Hillary and Bill Clinton in Indianola, Iowa [September 2014 file photo].

President Obama is now on Twitter. He received an interesting inquiry:

Bill Clinton ‏@billclinton

Welcome to @Twitter, @POTUS! One question: Does that username stay with the office? #askingforafriend 2:57 PM – 18 May 2015

Heh.

And a response:

President Obama @POTUS

Good question, @billclinton. The handle comes with the house. Know anyone interested in @FLOTUS? 4:07 PM – 18 May 2015

Heh.

Right wingnut heads explode across America in three, two, one…

Over the weekend Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill got some attention for a comment she made in a New York Times article which implied that when it came to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade treaty, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) was some kind of outsize ego who was vocally fighting the treaty only for the attention:

“She has sought the spotlight the most,” said Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat of Missouri. “I’m as confused as you are,” she added, when asked why Ms. Warren had emerged as a central player on the trade issue. For example, she said: “No one has worked harder on these issues over the years than Sherrod Brown. But I remember what my father told me when I got into politics: ‘Remember what you’re doing is not always fair.’ “

McCaskill probably made more news when she made a backhanded attempt to distance herself from the remarks, tweeting:

We all seek attention (including me!) in Washington. Elizabeth Warren deserves it. She is strong, smart, and focused,

8:07 AM – 16 May 2015

You’ve probably noticed that this much-publicized “backtracking” carefully avoided an actual apology, but instead subtly doubled down on the original insult with an airy “we all do it.” It’s not surprising that the Times chose McCaskill’s comment to underline its article which seems to have been designed to undercut Warren’s opposition to the TPP. The subtext of the article was that Warren was resorting to what the Times reporter, Jennifer Steinhauer, represented as  Warren’s reliance on opportunistic media-mongering in an effort to horn in and steal the glory from more legitimate foes of the treaty:

Yet away from the Capitol, it is all Elizabeth Warren. Her public relations strategy has been textbook Warren: near exclusive use of liberal news media outlets like Rachel Maddow of MSNBC as receptive sounding boards for her ideas, appearances at academic forums and liberal think tanks, and a narrow focus on her favorite targets – in this case, her concerns that the bill would fray signature financial regulations.

Echoes of President Obama, perhaps, who doesn’t want us to forget that Senator Warren is, after all, a “politician like everybody else.” Add in the Times article and Senator McCaskill’s ironic effort to get in on the show, and it all begins to sound like a put-up job, an effort by proponents of the TPP to undermine one of the most effective spokesmen against it – not to mention one of the best advocates of the progressive vision that so scares cautious politicians like Claire McCaskill. The article also implies that the meticulous Warren is more noise than substance and compares her to the worst of Republican ideologues.

Steinhauer, in a nodd to “fair” journalism, does admit, sotto voce, that Warren does actually have a dog in the fight, given her fears that the TPP could work against hard-won advances in financial regulation. Steinhauer, however, attempts to cast this concern as somehow self-interested, a “narrow focus on her favorite targets,” an implication that is demonstrably incorrect. Just today, for example, Warren’s staff released a report that exhaustively documents the consistent failure to enforce provisions in past treaties designed to protect workers and environment.

We know, politics is a nasty game – or so we are assured by folks who are busy cleaning the slime off their hands – and McCaskill is one of the fourteen Senators who are supporting the TPP. That explains why she might be willing to undermine Warren. But how to explain the mean girl tone? Why is she so willing to cooperate with folks who rather clearly hope to undermine Warren as a progressive spokesman, “a thorn” in the president’s side?

Is McCaskill just helping with the President’s dirty work? Or could it have something to do with the fact that probably nobody in the Democratic party would ever try to draft McCaskill to run for President – an honor accorded to Warren in her first term? McCaskill has charted a careful course, taken few risks. Do you think she expects to be rewarded for surviving Missouri’s admittedly hellacious political climate by turning her back on some of the most important progressive issues? Do you think maybe she resents just a little the adulation that the brilliant, charismatic Warren has garnered in so short a time? If so, I’ve got some news for McCaskill: leaders take risks, lesser people take pot-shots.  

Speaker Pro Tem Denny Hoskins (r) [January 2014 file photo].

Speaker Pro Tem Denny Hoskins (r) sent out his constituent legislative update this morning. He ended it with a comment about the last week:

[….]

House Elects a New Speaker

Immediately upon convening on Friday, Speaker of the House John Diehl resigned his position and the body unanimously elected Representative Todd Richardson Speaker of the House.  Following a front-page story, the House GOP caucus determined that we would accept the choice of Speaker Diehl to resign his leadership position and his seat.  Speaker Richardson will be a wonderful leader and I look forward to serving with him.

Uh, did he say the front page story was the reason for accepting the resignation? Or was it the inappropriate behavior? Just asking.

Previously:

Ruh, roh… (May 13, 2015)

What? We’re all what? May 13, 2014)

A big Diehl in Jefferson City (May 14, 2015)

No Diehl in Jefferson City (May 14, 2015)

A new leaf? (May 15, 2015)

John Diehl’s precipitous retirement (May 15, 2015)

“…Cooperating doesn’t mean compromising on your principles. And when the General Assembly passes legislation that would take our state backwards, like they did this past week, I won’t hesitate to use my veto pen to protect the interests of the people of Missouri.

I’ll lay out my objections in greater detail in my veto message, but it’s clear that attacking workers and threatening businesses is the wrong economic development strategy for our state and it’s not what Missourians sent us here to do…”

Governor Jay Nixon [June 2014 file photo].

From Governor Jay Nixon’s office:

Remarks by Gov. Nixon regarding the 98th General Assembly

May 15, 2015

Jefferson City, MO

Below are the prepared remarks given by Gov. Jay Nixon upon the adjournment of the 98th General Assembly:

Good afternoon and thanks for being here. I know many of you have had some long days this week so I’ll have just a few comments and then be glad to take any questions.

First I want to congratulate Representative Todd Richardson, a well-respected and talented legislator, on his election as Speaker of the Missouri House. I spoke to Todd last night and told him that I was committed to working with him next session to restore trust and move the state forward.

Earlier this year, at the beginning of session, I talked about the values we share as Missourians… and encouraged the General Assembly to rise above partisanship… and do the right thing by the working families of our state.

Because we’re all here for the same purpose: to represent the people of Missouri – folks who are working hard to make ends meet, provide for their families, and build a brighter future for their children.

And during this session, we were able to reach across aisle to get things done on a host of important issues:

   I’m eager to review the legislature’s bill to reform municipal courts – a top priority I called for in my State of the State address.

   We also took steps to strengthen our agriculture industry with a bill to help dairy farmers and encourage more young people to pursue careers in agriculture.

   Last week I signed legislation restoring caps on noneconomic damages against health providers – a reasonable, bipartisan solution to a long-standing and vexing challenge.

   The bonding package is another example of bipartisan progress. Everyone understands the critical role of higher education in maintaining our competitiveness in a global economy, and giving our students the skills they need for the jobs of the future.

   So last year, after the legislature passed additional bonding capacity, we reached out to legislators and higher education institutions around the state to chart a path forward.

   Our public colleges and universities identified their top priorities for bringing their higher education facilities up to the level our students deserve.  Six months later, that bill is on my desk – and it’s going to create thousands of good jobs in every corner of the state, while strengthening Missouri’s position as a leader in college affordability and quality.

   On the budget, again – there was more agreement than disagreement. From providing record funding for K-12 education, to investing in small businesses – the legislature passed the budget on time and answered my call for smart, strategic investments that will pay dividends for years to come.

   For example, the budget includes the spending authority needed for us to continue moving forward on a new Fulton State Hospital – replacing one that opened in 1851. I called for it… the legislature passed it… and in a couple weeks we’ll be breaking ground on that new state-of-the-art facility.

   I also want to thank the Senate for upholding my veto of a bill that would have unfairly denied working people the unemployment insurance benefits they’ve earned in the workplace.

But make no mistake, we don’t always agree.

Cooperating doesn’t mean compromising on your principles. And when the General Assembly passes legislation that would take our state backwards, like they did this past week, I won’t hesitate to use my veto pen to protect the interests of the people of Missouri.

The bill to make Missouri a so-called “Right-to-Work” state would stifle our economic growth, weaken the middle class – and even subject Missouri employers to criminal and unlimited civil liability.  

I’ll lay out my objections in greater detail in my veto message, but it’s clear that attacking workers and threatening businesses is the wrong economic development strategy for our state and it’s not what Missourians sent us here to do.

The legislature also left some major unfinished business that, for the good of our state, must be addressed when they return next year. That includes giving working people access to affordable health care, funding our roads and bridges, updating the state statute governing deadly force to be consistent with constitutional requirements and U. S. Supreme Court precedent, and finally reforming our ethics laws.

Now before I take questions, I want to talk briefly about the events of the past week.

The State Capitol should represent the best of Missouri….. a place where public servants carry out the people’s business transparently and ethically… and where young women and men can learn how their government works without fear of harassment, intimidation or other inappropriate conduct.

Now, there are many good people in this building, upstanding individuals who are here to serve the public interest.

But sadly, the past week has been a jarring reminder of what happens when people lose sight of what they’re here to do – and who they’re here to serve.

Now that the session has come to a close, members of the General Assembly face a choice – of whether the past few days will simply reinforce the low expectations many Missourians already have for the legislative process, or whether these events will serve as a wakeup call to do better and act in ways that will make Missourians proud.

That’s why I hope that, as they return to their districts this summer, members go home and get some perspective.  Spend time with their families… talk with their constituents… and recommit themselves to values that called them to public service and the people they’re here to represent.

Not lobbyists and special interests… but ordinary Missourians who work hard… go to church… and look out for their neighbors.

The autoworker on the line in Claycomo…The student working his way through school in Kirksville… The veteran starting her own business in St. Louis.

We’re here to deliver on their priorities: balanced budgets… good-paying jobs… quality schools… strong, inclusive communities…. and a government that reflects the highest ethical and moral standards.

Those are the priorities I’ve fought for as Governor over the last six years, and they’re the priorities I’ll continue to fight for in the months and years ahead.

Uh, yep, there will be a veto.

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) via Twitter yesterday:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler @RepHartzler

#Cow Highway in our pasture this morning. So interesting how they walk in a line and make trails. [….] 9:08 AM – 16 May 2015

A video of yesterday’s House Democratic Caucus end of session press conference provided by the Missouri House Communications Office:

The transcript:

Representative Jacob Hummel (D), House Minority Leader: Um, you know, we’ve had, uh, we have now historic Republican super majorities and historic dysfunction. Um, it’s been a rough couple of days, um, some personal failings on the part of the Speaker [John Diehl]. Um, you know, I think he did the right thing. He needed to go. He went. I look forward to working with, uh, Speaker Richardson. Um, I think he’s a man of integrity and, uh, hopefully we can work together on some issues in the future and actually get some good things accomplished for the State of Missouri.

Um, I think that we’ve seen that the majority seems to have an agenda of cruelty, uh, towards poor people, poor children especially, um, we’ve eliminated local control, uh, we’ve hurt working families with right to work, we’ve cut unemployment benefits to the lowest in any state in the nation, uh, we’ve failed again to expand Medicaid, we’ve left billions of dollars on the table, we have still yet again failed to pass any type of ethics reform, um, we have failed to properly address Ferguson, Uh, we did pass Senate Bill 5 which made some important and, uh, needed reforms but by treating St. Louis County differently, uh, we’ve put the constitutionality of the bill into question.  Um, once again, we’ve also failed to pass a clean [school] transfer fix. All we’ve actually passed is an expansion of charter schools.  Um, that’s actually all I can think of that’s been done. So, happy to take any questions.

Question: With the deadly force bill there seems there’s some disagreement  in the Democratic caucus about what it would actually address in the issue of deadly force by police officers. Do you think that was a needed change that needed to happen this session?

Representative Hummel (D): Um, I think that public perception is that change needed to happen. Absolutely.

Question: Was that language sufficient?

Representative Hummel (D): I don’t know that it was sufficient, but it was a step in the right direction.

Question: You mentioned ethics reform did not get passed. Um, how serious was the effort to pass that [inaudible]?

Representative Hummel (D): Uh, I believe what I told, uh, a few reporters, uh, a couple of weeks ago that was, that both sides would probably blame the other side for not getting the bill done. I’ve proven that I was absolutely correct in my prediction that they would pretend to get something done and then never actually get anything done.

Question: Also, uh, Speaker Richardson says that some of his caucus have said they want to look at rules regarding interns for anything that can be done with the situation with the former Speaker.

Representative Hummel (D): Sure. Absolutely.

Question: Uh, do you have a plan on that, or what are you gonna [crosstalk]?

Representative Hummel (D): Actually, we talked about that, uh, obviously, over the last few days.  And, uh, I appreciate Speaker, Speaker Richardson saying that. Um, and I look forward to working with him on that over the interim. And hopefully we can do a joint committee. I know that on both sides of the aisle this is a bipartisan issue that needs to be fixed and I look forward to working with him on that.

Question: Speaker Richardson said that he wanted new, uh, a revised policy in place by the time the legislature comes back in January. So, most likely I’m assuming that’s gonna by something you’re gonna be working on throughout the summer.

Representative Hummel (D): Yeah, that, that’s our hope and, and I plan on, uh, getting with him shortly to, uh, see what we can do to work together.

Question: To those thousands that were protesting in Ferguson, um, what do you say to them about a legislature that did not deal with the specific issue that they were raising of police shooting [inaudible] black man?

Representative Hummel (D): I think that the legislature failed them.

Question: And what can the legislature, what can you guys do to prevent that failure next year?

Representative Hummel (D): Well, for one, we could get some of our bills referred to committee. Um, we could get some of the bills heard, some of them actually voted on. Brandon, [Representative] Brandon Ellengton, uh, representative from Kansas City, is chair of the Black Caucus. Brandon, would you like to address that?

Representative Brandon Ellington (D):  Yeah, hopefully next year with our new Speaker we can actually work on some of these bills. Uh, we had over sixty bills that was related to police, uh, uh, police misconduct or, or police reform. None of those bills made it out of committee. Uh, the last Speaker that was here said we would not have a Ferguson agenda and he guaranteed that none of the bills moved out of the committee. Uh, so I look forward to actually working with, uh, uh, Speaker Richardson to address these issues. But like, uh, the Minority Leader said, we have to get these bills moved. And currently the way the system is set up it’s all on the majority to make sure our bills can move or they can kill our bills.

Question:  [inaudible] You had another, uh, part of a bridge close in, uh, Kansas City just recently.  Uh, what will it take for the legislature to pass something transportation related? And what can be done?

Representative Hummel (D):  I think, well, I, I think that we were actually moving in a direction, um, I, I think there was Senator Schaaf (r) I believe and a few others that were filibustering that in the Senate.  I don’t think there’s any question that something needs to be done. Um, what that level is I don’t know. Um, I would have voted for the gas tax increase. I think that was the responsible thing to do. Uh, I mean, certainly I think some people would be willing to look at toll roads. Uh, there has to be some combination of funding, um, we just are not going to be able to maintain, uh, the roadways that we have.

Question:  Does the Governor have any responsibility for coming up with a proposal, a comprehensive proposal?

Representative Hummel (D): You know, it’s, I, I can’t speak for the Governor but it was my understanding that, that, uh, a deal, or compromise was reached, after that debate, after that filibuster and because of what happened with right to work in the Senate, uh, the Senate imploded, um, which they knew was going to happen. Uh, I know that, uh, Leader, uh, Richards said that that was his agenda and that was more important so I guess he got his way. Um, and as a result Missouri is not able to fund their roadways.

[crosstalk]

Question:  Well, that bill was a tenth of what the Transportation Department says it needs. Who’s responsible for coming up with a half a billion dollar or more total transportation package that the department says it needs or roads continue to crumble, bridges continue to be closed?

Representative Hummel (D):  Obviously it’s the legislature’s job to, to enact that change.

Question:  Are the  Democrats gonna come up with a plan for the next session?

Representative Hummel (D):  I would raise the gas tax.

Question:  Well, back in two thousand eight the Governor flatly said he wasn’t gonna raise taxes. And he talked in two thousand twelve about how he didn’t raise taxes [Representative Hummel (D): “Okay.”] and then in two thousand fourteen he didn’t support the sales tax hike. So, doesn’t the Governor bear a little bit of responsibility by painting himself in a corner like a year before he’s leaving office instead of like before the crisis occurred?

Representative Hummel (D):  I mean, I, I can’t speak for the Governor. I think, uh, I think at least right now he seems to be, uh, in favor of some type of gas tax hike, um, or at least some combination of, of fix. So, I, I think he’s at least moving in the right direction now. I can’t speak for his previous, uh, previous stances, but, uh, I mean, at the same time, let’s be honest, the legislature creates the legislation. We file the bills. Nothing’s been done.

Question:  What is your reaction to the House basically stripping off provisions they did not like in bills they passed today because of the Senate’s inaction?

Representative Hummel (D):  Well, I mean, I don’t believe that they stripped them off because they didn’t like them. I think they stripped them off because they had no [crosstalk], because they had no other choice. Um, I think that you can ask, uh, Senator  [Ron] Richard. It was his idea, he decided that that one piece of legislation that he knows is not going to become law, uh, would destroy the Senate. He was right and he got what he wanted. Blame lies at his feet.

Question:  Can the Senate in your opinion, um, take up the veto override of the unemployment comp bill that the House overrode?

Representative Hummel (D):  No, I don’t think they can.

Question:  Missouri state workers have been asking for a pay raise for years. Uh, you guys have mentioned you’ve had a plan but haven’t given details.  Do you have any plans on that?

Representative Hummel (D):  Well, I think next year we’ve, a, a few of us have talked, uh, and we plan to file legislation to increase worker pay. Um, there’s, every year we hear of, there’s going to be a different study, there’s going to be a different study. Missouri workers are the lowest paid in the state, in this country. Um, we need to move the needle. We’ll look at, we will be filing legislation next year to address that.

Okay. Thank you. Thanks everybody. Thanks for a good session.

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission for John Brunner’s (r) exploratory gubernatorial campaign:

C151077 05/15/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR JOHN BRUNNER Carl Tiedt 3735 E Eaglescliffe Dr Springfield MO 65809 Retired 5/15/2015 $5,200.00

[emphasis added]

In a little over six weeks:

C151077: Missourians For John Brunner

Po Box 144 Committee Type: Exploratory

Jefferson City Mo 65102

[….] Established Date: 04/02/2015

  Termination Date:

Electronic Reports        

2015

24 or 48 Hour Contribution Notices

ID Report Date Filed

10727 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 05/15/2015

10718 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 05/13/2015

10717 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 05/13/2015

10681 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/24/2015

10671 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/22/2015

10668 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/21/2015

10658 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/19/2015

10657 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/18/2015

10647 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/15/2015

10629 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/11/2015

10628 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/10/2015

10623 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/09/2015

10620 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/08/2015

10610 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/07/2015

10549 48 Hour Report of Contribution Received Over $5000 04/02/2015

[emphasis added]

Previously:

Campaign Finance: You were expecting anything other than $5,001.00? (April 24, 2015)

John Brunner (r): something or another (April 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: It’s a good thing yesterday was a slow news day… (May 14, 2015)

Brad Bradshaw’s (D) 2016 Lieutenant Governor campaign continues to steadily rack up the contributions. Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141569 05/15/2015 BRADSHAW FOR MISSOURI The Simon Law Firm, P.C. 800 Market Street, Suite 1700 St Louis MO 63101 5/15/2015 $5,500.00

C141569 05/15/2015 BRADSHAW FOR MISSOURI Holman Schiavone, LLC 4600 Madison, Suite 810 Kansas City MO 64112 5/15/2015 $5,005.00

[emphasis added]

Previously:

Campaign Finance: branching out (May 12, 2015)

Campaign Finance: branching out – part 2 (May 15, 2015)

Spotted on a vehicle.

Wellstone is my co-pilot.

The Speaker of the Missouri House, John Diehl (R-89), just resigned. He seems to have been carrying on an affair with a nineteen year old student intern and he rather stupidly let his id override common sense when it came to exchanging salacious tweets that have now been made public. Is anyone really surprised? It’s an old story. Diehl is far from the first politician to let his exaggerated sense of self-importance fog his brain when it came to exercising what must have seemed like a perquisite of office, especially given the otherwise anything goes culture of the Missouri GOP.

But as gratifying as it is to see a hypocrite exposed, nobody is claiming that the young woman was coerced by Diehl. Politicians, no matter how personally unappealing, seem to have their groupies too – power, they say, is a potent aphrodisiac and Diehl was a big poohbah in the little Missouri political tent. No matter what  you think about it, since it doesn’t rise to the level of illegality, what Diehl did was his own business. It only concerns him, his family and the intern. When Bill Clinton’s intern came to light, I said the same thing and I’m not going to change my tune now.

Don’t get me wrong. From an aesthetic point of view Diehl’s behavior seems seriously sad and creepy. There’s also the hypocrisy factor which probably justifies some of the outcry. Diehl is, as you might have guessed, one of those GOP “family values” types with a particularly strong enthusiasm for anti-gay panders:

Earlier this year, Diehl and the president pro-tempore of the state Senate filed an amicus brief in defense of the state’s anti-gay-marriage amendment, leading the Missouri Family Policy Council, the state affiliate of the Family Research Council, to praise the speaker “for demonstrating moral leadership and true integrity in standing up for the sacred institution of marriage and the family values of the people of Missouri.” The state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention thanked him for “fighting to defend biblical marriage.”

Seems a bit ironic now. Diehl has also pushed abortion restrictions during his tenure, co-sponsored a 2012 bill prohibiting Gay-Straight Alliances in public schools, and tried to restrict the availability of birth control insurance coverage for those whose employers want to claim religious privilege to defy the law.

All in all, Diehl’s pose as a thorough-going, rightwing Christian warrior makes his dirty old man routine especially revolting. But he’s got lots of company in the GOP in recent years. And many of these Christian sinners have continued to be re-elected – does the name David Vitter ring a bell – by constituents who evidently care more about what politicians do in office than when they go home. Correctly, I think.

Nevertheless, I have to admit that I’m enjoying the public way that the chickens have come home to roost for Rep. Diehl and I’ll be more than glad to see the back of him. But it isn’t because of his sleazy sexual behavior. When it comes to official malfeasance, there are far more serious charges to level against Diehl in his role as leader and enabler for the legislative GOP in Missouri. We mustn’t fail to give him a double-sized helping of credit for:

— 700 Missourians who will die unnecessarily every year because of the failure of the GOPers in Jefferson City to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid.

—  6,300 of Missouri’s poorest children who will loose welfare benefits.

— Putting legal guns in felons’ hands. Along with everybody else’s.

— Underfunding education. Yet again.

— Decimating social service agencies’ funding and then blaming the agencies for the resulting dysfunction.

— Refusing to fund crucial infrastructure needs. While bridges face collapse and highway repair needs are triaged.

— Beggaring the state to give tax cuts to the wealthy, who shovel the excess back into campaign coffers by the handfuls. In Missouri those greenbacks don’t just exercise their free speech rights, they shout.

— Pushing through Right-to-Work-For-Less legislation – a big wet kiss on ALEC’s corporate backside and and kick in the face to Missouri’s working middle class.

There’s more, of course. And I didn’t even touch on Diehl’s behind the scenes embrace of the corruption that runs rampant in Jefferson City. Thanks to Diehl and his like-minded cronies in the statehouse, Missourians might just as well give up and accept the coming blight. And as long as public  immorality is defined in terms of private sexual behavior rather than in terms of public corruption and indifference to the needs of the state’s citizens, we’re not likely to see much difference, no matter which on-the-make GOP clone takes Diehl’s place. But it does do a body good to see one of the malefactors frogmarched, metaphorically speaking, out of office.

* Edited slightly for clarity’ three links added.