We do not have the luxury of infighting if we expect to continue to be that driver for Missouri.

Like any family, agriculture cannot allow our house to be divided by a wolf in sheep’s clothing. We already have that wolf in sheep’s clothing in our state. This summer, former Missouri Lieutenant Governor and HSUS vice president Joe Maxwell rolled out the Farm Family Action (FFA) group in Missouri. In the launch announcement, Maxwell called for stopping corporate farm ownership, having an open market for farmers to sell their products, and a new “Farmers Bill of Rights” to “level the playing field and let family farmers compete.” Corporate control and contract farming are credited as ruining our rural communities, and FFA promises to be the political muscle farmers need. Interesting. Creative. Marketing. We take working for our farmers very seriously – the more than 97 percent of whom are operating family-owned farms, as well as those with another business structure. We continually invest in building relationships and market opportunities around the world, knowing that exports are key to the bottom line for our farmers. We invest farmers’ checkoff dollars into public research, including public soybean varieties and seed, comes back to growers for implementation on their farms. There is absolutely no excuse for the use of scare tactics in agriculture. And quite frankly, just like at family dinner, if you can’t say something positive, can’t talk about what you’re doing without degrading someone else, maybe it’s time to take a hard look at what you’re really contributing to the conversation. Let’s focus on relationships, rather than “political muscle,” to move us all forward. There is more than enough room at the table for us all to succeed. This letter appears in the October 2017 issue of Missouri Soybean Farmer magazine. See the full issue online at mosoy. org/magazine.

The Missouri Times

HOT LIST

HCB3

With the holidays, and 2018 session, only weeks away, legislative leaders have called on the Governor to call a special to address in-home health.

BRETT DINKINS

This former House, turned DED, staffer has found his sweet spot putting campaigns front and center and running an amazing campaign in SD8.

SPECIAL ELECTIONS

With resignations and gubernatorial appointments, there are four open House seats and one open Senate.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Clara remains unsure of her Halloween costume. Thanks for tip on the Jimmy Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swaddle Rachael Herndon Dunn. FACEBOOK/JAY HAHN

Tweets of the Week Highlights in 140 characters or less.

jaimaize @jmaz Oct 24 Highly recommend being on @molegpodcast with @therachdunn @RLLohmann @BenjaminDPeters. They let you talk about ridiculous stuff. So fun. Jack Cardetti @jackcardetti Oct 19 Ben was once an animal for the Christmas play. They said any animal he wanted. Marking the first & last time a shark was in the manger. Alex T. Eaton @alexteaton Oct 17 Wife went to a fundraiser. I took my son on a walk, fed him, bathed him, and he went to sleep peacefully. I need to write a kids book.

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The Missouri Times

REPUBLICANS PICK HAAHR TO BE NEXT SPEAKER BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES

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In one of the most important races of the year, members of the Missouri House of Representatives have selected their next House speaker designee: Rep. Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield. In a vote held Tuesday afternoon, the 116 Republicans comprising the House’s supermajority cast their votes to decide who should take over when Speaker Todd Richardson leaves the office at the end of 2018. Haahr, a 35-year-old attorney, was the frontrunner from the beginning, serving as the Speaker Pro Tem in the House. That experience, as well as working on several contentious bills during his tenure in office, are reasons colleagues listed for electing him to lead the 100th General Assembly. Haahr’s win will make him the first Speaker to have ever been elected from Greene County. “It’ll take a little time to get used to, I’m

Getting to be the first speaker from Springfield, I think it’s a reflection that the influence from Springfield around the state has grown. sure,” Haahr said following the vote. “Obviously, I’m very excited and very thankful to the caucus members. Getting to be the first speaker from Springfield, I think it’s a reflection that the influence from Springfield around the state has grown. “I think it’s high time it happened,” he said with a smile. As Speaker Pro Tem, Haahr was essentially the understudy for Speaker Richardson, taking part in negotiations with the Senate, meeting with Gov. Eric Greitens, and serving as a leader for the majority caucus. As a legislator and chairman, Haahr championed several issues, particularly that of sex trafficking in Missouri, while his service on the House Emerging Issues Committee has seen him preside over several major issues, most notably the contentious bill known as SJR 39. But as the next Speaker, Haahr will have large shoes to fill after Richardson, whom some are now calling the most successful speaker in

the state’s history, having moved several significant pieces of conservative legislation across the finish line in the 2017 legislative session, including several tort and reform measures, the most notable of which being right-to-work. “If I can be as successful as Todd Richardson, I’m going to be very, very excited,” Haahr said. “The Speaker and I obviously have different personalities and will approach things from different angles, so there’s going to be some small changes. But if I can be as successful as him, I’m going to be very lucky.” As leader of the House, the speaker is typically called the most influential elected official in Missouri state government, often deciding which bills become law and which ones never reach the floor. If a Speaker has an objection to a policy, they have the option to refuse to refer the bill or put it on the calendar. Speaker Richardson at the beginning of the 2017 legislative session vowed that an ethics bill would be the first piece of legislation to pass in the House, and delivered on that promise, though it stalled in the Senate. And as the next speaker, it will fall on Haahr to continue pushing for ethics, which he agrees will have to be a priority of his. But the Speaker will also need to lead the chamber – and his party’s supermajority – through a number of tough issues, from labor reform, ethics, transportation and utility issues. In an interview with the Missouri Times in May, Haahr outlined some of the topics he believes may set the tone for the next few sessions. “We have a variety of issues that we didn’t get to in 2017 that will take center stage next year. We need to find solutions to fix our transportation infrastructure crisis, craft modern answers to generate more affordable energy, and expand our successful reforms of tort and labor laws to include the bureaucracy and our outdated tax code.” When asked about what his priorities might look like following Tuesday afternoon’s vote, Haahr said it was too soon to say. “We’ll have to see what we accomplish this coming session,” he said. “The things I might want to focus on might be accomplished in 2018, and by nature of our economy, things could change.” Whatever doesn’t get accomplished in the upcoming session, it seems, will be left to Haahr to help the body navigate in his first term as speaker, starting January 2019.

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Curtman announces campaign for auditor MICHAEL LAYER THE MISSOURI TIMES

Rep. Paul Curtman announced late Tuesday morning that he would be running for state auditor. Curtman will be vying for the Republican nomination against David Wasinger, a notable St. Louis accountant and lawyer. “Our state auditor should be an independent-minded leader who is dedicated to accountability,” Curtman said. “I have a proven conservative record of fighting against higher taxes, wasteful spending, and the expansion of government.” Curtman, a former Marine Sergeant, was elected to the house in 2011 and immediately began serving on the House Committee on Economic Development, Downsizing State Government, and Ways and Means – of which he is currently the chair. During his campaigns for the House in District 109, he was elected with a significant margin of victory with as little as 58 percent in 2012 and as much as 81 percent in 2016. Though he is not a certified public accountant, he believes that will not be a problem. “It’s not a problem at all. This office is an office where you need leadership more than anything else,” he said. “It takes more than being

a wizard on Microsoft Excel or knowing how to use spreadsheets. We need somebody who can actually reach out to lead and actually apply solutions and work with the lawmakers on this.” Nicole Galloway, the office’s current occupant, is also a certified public accountant, but is the only Democrat left in the executive branch. Though she claims the office is non-partisan, Curtman alleged that he previously attempted to work directly with Galloway, but had not been able to. “I’m running because I believe I can do the job better because I believe what we need is leadership. There have been times where I reached out to the office and have not had an opportunity to interface directly with our Auditor,” he said. “It is very important that we have an auditor who is capable, able, and willing to actually have these conversations with the legislators, who can actually get this type of work done.” He continues, saying that he had a great relationship with the previous auditor Tom Schweich, a Republican, and have been able to solve potential problems because of their relationship.

Wasinger launches campaign for auditor

“I want to ensure that Missouri’s tax dollars are working for the people — not political insiders and special interests.”

ST. LOUIS – Republican David Wasinger has filed paperwork with the state to begin his campaign for Missouri State Auditor. “After the encouragement of my family and friends and leaders from around the State, I have am launching a campaign for Missouri State Auditor,” said Wasinger, a successful CPA and lawyer based in St. Louis. “With trust in government at an all time low, I think it’s important to have an Auditor focused on keeping government working for the people, and not the other way around. As a CPA and lawyer, I wasn’t afraid to take on the big Wall Street banks, expose their fraud against the American people and hold them accountable. We need someone in Jefferson City doing the same thing – holding politicians and government bureaucrats accountable to Missouri taxpayers. I look forward to visiting more with the great people of Missouri over the coming weeks and months.”

Brief Biography David Wasinger was born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri. His parents, a lawyer and a homemaker, instilled in their children the values of faith, family, and hard work. David attended the University of Missouri-Columbia on a Curators Scholarship. After graduating with an accounting degree, David passed the CPA exam while clerking for an accounting firm in Missouri. Subsequently, he attained a law degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. David joined a small firm in 1991 that would later become Wasinger Daming in Brentwood, Missouri. As an independent lawyer, David’s primary area of practice is business law. He gained national recognition after the 2008 financial crisis, when he filed suit against Countrywide Home Loans. Because of David’s work, the Wall Street banks were found accountable for defrauding taxpayers of billions of dollars in defective mortgages. These cases have been recognized as among the largest and most complex in the history of the United States, leading to settlements of more than $18 billion that went back into the pockets of taxpayers. David lives in St. Louis with his wife, Colleen, and their two sons.

The Missouri Times

As many as seven candidates face off for Republican nomination for HD 144 seat MICHAEL LAYER THE MISSOURI TIMES

POTOSI, Mo. – As Rep. Paul Fitzwater was coming towards the end of his last term in the House, many residents in HD 144 were evaluating their prospects to fill his seat. Republican residents of the district that includes Washington, Reynolds, Iron and Wayne counties saw November 2018 as their time to seize Fitzwater’s seat. Candidates started to create their committees, secure campaign funding, and file their paperwork, but when Fitzwater resigned in late September, once tentative plans had to quickly become concrete. The Representative resigned to take a position on the Board of Probation and Parole in September and in doing so, left his seat vacant for the 2018 legislative session. The Governor called for a special election the following October and the candidates who thought they had another whole year to campaign suddenly needed to be ready by February. To challenge for a House seat to represent the southeastern Missouri district, Democrats quickly selected their candidate – though it was an easy process as Iron County commissioner Jim Scaggs (far right) was the only candidate. “It’s been kind of overwhelming since that meeting, that unanimous vote from the 144 legislative district for the Democratic Party nomination,” Scaggs told MyMoInfo. “I’m just going to deliver a message. Whether people are going to vote for me, that will be their decision, but we’re going to run a race and we’re going to run it hard. We’re going to run it for all the people in the district, not just for the party.” Several Republican candidates have stepped forward to challenge Scaggs, but perhaps too many. As of publishing this article, four Republican candidates – Beau Gooch (second from left), Chris Dinkins (second from right), Scott Schrum, and Vincent Clubb (far left) – have filed with the Missouri Ethics Commis-

sion, but according to candidates Gooch and Clubb, there may be as many as seven Republicans are campaigning. “I know there’s like seven of us that are vying for the Republican nomination,” Gooch said. “That’s what they said. As far as who has been working the festivals, there’s really only four of us.” “That’s what I heard,” Clubb confirmed. “I know there is four and I’ve heard of two others and there was possibly a third, so it’s definitely going to be interesting.” Dinkins is less sure about the number of her competitors. “I am not sure if there are seven on the Republican ballot or if it might be closer to six,” she said. “There has been a lot of names thrown out there.” The sheer number of candidates put the HD 144 GOP committee members in a challenging predicament. Just over 30 committee members will meet in the Reynolds County courthouse to vote on who will be their Republican candidate on October 28. Dinkins, who worked closely with Fitzwater during his years in the Missouri Legislature, thinks that the discrepancy between the number of people announced versus names who have filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission may show a lack of familiarity with the political system. “I don’t know if some of them are really familiar with the process of what they need to do. I know some of them that have mentioned [that they are] running, have not really been involved with our GOP Club or committees in the past,” she said. “As far as to say why they haven’t followed through with the process, I’m not really sure. The committee members naturally want the strongest candidate to keep the seat, but the political views of the district are complicated to assess. While the district voted for Donald Trump by over 75 percent in 2016, there is a

significant presence of union workers in the district. Several candidates report that their potential constituents want change in their community. In order to deliver, candidates are willing to be above simple partisan obedience. “The state rep position is not about voting along party lines, but it’s not about trying to ‘Make Missouri Great Again’, it’s about trying to make your district great again,” Clubb said. “In order to do that, you have to work back in the district. It’s not about going up to Jeff City, but coming back to the community and trying to help out the community.” “It’s a [political] blend. I don’t want people to think of me as a Republican or Democrat, but the person I am,” Gooch said. “From talking to a lot of people in our area – we’re a very rural area – and folks here have been struggling a lot. Our education, our schools have really been de-funded by the State and Federal Government.” On the other hand, because of Dinkins’ experience in the House, she wants to remain cautious, keep achievable goals, and make sure that she keeps her promises. “I think the district has come along way from when it last elected a Democrat to state office,” Dinkins said. “I want to help the everyday citizen. I’m not out there to think I can change the world; I don’t want to have an unrealistic expectation about how things are. I want to focus on individual needs of each area. I want to focus on supporting technical schools and technical education in our high schools so our kids can get good paying jobs, right here in our area after graduation.” Interestingly, despite the impending important Republican nomination meeting next week, the candidates seem to be more focused on solutions than Republican talking points. Working with Fitzwater, Dinkins received calls from her constituents and so she knows what issues residents in HD 144 care about.

“We have a lot of calls about overreach of government. We have farmers that are trying to do something and DNR is requiring them to get a permit, things like that. There are a lot of Medicaid issues,” Dinkins recalls. “My goals are mostly are to be the liaison between the general person and the government.” Gooch and Clubb are both NRA members, anti-abortion advocates, and supporters of big business, but above all, they do not want their district to be overlooked for financial, resource, and emotional investment opportunities. Gooch wants greater cell-phone and internet coverage in their district. For him, expanded access to the internet will improve educational opportunities, allow remote workers to be able to work from home and see improvements to citizens’ access to healthcare information through their improved telecommunications infrastructure. “I think there can be some call sharing between the cities and the rural communities to help allow full coverage with cell phones,” he said. “I find it funny that Afghanistan can get cell service in caves, but we can go right outside of town here and calls become lost.” Clubb wants HD 144 residents to have jobs and he thinks a change in the political establishment is the best way to do that. “Number one, it’s about getting people jobs; giving people an opportunity to work and not be stuck on Government assistance or afraid they are going to lose their job,” he said. “A lot of that is that people are tired of the establishment. They’re tired of the people that are up there, a lot of times it’s a revolving door. I know it’s more on the federal level, but you still see it on the state level as well.” Regardless of political affiliation, the HD 144 candidates want the best thing for their district. Should they make it to the Missouri House, they want to make sure that they and their district are not lost in the crowd.

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St. Louis convention prepares unions to ‘kick ass when time comes’ MICHAEL LAYER THE MISSOURI TIMES

ST. LOUIS – National and international union groups have poured into St. Louis for the national AFL-CIO convention. President of the Missouri AFL-CIO Mike Louis was among some of the representatives to welcome the various labor factions to St. Louis. He mentioned that despite several laws which have put pressure on labor unions, the convention was a promising sign for the labor movement. “It’s been going great. A lot of people are happy to be here,” he said. “Everyone is extremely pleased about the turnout, how the hard work paid off. It’s a higher standard and a higher quality than we have ever imagined.” In the past year, the Missouri state government passed SB 66, which redesigned the way employees can file for worker’s compensation; SB 43, which made it harder for employees to file discrimination claims; and have made Missouri a right-to-work state. At the same time, union advocates have seen some promising signs. Through Louis’ leadership, union advocates were able to collect over 300,000 signatures for the opportunity for a citizens’ veto of

the right-to-work law. “It was a really pleasant surprise to end up where we did on the amount of signatures [that we collected] and the validity of them as well,” Louis said. Pat White (pictured, above), president of the St. Louis Labor Council, mentioned that out-of-state unions have faced similar pressure

from laws passed by their state governments and the convention has allowed unions the opportunity to talk about their various difficulties. Such conversations, he said, allow unions to learn from other’s mistakes. “It’s been really receptive because a lot of the folks who are in right-to-work states and have been going through what we’re going through right now. They’ve been able to offer a whole lot of suggestions,” White said. “Some of them have said it made their local [unions] not bigger, but closer because, when [states become right-to-work states,] you really have to

internally organize.” Louis (pictured, right) reports that despite some of the difficult conversations, convention visitors in St. Louis have only positive feedback. “It’s been really great. A lot of people are really happy to be here and we get all kinds of compliments about how nice of a city [St. Louis] is and not at all how the press portrays it. People are having a great time,” Louis says. “We’re hearing good things, all the right things.” At the convention, some of the bright spots have been that union workers were some of the first responders to hurricane disasters in Houston and Puerto Rico. Specifically, union garbage truck workers have helped Houston clear some of the debris and truck drivers have flown to Puerto Rico. Louis was proud of the fact that union pipe workers have able to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Flint, Michigan. One of the biggest examples that stick out in his mind was how union workers responded to Hurricane Katrina. “That’s something labor does all the time,

whether it’s a convention year or not,” Louis said. “Labor unions were the first ones in New Orleans helping people voluntarily.” While certain people admire humility as a virtue, Louis is worried that a lack of self-promotion allows some people to ignore their contributions. “That’s something that is probably our fault, I mean labor as a whole, we do a lot of good work and we don’t toot our own horns, so to speak. We just do it, we do it right, and we get out of people’s way. Maybe we need to let people know all the good stuff we do.” At the convention, the AFL-CIO has passed several resolutions to help guide public policy and facilitate union organization. As 2018 approaches, union advocates are eagerly waiting to realize their expectations. “Labor and community groups are more unified than we have ever been,” Louis said. “We’re working together against the common enemy of corporate greed and we’re going to kick ass when the time comes.”

BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES

TWITTER/CheyIsLoved @Ms_Workes

AFL-CIO delegates leave conference to stand with Black Lives Matter BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES ST. LOUIS – This year’s national convention of the AFL-CIO took an interesting turn when delegates left the convention to join activists from Black Lives Matter in protesting. The activists, numbering a couple dozen, stood outside of the America’s Center Convention Complex on Saturday after having been refused entry into the center. They had reportedly been invited to take part in the AFL-CIO’s Diversity and Inclusion Pre-Conference, but the venue’s management denied them entry. Rep. Bruce Franks, a leader of the Black

Lives Matter movement, had been invited to speak as part of a panel but was not seen on the stage. That’s when the attendees were informed that Franks and the BLM activists had been denied entry, and that the main doors had been chained shut by management, who feared “damage to property” if the activists were allowed inside. Labor leaders and attendees instead rose to their feet and went outside to join the members of the movement in solidarity, saying that they would take the conference to them. They were let outside, where former AFLCIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker addressed the crowd, saying “Sisters and

brothers, “On behalf of our ‘all of us or none of us’ conference, we are pleased to tell you that we have come out — not just workers representing workers from the USA, but all over the world — to say that we stand in solidarity with you because we all believe in justice… We have invited State Rep. Bruce Franks to speak. We now invite all of you to come into our conference. I want you to all do what I know you all know how to do—go in united.” Eventually, both activists and delegates were allowed to return to the building, where they filed into the conference hall together. Rep. Franks finally took the stage, thanking the delegates for taking a stand and doing

“what is right.” He also spoke about the struggle in St. Louis, and the importance of standing up and taking part in the fight for equality. “The unions have the power. Your endorsement is letting people know that you stand with a candidate. If that candidate does bad, then that is a reflection on you,” he said. “We have to do things different. We need you all to stand up, like you did today. Where are the union leaders in the streets? Don’t be with us sometimes. Be with us all the way or not at all.” You can watch Franks’ address online at themissouritimes.com.

The Missouri Times

Greitens appoints Rep. McGaugh as next Associate Circuit Judge for Carroll County BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES leaving the Missouri Legislature to accept a judicial appointment. Gov. Eric Greitens on Thursday announced the appointment of the Carrolton Republican as the next Associate Circuit Judge for Carroll County. He replaces the Honorable Kevin Walden, whom Greitens appointed to the Circuit Court. McGaugh has served as a state representative for District 39 since 2012, serving Carroll, Chariton and Ray Counties. In that time, he’s been a strong proponent on legal issues, particularly in the area of tort reform, most notably putting his experience and knowledge to work this past session, aiding the passage of SB 31, the collateral source bill. For his legislative efforts, McGaugh was also named as one of the Legislators of the Year for 2017 by the Missouri Times Magazine. In addition to his legislative work, McGaugh also serves as the principal attorney of his law office, McGaugh Law Offices LLC, and before starting his own law firm, he served as the City Attorney and City Prosecutor for Carrollton. “Representative Joe Don McGaugh has distinguished himself as a dedicated public servant for the people of Carroll County,” Greitens said. “I am excited to appoint him to the bench.” McGaugh, a lifelong resident of Carrollton, is a member of the Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Cattleman’s Association, the Carrollton Lions Club, and the Carrollton United Methodist Church. He received his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri and his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Greitens is expected to call a special election for the seat in February.

October Quarterly Filings

WHAT WE LEARNED

With the October quarterly filing deadline passed, we took a look at some of the big takeaways from the filing reports, as well as a few interesting tidbits. Here’s what we found noteworthy: Greitens’ campaign and office: Close living quarters The numbers posted by Gov. Eric Greitens in the October Quarterly were interesting. According to the records filed on Monday, the Governor has spent more money in the past three months than he has raised. Records indicate a total of $2.37 million in his account, but also show expenditures amounting to $155k. Greitens raised nearly $147k from July to October. More interestingly is the fact that it seems as if some of the people employed by the official Greitens office are also being paid by his campaign. The campaign paid to fly Greitens’ spokesman Parker Briden to Florida back in August, and Austin Chambers and finance chief Meredith Gibbons, principals of the notfor-profit group promoting the Governor’s agenda, are also both on the campaign payroll. It’s worth noting that the filings for the campaign share the same address, to which Chambers told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that the campaign has an office in the same building but in a different space. U.S. Senate race: Most Watched in 2018? Perhaps no race is primed better to be the biggest race in 2018 than that of Missouri’s U.S. Senate race. Republicans hope to unseat the longtime incumbent, Sen. Claire McCaskill, who has proven time and time again to be one of the toughest contenders in the state. For many, their hopes lie with current Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, who has put up some rather impressive numbers in roughly a month. The Republican only officially announced a few weeks ago, but already shows nearly $800k in cash on hand.

Obviously, his Democratic counterpart has much more, pulling in an astounding $2.9 million in the third quarter, and has somewhere in the realm of $7 million in cash on hand. In fact, it’s a Missouri state record. Simply put, the amount of money thrown into this race is a clear indicator that this fight is not just in Missouri, but will be felt nationwide. State Senate races have some serious $$$ floating around There are several elections for state senate that could be extremely interesting over the course of the next few months, with obviously the special election for Senate District 8 leading the way. Rep. Mike Cierpiot has been the presumed frontrunner since Sen. Will Kraus announced his resignation, but the developments in recent weeks with the entrance of Jacob Turk into the race could lead to a split vote and a potential Democratic victory. Cierpiot has dwarfed his opponents in terms of fundraising, with a whopping $231,544.67 in cash on hand. Turk’s filing shows $125.29 with his late entry into the race, while Democrat Hillary Shields has posted $43,177.97 in cash on hand. Cierpiot’s numbers are made more impressive in the fact that few senators have managed to rack in more, though Sen. Jill Schupp has posted more than half a million in cash on hand in the latest filing. The four-way primary to become the GOP nominee to replace the term-limited Sen. Brian Munzlinger also looks to be interesting, with Cindy O’Laughlin showing the most money on hand. She also, however, has the largest amount of indebtedness. See tables with filing data online. It’s interesting to note that Rep. Craig Redmon has already spent more than four times that of his fellow candidates’ combined expenditures, still showing more cash on hand than

the other two candidates. It also seems that the representative is paying his daughter as senate campaign staff. With no clear opposition in his bid to replace the outgoing Sen. Mike Kehoe, Rep. Mike Bernskoetter has also shown some impressive numbers, raising nearly $73,000 in the third quarter. Former Reps. Eric Burlison and Lincoln Hough have also both proved to be frontrunners for the GOP in their senate races. Hough has $214,997.46 in cash on hand in his bid for SD 30, where his announcement was followed by a number of contenders quickly dropping out and putting their support behind him. Burlison has an even more impressive $317,237.67 for the SD 20 race, where he could have potentially faced Hough in a primary. House: Unless you ran for Speaker, chances are you didn’t rake in more than $10k. As for the Missouri House, it should come as no surprise that the three candidates who sought the position of House Speaker were some of the leaders in contributions received during this quarter. Rep. Elijah Haahr, who secured the nomination this summer, led all House candidates with $51,000.00 in contributions this quarter, closely followed behind by fellow Speaker candidate Rep. Robert Cornejo, who received $47,873.00. Rep. Holly Rehder posted $33,740.00. Rehder still has the most cash on hand, with more than $155k. Another interesting trend has been the relatively lower numbers of money in the primaries for House seats, as most candidates seem to carry under $10k in contributions this past filing period. And a final note: while compiling the data, it also became clear that outgoing Rep. Kathie Conway and her candidate son Ryan Conway’s committees have the same name and treasurer, which made for some very confusing moments, even though Ryan’s committee is inactive.

10 www.themissouritimes.com

Governor pitches Missouri to Amazon, touting hyperloop and the future BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES

Renew Missouri calls on legislature to look into grid modernization Michael Layer

michael@themissouritimes.com

Renew Missouri is applauding the Missouri Public Service Commission for seeking input on the concept of distributive energy resources (DER). Back in September, the PSC issued an order asking parties to answer questions about the concept, which uses technology and tools to break down the larger electric grid into smaller grids. “For the PSC to seek information on this topic shows an incredible sense of forward thinking,” Renew Missouri Executive Director James Owen said in a statement. “This shows they are really serious about looking into the future and developing rules and regulations that will help mold the new realities of energy policy. It is Renew Missouri’s hope that the Missouri Legislature and the rest of our Executive Branch are watching this as well.” The use of DERs hinges on the idea that decentralizing infrastructure will make the utility companies more involved and responsive to their customers, while also making the grid less susceptible to natural disasters and cyber attacks. In short, by modernizing the grid and looking at it as several pieces forming a whole instead of one unit, meaning that, in theory, it would be easier to pinpoint issues and resolve them before they grow and become

unmanageable. Renew Missouri’s comments say “self-healing networks and segment-able grid architecture can reduce the consequences of outages.” Some of the things Renew Missouri suggested in the comments filed with the PSC in their Emerging Docket consisted of advanced metering and the implementation of renewable energy sources. “Whether the electric companies need to change the way rates are increased isn’t our focus,” Owen said. “But, rather, our focus is to challenge lawmakers and utility companies that if grid modernization is going to be pursued, that we are simply not pouring money into the old system of making and selling dirty energy. Right now, coal and nuclear are becoming less economic than wind and solar. In addition, it is much easier to employ wind and solar to power a town or a neighborhood instead of using the old grid that is more vulnerable to storms and other natural disasters.” In essence, Renew Missouri’s comments suggest that the conversation about modernizing the grid doesn’t have to involve talks about changing the way rates are handled, an issue that has proven to be more easily said than done in the Missouri Legislature. “These are not radical ideas,” Owen said. “But rather practical and pragmatic opportunities to make utilities run better and be more responsive to their customers while giving them more choices.”

Who wants Amazon’s second headquarters in their city? Basically everyone. Missourians and cities across the nation have utilized several different avenues in their attempt to draw the attention of Amazon, including Kansas City Mayor Sly James’ reviewing of Amazon products, Tucson’s sending of a 21-foot saguaro cactus, or Stonecrest, Ga.’s offer to build a city and name it after the company, but the latest pitch from Missouri is looking to “be bold.” “We want to challenge you, Amazon, to think differently, more expansively in both time and space, more boldly in terms of impact,” the final plan, issued by the Missouri Department of Economic Development, reads. Many cities across the nation have put forward bids of their own, hoping to land what looks to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to the promised land of economic prosperity: a $5 billion project that could amount to 50,000 high-paying jobs. Both St. Louis and Kansas City have made their own pitches to the online retail giant, but Greitens’ team says Amazon could have both St. Louis and Kansas City if they choose Missouri as the location for its second headquarters. “While each proposal stands on its own, I also encourage you to envision what Amazon could achieve by partnering with us to unleash the combined strength of the entire State of Missouri,” Greitens writes to Bezos. In short, Missouri’s proposal is asking Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to look not at what Missouri is, but what it could be. In a proposal shared by Governor Eric Greitens on Thursday, the final day of bidding, the state’s plan was unveiled, revealing a proposal full of hope and

ambition, full of innovative ideas – that have yet to be realized. The two biggest components to their pitch: the city of Columbia and the Hyperloop. “While considering Kansas City and St. Louis on their independent merits, we also hope that you will consider how powerful it would be for Amazon’s future if these two great cities in the very Heartland of America could both be part of Amazon’s HQ2. Imagine that Columbia – Missouri’s fifth largest city in the middle of our state, a vibrant university community – could also be part of your HQ2 solution,” the proposal reads. “Look further and see HQ2 as more than just a campus, but rather an integrated series of campuses linked to form an innovation corridor that stretches from the banks of the Mississippi in St. Louis in the east, across I-70 through Columbia, to Kansas City on the Missouri River in the west.” But even more ambitious, and potentially attractive, is the promise of the Hyperloop. The high-speed transportation system could revolutionize the transportation of goods and potentially support more growth and expansion. Rob Lloyd, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One, has committed to working with Missouri to move the feasibility study forward, and members of the project have called the proposed route in Missouri, from St. Louis to Kansas City, one of the “best we’ve ever seen.” If the hyperloop were put in place and activated, it would transport passengers and cargo on a route parallel I-70, cutting a four-hour-drive down to just 25 minutes or so. In addition to that, the plan also points out tax incentives the state can offer, as well as the educational opportunities, tax structure, and AAA bond rating. But the proposal falls short of actually saying how much taxpayer money they are willing to commit, nor the specifics of the incentives. Check out the proposal in its entirety online.

The Missouri Times

JEFF MAZUR: Breaking barriers, busting guts Michael Layer

michael@themissouritimes.com

Jeff Mazur, the executive director of Launch Code, joined the #moleg podcast crew on Tuesday morning as a part of their Autumn of the Attorney series to discuss his lauded reputation in both the public and private sectors. The Georgetown law graduate has been active in the political scene, working in the offices of New Jersey’s U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, Oregon’s U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley, and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. He also represented the National Treasury Employees Union, the American Federation of State, County, and

Municipal Employees in Council 72, and a couple of months ago, he became the executive director of Launch Code. Launch Code is an educational non-profit that offers their students a free education in coding and computer science. At the end of the program, students are placed into an apprenticeship with companies working in a various information sector positions. At the end of their apprenticeships, the once-students will transition into a position at that particular company. “So forget about taking somebody four years to get a CS (Computer Science) degree to make them a software developer for Amazon [for example.] You need to find a way – in six months

– to get someone from wherever they are, to get the skills, the job readiness, to be able to step in and be successful,” Mazur said. “That’s what we do at Launch Code. The sort of systems that we build are geared towards scaling rapidly and training people on an accelerated basis for these jobs.” According to Launch Code’s website, applicants do not need to meet any prior education requirements and since their founding in 2013, more than 80 percent have a permanent job after three months. On average, Launch Code students were able to double their previous salary. “Tech gets talked about all the time as a democratizing influence and force. [People

say that tech allows] people have access to the economy, but that is only true to the extent that people can actually use technology to find a career and step into that world and gain the skills to do it,” Mazur said. “If they can’t do that, then [such a claim] becomes a ruse. We’re trying to break down that barrier and that’s where we’re really focused.” Outside of his working life in St. Louis-based private sector, many still acknowledge his impact in Jefferson City. In his free time, Mazur has been known to take to Twitter to add his witty commentary on the workings of Missouri politics.

12 www.themissouritimes.com

Romine says he was ‘not made aware’ of SB 43/HUD letter Michael Layer

michael@themissouritimes.com

CRYSTAL CITY Mo. – Sen. Gary Romine said that he was not aware of the letter which outlined that his SB 43 employee discrimination bill violated federal standards. He spoke with Missouri Times publisher Scott Faughn about his bill, which jeopardizes at least $500,000 of federal funds because it violated standards set by the Fair Housing Act. “I was not made aware of that letter, no,” Romine said. “I think there was – maybe an understanding that because we knew from the fiscal note that there was going to be some question with housing, that there was a difference in the standard.” Missouri House Democrats released a letter on Wednesday that informed the Greitens administration and the bill’s sponsors that SB 43 violated the Fair Housing Act, a part of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. The letter is dated February 6, which would mean that the Missouri governor received the letter months before SB 43 passed the General Assembly and signed the bill anyway. In debating the bill, he admits that Democrats warned him that his proposed legislation

violated the Fair Housing Act, but that was not their biggest problem about the bill. “It was a minimal part of the conversation,” he said. Not only did the governor receive the letter months in advance, Romine alleges that Greitens was a part of the discussions to help pass the bill. “There was a portion in time when we had the governor involved in this,” he said. When asked why Greitens would withhold the letter, Romine refused to speculate. “We’ve had our differences, but I cannot and will not speculate on why they chose not to share that letter,” Romine said. “I cannot answer that.” Romine mentions that one of the reasons why he wanted to craft the bill was to provide a better business climate for current and potential businesses. Both he and Greitens have been pro-business and passed legislation to demonstrate their willingness. As a business owner who has experienced discrimination lawsuits, he mentions that discrimination lawsuits can be “detrimental for business.” “I do not support discrimination of any type, discrimination is wrong. No matter what the person’s status is. Discrimination is wrong,” Romine said. “But, the discrimination has to be valid.”

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The Missouri Times

Leadership, Democrats call for special from Governor on in-home health care Circuit breaker tax credit looks to be most likely solution to budget cuts

Recent news about budget cuts affecting disabled Missourians has thrown into question whether the Missouri legislature will be returning for another special session this year. Republican House leaders on Friday announced that, according to information from the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), few Missourians are actually losing services at this time due to the budget reduction, which was estimated to impact roughly 8,000 disabled citizens. In a release issued by House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, and House Budget Chair Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob, they said they had been notified by DHSS that out of the 1,008 people who have been evaluated under the new level of care standards, only 30 have seen altered services. “Those numbers are pretty astonishing, but there is still going to be a funding problem moving forward and we will need to address this either in a special session or early next session,” Richardson said in a statement. And while it seems like a significant statistic, Democrats are less than impressed. “We already knew then about the fewer number of folks affected by the point cut when that promise was made — this is no excuse for failing to move forward,” Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. The news from Republicans comes just a few weeks after Richardson and Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard tapped Fitzpatrick and Sen. Mike Cunningham, directing the two to form a bipartisan workgroup between the two legislative chambers and find a solution for the estimated $35 million in funding for the Medicaid recipients who were at risk of losing services. “I am happy that this group came up with several ways to save the money necessary to fund these services and we will move forward with them as soon as the legislature is back in session,” Richardson said. In a similar statement issued on Friday, Senate President Pro Tem Richard said they believed they had put together a workable solution, and that the Governor’s Office has been made aware of the range of proposals that could restore permanent funding. “The proposal has been put forward to the governor. We are now waiting on the governor

to call us into special session,” Richard said. The implication here is that, once again, it all rides on the Governor. That, maybe, could be the one thing both parties can agree on. Budget Chairman Fitzpatrick on Friday stated that the House has “presented multiple solutions to this problem since this budget was passed last session and we will continue to work with our colleagues in both chambers to make a plan to dedicate a revenue stream to fund long-term care for our seniors.” But what would those solutions be? One solution, it seems, will be the circuit breaker once again. Several have pointed to the circuit breaker tax credit as the answer, attempting to restore the in-home care cuts by ending the tax credit for low-income seniors who rent homes. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

“

for a special session to fix the issue throughout the entire summer and into veto session. During veto session, only 49 of the House’s 163 members voted to override the Governor’s veto, eliminating that option as a way to fix it, and ensuring that the only way to return to the matter would be through a special session. Following the failed veto override, Republicans spoke of an informal timeline of three weeks to give a task force time to come up with solutions, but weeks later, no session has been called. Democrats continue to ask the basic questions of who will call for a special session, when will it be called, what will the fix be, and why is it taking so long? The perceived lack of urgency from Republicans has exasperated their more liberal counterparts, but it has done little else in terms of weakening their resolve to discuss the issue.

By the time we get to January, we’ve missed half of the time in which they needed the care. We could wait until the regular session because we’re not the ones being affected. Cunningham met with Gov. Greitens to discuss a plan to restore the $35 million, one that would seek to generate money by limiting the number of elderly renters. Under the plan, those earning more than $22,000 will no longer qualify for the credit. Democrats, however, are once again not impressed. That’s because it’s not the first time they’ve seen it. The House attempted to restore the cuts through the circuit breaker this past session, but Democratic resistance in the Senate quashed that plan, and instead passed HCB 3, a bill seeking to sweep $35 million in funds from other areas to avoid the cuts to the inhome care program. Following the last-minute passage of HCB 3, it was left to Governor Eric Greitens to either sign the bill or veto it. He chose the latter, calling the bill a ‘budget gimmick’ and saying it was “an unconstitutional, one-time, fake fix to a real problem.” Since then, lawmakers have continued discussing the matter, with Democrats calling

“

BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES

They say there’s too much at stake, and the clock is ticking. “Every day we wait, seniors go without prescription coverage, more folks lose services they have now, quality of care goes down with less to pay for it each day, and disabled folks go with a 40% cut to their care. Every day that we wait is a day that they’re suffering.” The concern of Republicans at this point is whether a bill can get passed through both chambers. Fitzpatrick says they’ve outlined several options that he believes the House would approve of, and Cunningham has taken them to the Governor’s Office. “If the Governor can be convinced to call a special session and the Senate has a version of that bill they can get out of that body, then the House is ready to go to work and get something done to address the issue,” Fitzpatrick said. If the matter is waiting for the Governor to call for a special session, Merideth says maybe their best option is to find other alternatives to get the Governor’s attention. “Maybe we need to find some Iowans to call

him and push for it. He might care more about their opinions than ours,” he said, noting the Governor’s absence in recent weeks. Instead, the St. Louis Democrat says the legislature should take matters into their own hands and address an issue that is the Governor’s own making. “Why aren’t we calling ourselves back to a special session and voting on them?” Merideth asked. “If Republicans thought it was worthwhile to spend money for a special session for restrictions on Planned Parenthood that are probably unconstitutional, and on a potential job creator from which we’ve seen zero jobs created, then how can we not agree that it is worth going to a special session to fix these horrible cuts for our seniors?” If a legislative special session is the only option left, then Fitzpatrick says the most likely scenario to that path would begin with the Senate collecting the necessary signatures. “If the Senate feels like they have the ability to get the signatures, and they go and get them, then I think the House would be willing to make the effort to get those signatures as well,” Fitzpatrick said. “Logistically speaking, it’s a lot easier to find out whether 24 people are going to sign a piece of paper instead of 123, so I think we’d be more inclined to let them go first. But I think the more clean way to get to a special session is for the Governor to be given the level of assurances and comfort that he needs to see that things will go the way they need to go so that he can call it.” Both Merideth and Fitzpatrick note that every legislator seems to want a fix, the only issue seems to be differences in how they believe it should be fixed. Both sides have ideas of how to find the funding, and to that end, Merideth says they need to come back and have those conversations in an open and transparent way and work together to find the right answers that both sides can agree on. And to do that, the Democrats need the Republicans. “We need the Republican caucus to do it, and we need them to own it,” Merideth said. But as the days continue to pass with no action, it seems more likely that a special session will not be called, and the next chance to discuss it will be the 2018 legislative session. Merideth says that, if that’s how this plays out, Democrats are more than ready, with legislation ready to be filed in December. “By the time we get to January, we’ve missed half of the time in which they needed the care,” he said. “We could wait until the regular session because we’re not the ones being affected.”

14 www.themissouritimes.com

THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK

1. Mizzou emerges as top school for online courses 2. SB 5 upheld in courts, takes effect 3.Governor Eric Greitens appoints Kelli Ann Coats as Executive Director of the Missouri Women’s Council 4. Leading investment research firm names Missouri’s MOST 529 College Savings Plan one of the best in the nation 5. LTG Parson launches “Buy Missouri” tour around the state Read these and more online at www.missouritimes.com. Email your news to pressreleases@themissouritimes.com

The Missouri Times

LOBBYIST CHANGES

Changes on: 10/24/2017 Jason Zamkus Added NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYER ORGANIZATIONS Jason Zamkus Deleted PAGE MINDER Jason Zamkus Deleted BILINGUAL INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANT SERVICES Jason Zamkus Deleted RECORDERS ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI Jason Zamkus Deleted ADP TOTALSOURCE INC Jason Zamkus Deleted MERS MISSOURI GOODWILL INDUSTRIES Changes on: 10/23/2017 Evan Fitts Added DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATES SMITHVILLE LLC Kathryn Gamble Added CODEORG William A Gamble Added CODEORG Cynthia Gamble Added CODEORG Guy William Black Deleted MISSOURI CLEAN ENERGY DISTRICT Guy William Black Deleted MISSOURI RENOVATE AMERICA INC Jeffery N Brooks Deleted NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC David Michael Jackson Deleted NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC Jorgen Schlemeier Deleted NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC Changes on: 10/20/2017 Jeffery N Brooks Added CODEORG David Michael Jackson Added CODEORG Jorgen Schlemeier Added CODEORG Michael Michelson Added DR THOMAS TURNBAUGH MD Sarah Wood Martin Deleted NSI ON BEHALF OF AXON Changes on: 10/19/2017 Harry Foster Deleted FOSTER MANAGEMENT INC Harry Foster Deleted THE MEYER COMPANIES Harry Foster Deleted CHRISTIE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATES LLC Changes on: 10/17/2017 Barbara A Bichelmeyer Added UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY Rodney Boyd Added MCDONALDS CORPORATION Katherine Casas Added MCDONALDS CORPORATION Dana Tippin Cutler Deleted THE MISSOURI BAR Changes on: 10/16/2017 Jean Paul Bradshaw Added LATHROP GAGE CONSULTING LLC Jean Paul Bradshaw Added LATHROP GAGE LLP Jean Paul Bradshaw Added WE SHOEHIGH LLC ON BEHALF OF EXPEDIAHOME AWAY Zachary Brunnert Added INFORMATIX INC Heath C Clarkston Added CAPITAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT Morry Cole Added

THE MISSOURI BAR Harry Gallagher Added CAPITAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT David Kent Added MISSOURI BANKERS ASSOCIATION Richard A Mcintosh Added INFORMATIX INC Paul Mouton Added DAVID HUMPHREYS Doug Nelson Added WE SHOEHIGH LLC ON BEHALF OF EXPEDIAHOME AWAY Doug Nelson Added LATHROP GAGE CONSULTING LLC Doug Nelson Added LATHROP GAGE LLP Kurt Schaefer Added WE SHOEHIGH LLC ON BEHALF OF EXPEDIAHOME AWAY Kurt Schaefer Added LATHROP GAGE CONSULTING LLC Kurt Schaefer Added LATHROP GAGE LLP Jeffrey P Aboussie Deleted KIEL CENTER PARTNERS Jeffrey P Aboussie Deleted SC STL Heath C Clarkston Deleted NETCHOICE Heath C Clarkston Deleted CLARKSTON CONSULTANTS LLC Heath C Clarkston Deleted JEFFREY E SMITH COMPANIES Heath C Clarkston Deleted CROWN CASTLE USA INC Heath C Clarkston Deleted MISSOURI FOUNDATION FOR EQUITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION Harry Gallagher Deleted NETCHOICE Harry Gallagher Deleted JEFFREY E SMITH COMPANIES Harry Gallagher Deleted CROWN CASTLE USA INC Harry Gallagher Deleted MISSOURI FOUNDATION FOR EQUITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION David Kent Deleted MISSOURI CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION David Kent Deleted HEARTLAND CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION Changes on: 10/12/2017 Shawn Dabreu Added SAINT LOUIS REGIONAL CHAMBER Alex T Eaton Added UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI HEALTH CARE Rebecca Lohmann Added UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI HEALTH CARE Daniel R Pfeifer Added UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI HEALTH CARE Gregory Porter Added UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI HEALTH CARE Alex T Eaton Deleted CHEYENNE INTERNATIONAL LLC Alex T Eaton Deleted ADVANTAGE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Alex T Eaton Deleted MISSOURI HOME CARE UNION Alex T Eaton

Deleted BREATHABLE BABY Alex T Eaton Deleted MERGER GROUP Alex T Eaton Deleted ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS Rebecca Lohmann Deleted ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS Rebecca Lohmann Deleted CHEYENNE INTERNATIONAL LLC Rebecca Lohmann Deleted ADVANTAGE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Rebecca Lohmann Deleted MISSOURI HOME CARE UNION Rebecca Lohmann Deleted BREATHABLE BABY Rebecca Lohmann Deleted MERGER GROUP Daniel R Pfeifer Deleted ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS Daniel R Pfeifer Deleted MISSOURI HOME CARE UNION Daniel R Pfeifer Deleted ADVANTAGE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Daniel R Pfeifer Deleted BREATHABLE BABY Daniel R Pfeifer Deleted MERGER GROUP Daniel R Pfeifer Deleted CHEYENNE INTERNATIONAL LLC Gregory Porter Deleted CHEYENNE INTERNATIONAL LLC Gregory Porter Deleted ADVANTAGE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Gregory Porter Deleted MISSOURI HOME CARE UNION Gregory Porter Deleted BREATHABLE BABE Gregory Porter Deleted MERGER GROUP Gregory Porter Deleted ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS Changes on: 10/11/2017 Rodney Boyd Added DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP Katherine Casas Added DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP Brian J Grace Added DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP Kelvin L Simmons Added DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP Kyna Iman Deleted AMERICAN RED CROSS MISSOURI CHAPTER Changes on: 10/10/2017 Leroy Grant Jr Added SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY DBA ATT MISSOURI AND ITS AFFILIATES Kaycee Nail Added OPERATION FOOD SEARCH D Scott Penman Added OPERATION FOOD SEARCH David Winton Added OPERATION FOOD SEARCH Jason Zamkus Added THE NINE NETWORK OF PUBLIC MEDIA Leroy Grant Jr Deleted SOUTHWESTERN

Sam Cooper elected as new executive director for MO GOP BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES It’s been almost a month since the Missouri Republican Party lost their executive director, but now, it seems they’ve found their man. According to a post by the St. Louis County GOP, Sam Cooper has been elected as the Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party. During a special meeting of the state committee and their executive committee, Cooper

told the group he was looking forward to moving to the state and help get more Republicans elected. The Kansas City native has a long history of working with political campaigns, having worked for Axiom Strategies for a time, and comes to the Missouri GOP from the office of Sen. Ted Cruz, where he served as Director of Strategic Initiatives. He takes over after the departure of Austin Stukins, who resigned effective Sept. 30.

M.O. Political advocating for authenticity from Democrats

“We have not allowed them to be people – we don’t allow our politicians to say s— when they stub their toe like the rest of us do” BENJAMIN PETERS THE MISSOURI TIMES ST. LOUIS – The abbreviation M. O. usually signifies the Show-Me State, but for the progressive political consulting firm based out of St. Louis, it means Maxwell and Okohson – specifically, Tyler Maxwell and Rosetta Okohson. The two have just completed their first year of their own political advisory agency, M.O. Political Consulting, and have been gearing up for elections in 2018. “We decided to start the firm because we wanted to have a hands-on approach in figuring out who the people were running for office that we wanted to work for,” Okohson said. “We decided that we wanted to seek those people out and ask the questions that we decided we needed to ask.” Okohson and Maxwell have a history in shaping Missouri politics. They began their working relationship under Jill Schupp’s senate campaign in 2014. Okohson has also worked on Jake Zimmerman’s bid for attorney general in 2016 and Tishaura O. Jones’ run for mayor of St. Louis. On the other hand, Maxwell managed Byron DeLear’s attempt for representative in District 70. Among some of their clients are Darlene

Green for St. Louis City comptroller, Joe Diekemper for 17th Ward alderman, Megan Ellyia Green for 15th Ward alderwoman, and Byron DeLear for House District 70. “We think this is a prime opportunity for Democrats in Missouri to take some of these state seats back,” Maxwell said. “We want to make sure that we are there to support the candidates on an organizational level and deal with any problems that they have. As some of the best advocates for Democrat candidates, they are not unfamiliar with local and national criticisms of the party. Yet despite challenges Democrats have faced, especially in 2016, M.O. Political Consulting has been telling their candidates to not make the same mistakes. “We have not allowed them to be people. We have candidates that are not connecting with people – that’s why voter turnout has been very low, we don’t allow our politicians to say s— when they stub their toe like the rest of us do,” Okohson said. “It creates this pedestal that elected officials are on that regular people don’t necessarily associate with or can understand.” She believes that such a pedestal prevents voters from connecting with candidates and will not feel relatable enough to secure their vote. “I think we have to allow them to react

CONTINUED AT MISSOURITIMES.COM

16 www.themissouritimes.com

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