Speed of lightning, roar of thunder, Sweet Polly Purebred would probably agree.

The Missouri House continues to devote its time to important legislation designed to address pressing matters of public interest. A bill, introduced today by Speaker Pro Tem Denny Hoskins (r):

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 723 [pdf]

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE HOSKINS.

1762H.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapter 10, RSMo, by adding thereto two new sections relating to the designation of

the state dogs.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Chapter 10, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto two new sections, to be known as sections 10.112 and 10.113, to read as follows:

10.112. The dog known as “Old Drum”, whose death became the subject of an 1870 Missouri Supreme Court case and the delivery of a famous speech as the closing argument to the case known as the “Eulogy to Old Drum”, is designated as the historical dog of the state of Missouri.

10.113. The dog known as “Jim the Wonder Dog” is designated as Missouri’s Wonder Dog.

[emphasis in original]

Hoping the Missouri General Assembly will address serious challenges absent distractions is about as futile as trying to herd cats.

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C031159 01/28/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Southwestern Bell Telephone, L.P., d/b/a AT&T Missouri One AT&T Center Room 4200 Saint Louis MO 63101 1/26/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

One ringy dingy…

Last night the House Telecommunications Committee had a scheduled committee hearing at the Jefferson City Country Club. The “refreshments” were reportedly provided by the Missouri Telecomm Industry Association. Our good friends at Progress Missouri attended and streamed the committee meeting dinner provided by lobbyists live from a country club dining room.

Much Twitter hilarity ensued:

Sean Nicholson @ssnich

Telecomm Cmte with country club ‘hearing’ tonight has exactly zero bills assigned to it at this time. #MOLeg 7:02 PM – 27 Jan 2015

Kasia Kovacs @kasiakovacs

Here’s an actual livestream of members our actual state government having an actual meeting at a country club [….] 8:01 PM – 27 Jan 2015

Michael Bersin @MBersin

Heh. “The sacrifices we make” You know, like dinners at a country club with lobbyists. Irony challenged. @ProgressMO #MOLeg 8:03 PM – 27 Jan 2015

tmservo433 ‏@tmservo433

“It’s like you lose track of watching your kids grow up.. hey.. so, what about this food?” @MBersin @ProgressMO #moleg 8:05 PM – 27 Jan 2015

And on and on.

A bill, introduced today by Representative Jeremy LaFaver (D):

HB 732

Prohibits General Assembly standing committees from holding meetings at any location other than the Capitol grounds

Sponsor: LaFaver, Jeremy (025)

Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2015

LR Number: 1718L.02I

Last Action: 01/28/2015 – Introduced and Read First Time (H)

Bill String: HB 732

Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled

Calendar: Bill currently not on a House calendar

[….]

[emphasis in original]

Any bets on this coming to the floor for a recorded vote?

Heh:

Missouri Lawmakers Can’t Hold Dinner “Hearings” at Fancy Country Clubs Anymore

By Danny Wicentowski Wed., Jan. 28 2015 at 1:45 PM

….Enjoying a lobbyist-funded meal is hardly excessive for the Missouri legislature, but the stink raised after last night’s hearing got so bad House Speaker John Diehl announced this morning that, effective immediately, all house committee hearings must take place at the capitol, according to PoliticMO….

Was that so difficult?

Via Twitter:

JC Elevator ‏@jcelevator

Rep1: Keith English is now his own #MOLeg caucus?

Rep2: Maybe he can get elected Chair, then.

Rep1: Nah, he’ll stab himself in the back. 4:51 PM – 27 Jan 2015

In the news:

Mo. Democrats lose another member, English becomes Independent

JEFFERSON CITY • Missouri House Democrats lost another member Tuesday, bringing their total number in the House to 44.

Rep. Keith English, a union electrician from Florissant, Tuesday announced he will represent his district as an Independent. English was elected in 2012.

Last year, English abandoned his Democratic colleagues and sided with Republicans to enact a tax cut over Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto. Republicans needed one Democrat to reach the supermajority required to override the veto and English provided that necessary vote….

There’ll be no measurable effect on the Democratic caucus. You’re usually supposed to time these kinds of things so that when you leave they’ll actually miss you.

Previously:

This won’t be the last story on SB 509 (May 8, 2014)

Former Representative Jake Zimmerman (D) announced today that he’s a candidate for Attorney General in 2016:

[….]

Jake Zimmerman Announces Bid for Missouri Attorney General

Former Assistant Attorney General Pledges to Continue Fight for Fairness as Missouri’s Top Law Enforcement Official

Pledging to fight for fairness and equal treatment for all Missourians, Jake Zimmerman today announced that he will officially enter the race for Missouri Attorney General. As Missouri’s top law enforcement official, Zimmerman said he would draw on his experience as a former prosecutor, lawmaker, and the current St. Louis County Assessor to advocate for crime victims, consumers and taxpayers.

“Everyone has a right to fairness, regardless of whether you’re a millionaire or a single mom who is just trying to make ends meet,” Zimmerman said. “Whether it’s prosecuting corporations that are cheating their customers, or cracking down on casinos and developers who are trying to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, I’ve dedicated my career to fighting to make sure people are treated equally under the law. It’s a fight I want to continue as Missouri’s Attorney General.”

As an Assistant Attorney General for Missouri, Zimmerman fought on behalf of Missourians who had been victimized by illegal and unfair business practices. He prosecuted scammers who stole money from unsuspecting customers, shut down fake “training schools” that existed only to con students out of their hard-earned tuition, and even took on large cell phone companies that misled customers by disguising fees as taxes.

Zimmerman is the first elected St. Louis County Assessor since 1960. As Assessor for the largest county in Missouri, Jake fought back when powerful corporations tried to avoid paying their fair share of taxes by shifting the burden to small businesses and homeowners. He successfully challenged casinos that sought windfall tax cuts that would have slashed local school budgets and cracked down on wealthy developers who tried to dodge taxes by pretending that parking lots were “farms.” And when a luxury senior center attempted to claim it was a “charity,” Zimmerman fought until the owners agreed to pay their fair share.

Prior to being elected Assessor in 2011, Zimmerman served in the State Legislature, where he championed consumer protections and ethics reforms designed to prevent lobbyists from controlling the system with unlimited gifts and campaign contributions.

“The culture of corruption in Jefferson City has gone on for too long,” Zimmerman said. “We must fight for one fair set of rules for everyone. And if someone tries to exploit their position of power to game the system, they must be held accountable.”

Jake Zimmerman, a Democrat, was born and raised in St. Louis County. Zimmerman graduated from Clayton High School before going on to receive degrees from Claremont McKenna College and Harvard Law School. He and his wife Megan live in Olivette with their son Gabriel.

There’ll probably be a few more.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: the long road to 2016 (November 12, 2014)

Campaign Finance: now we know where the rest of the million dollars went (October 15, 2014)

Pirate Fish image courtesy of the CotFSM.

The Missouri Constitution has an establishment clause in, not one, but two places. The first:

Missouri Constitution

Article I

BILL OF RIGHTS

Section 7

Public aid for religious purposes–preferences and discriminations on religious grounds.

Section 7. That no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion, or in aid of any priest, preacher, minister or teacher thereof, as such; and that no preference shall be given to nor any discrimination made against any church, sect or creed of religion, or any form of religious faith or worship.

[emphasis added]

And, in another place in the Missouri Constitution:

Article IX

EDUCATION

Section 8

Prohibition of public aid for religious purposes and institutions.

Section 8. Neither the general assembly, nor any county, city, town, township, school district or other municipal corporation, shall ever make an appropriation or pay from any public fund whatever, anything in aid of any religious creed, church or sectarian purpose, or to help to support or sustain any private or public school, academy, seminary, college, university, or other institution of learning controlled by any religious creed, church or sectarian denomination whatever; nor shall any grant or donation of personal property or real estate ever be made by the state, or any county, city, town, or other municipal corporation, for any religious creed, church, or sectarian purpose whatever.

[emphasis added]

A bill, introduced yesterday by Representative Scott Fitzpatrick (r):

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 687 [pdf]

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE FITZPATRICK.

1463H.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To repeal section 173.1104, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to financial assistance awards for theology degrees.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Section 173.1104, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu

thereof, to be known as section 173.1104, to read as follows:

173.1104. 1. An applicant shall be eligible for initial or renewed financial assistance only if, at the time of application and throughout the period during which the applicant is receiving such assistance, the applicant:

(1) Is a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States;

(2) Is a resident of the state of Missouri, as determined by reference to standards promulgated by the coordinating board; and

(3) Is enrolled, or has been accepted for enrollment, as a full-time undergraduate student in an approved private or public institution[; and (4) Is not enrolled or does not intend to use the award to enroll in a course of study leading to a degree in theology or divinity].

2. If an applicant is found guilty of or pleads guilty to any criminal offense during the period of time in which the applicant is receiving financial assistance, such applicant shall not be eligible for renewal of such assistance, provided such offense would disqualify the applicant from receiving federal student aid under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

3. Financial assistance shall be allotted for one academic year, but a recipient shall be eligible for renewed assistance until he or she has obtained a baccalaureate degree, provided such financial assistance shall not exceed a total of ten semesters or fifteen quarters or their equivalent. Standards of eligibility for renewed assistance shall be the same as for an initial award of financial assistance, except that for renewal, an applicant shall demonstrate a grade-point average of two and five-tenths on a four-point scale, or the equivalent on another scale. This subsection shall be construed as the successor to section 173.215 for purposes of eligibility requirements of other financial assistance programs that refer to section 173.215.

[emphasis in original, added strike through emphasis illustrates text to be removed]

Chapter 173 RSMo refers to higher education and, in part, scholarships and tuition aid programs administered by the state.

The bill listing on the House web site:

HB 687

Specifies that any benefits afforded to students enrolled at an institution of higher education shall be afforded to students enrolled at a theological or divinity school

Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Scott (158)

Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2015

LR Number: 1463H.01I

Last Action: 01/26/2015 – Introduced and Read First Time (H)

Bill String: HB 687

[….]

[emphasis added]

How do the changes in HB 687 conform with the requirements of the Missouri Constitution? Just asking.

McCain didn’t call out our own Senator Roy Blunt by name, but the implication is clear; the shoe is clearly measured to fit Blunt and he’ll just have to wear it. So how did Blunt who is usually very careful to try to appear reasonable when he’s in front of adults (his Republican base is another matter – witness the Obama “monkey” comments) earn the vituperation of the admittedly often vituperative McCain?

Remember back when Democrats who had had enough of GOP obstructionism changed the requirements for approval of presidential appointments to a straight-up majority vote rather than a super majority of 60 votes? The change only went so far; it didn’t apply to legislation or to appointments to the Supreme Court. And it took lots of provocation and unfilled positions before Harry Reid was moved to act:

It represented the culmination of years of frustration over what Democrats denounced as a Republican campaign to stall the machinery of Congress, stymie President Obama’s agenda and block his choices for cabinet posts and federal judgeships by insisting that virtually everything the Senate approves be done by a supermajority.

And do you remember what Republicans said at the time? I believe that there were accusations of “irreparably damaging” the Congress and disregarding “constitutional prerogatives” along with threats of a bad outcome for Democrats down the line. Our own Republican Senator Roy Blunt echoed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s  sinister threats of bad times ahead for folks who dared stymie GOP obstructionism:

“The last time the Democrats decided they were going to do something all by themselves it was Obamacare,” said Senator Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican. “And I’m pretty sure they regret doing it that way and my guess is they’ll regret this at some point too.”

Now that it’s proving successful, I doubt that there are many Democrats who regret Obamacare, but Blunt, who apparently never forgets a grudge, thinks that he can insure that Democrats regret changing the filibuster rules. Along with fellow Republican Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and Mike Leeof Utah, Blunt is proposing a similar change to the approval process for Supreme Court nominees.

Oddly, though, as Politico notes, not all Democrats are as disturbed by the proposed expansion of the rule change:

“We’re witnessing a massive flip-flop in slow motion,” said Adam Jentleson, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). “Democrats appreciate the vote of confidence from Republicans in the wisdom of our rules change.”

It seems that whether or not our pols approve of changing the rules that govern congressional approval of judicial nominees depends on how confident they are that their party will take the White House and Senate in 2016. And many Democrats aren’t necessarily sure that 2014 presages a GOP victory in a presidential election in which most of the Senate seats that are up for grabs will be, contrary to the last election, in less GOP-friendly states. And of course, they’re also watching with glee the gathering of rightwing clowns, ethically-challenged governors and GOP establishment retreads who are now declaring their presidential ambitions.

In fact, the most outspoken condemnations of the Blunt/Alexander initiative comes from a Republican:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) warned his colleagues about the “sheer hypocrisy” of such a move. “We said this was outrageous what they did,” McCain said. “Not only how they did it, but what they did, OK? Some of my Republican colleagues seem to have forgotten that. Some selective amnesia.”

Sheer hypocrisy! Hear that Roy Blunt? John McCain is shocked by your sheer hypocrisy. Of course, lots of us here in Missouri could have told him all about how Blunt rolls a long time ago. But it’s not a bad thing to have Blunt outed by one of his own party, even if it is coming a bit late. As Eric Posner observes in Slate:

… . When senators argue about the filibuster, they appeal to the public interest, but if their position on the rule always reflects their political interests, then they are, essentially, lying. It all seems like a game.

A game. Indeed. But, of course, it’s a game with potentially deadly consequences. It’s just too bad that nowadays the GOP can’t find any players that aren’t plain and simple liars and hypocrites. I know why Democrats had to change the initial rule; I also know why Republicans are proposing to expand the change. The reasons aren’t even remotely similar. I’m with John McCain on this one.

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141569 01/26/2015 BRADSHAW EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE Brad Bradshaw 1736 E. Sunshine, Suite 600 1736 E. Sunshine, Suite 600 Springfield MO 65804 Self Physician/Attorney 1/26/2015 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s some commitment.

The exploratory committee is for the 2016 Lieutenant Governor [pdf] race.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Oh, hell, just buy the state already (December 8, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Exploring what? (January 10, 2015)

Campaign Finance: Exploring something. (January 13, 2015)

Campaign Finance: a December to really remember (January 18, 2015)

Jake: ….Honest… I ran out of gas. I… I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! It wasn’t my fault, I swear to God!

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (r) [file photo].

Yesterday, in the Kansas City Star:

Gov. Sam Brownback puts blame for Kansas budget deficits on GOP lawmakers

….cuts, which Brownback signed into law, have resulted in the state facing hundreds of millions of dollars in budget deficits. The Legislature is working on the 2015-2016 budget now.

“What I got from the Legislature was a naked tax cut with none of the pay-fors,” he said. “I took it because it was the best we were going to get….”

Apparently Governor Brownback (r) never had the opportunity to inform the Kansas Legislature of his concerns.

Think we’ll hear the same thing for Missouri? From The Wall Street Journal in 2012:

Meet One of the Super-PAC Men

His name isn’t Adelson or Koch, but he’s spending millions on politics, hoping to roll back taxes and reform education.

By Naomi Schaefer Riley

Oct. 26, 2012 6:36 p.m. ET

….This year he spent more than $2 million collecting signatures to eliminate the state’s corporate and personal income taxes and replace them with a sales tax capped at 7%. Mr. Sinquefield decided to postpone the initiative until next year because it wasn’t polling well.

Then again, he says, smiling, he may not need to put the initiative on the ballot in 2013 after all-because of some unexpected help from Missouri’s next-door neighbor. Earlier this year, Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law a significant tax cut, reducing the Kansas income-tax rate to 4.9% from 6.45% and eliminating taxes on 190,000 small businesses.

“Unbelievably brilliant,” Mr. Sinquefield says of the Kansas approach. He expects that businesses, especially S corporations and limited liability companies, will flock across the border. “You go into Kansas City and you stand on State Line Road, right in the heart of the metro area,” he says, and watch businesses jump from the Missouri side to Kansas. “The doctors are going to move. The lawyers are going to move. It will be a little harder for manufacturing to move, but they’ll move too. There will be a cloud of dust at the Missouri-Kansas border.” No surprise: Mr. Sinquefield bankrolled-he won’t say how much-a group called Kansans for No Income Tax that helped get the law passed…..

Unbelievably brilliant.

Missouri is next.

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C071362 01/24/2015 CITIZENS FOR STEVE STENGER Drury Development Corporation 721 Emerson Rd., Ste. 200 St Louis MO 63141 1/24/2015 $7,500.00

[emphasis added]

C061248 01/24/2015 FRIENDS OF RICK STREAM Dempsey for Missouri Two Westbury Drive St Charles MO 63301 10/25/2014 $7,500.00

[emphasis added]

The St. Louis County Executive race is a thing of the past. Rick Stream (r) is now running for the seat in the 15th Senate District in 2016.

Meanwhile, it’s been a good month for St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger (D):

C071362 01/13/2015 CITIZENS FOR STEVE STENGER The Devereux Company 9216 Clayton Rd. Ste. 105 St Louis MO 63124 1/12/2015 $15,000.00

C071362 01/16/2015 CITIZENS FOR STEVE STENGER UA Political Education Committee Three Park Place Annapolis MD 21401 1/16/2015 $50,000.00

C071362 01/20/2015 CITIZENS FOR STEVE STENGER Mallard LLC P.O. Box 9173 St Louis MO 63117 1/20/2015 $15,000.00

[emphasis added]

Perpetual campaign fundraising.