At the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C031159 03/13/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Western Missouri and Kansas Laborers’ District Council PAC 8500 Ward Parkway Suite 300 Kansas City MO 64114 3/11/2014 $10,000.00

C031159 03/16/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Pharmacy Services, Inc. 212 Millwell Drive Suite A Maryland Heights MO 63043 3/14/2014 $10,000.00

C031159 03/21/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Iron Workers Local No. 10 PAC 1000 E. 10th Street Kansas City MO 64106 3/19/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Round numbers.

Previously: Campaign Finance: Because the Constitution Party candidate is an existential threat? (March 21, 2014)

Someone else filed for State Auditor yesterday:

State Auditor

Republican

Name Mailing Address Random Number Date Filed

Tom Schweich 7144 WYDOWN BLVD ST LOUIS MO 63105 531 2/25/2014 10:41 a.m.

Constitution

Name Mailing Address Random Number Date Filed

Rodney Farthing 3127 HIGHWAY K SALEM MO 65560 3/20/2014 11:08 a.m.

Also yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 03/20/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Friends of Tilley 100 S Jackson Perryville MO 63775 3/19/2014 $10,000.00

Dueling ex-Speakers, eh?

…in $10,000.00 increments.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141055 03/14/2014 HANAWAY FOR GOVERNOR Dempsey for Missouri 3103 Buckskin Path St Charles MO 63301 3/13/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Oh, wait, did we say grassroots establishment?

It appears that Senator Tom Dempsey (r), who is term limited, has an interest in a statewide run in 2016, just not for governor:

C061726: Dempsey For Missouri

Two Westbury Drive Committee Type: Candidate

St Charles Mo 63301 Party Affiliation: Republican

[….] Established Date: 12/29/2006

  Termination Date:

[….]

Election History

Election Year Primary Outcome General Outcome Political Office

2016 Statewide Office

[….]

[emphasis added]

Tea, anyone?

Previously:

Campaign Finance: stocking up (February 21, 2014)

Hanaway’s Heavy Load (February 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Synchronicity! (February 17, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Catherine Hanaway (r) isn’t really an option?  (February 16, 2014)

Catherine Hanaway (r) is running for Governor in 2016  (February 8, 2014)

…and then someone will write the same amount to my campaign. You can bet on it.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: stocking up (February 21, 2014)

…$10,000.00 appears to be the new standard…

HB 1955: a modest proposal (February 21, 2014)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 02/22/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Jeff Fox 26 W Brentmoor St Louis MO 63105 Harbour Group CEO 2/22/2014 $10,000.00

C031159 02/22/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER David Johnson 104 Armour Road North Kansas City MO 64116 Maxus Properties Chairman 2/20/2014 $10,000.00

What will some people do if we get campaign contribution limits and they can’t write $10,000.00 checks? Nah, it’ll never happen.

This past week, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 02/14/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Thirty & 141 LP 9109 Watson Rd Suite 400 St Louis MO 63126 2/13/2014 $5,100.00

[emphasis added]

C031159 02/16/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER RightCHOICE Managed Care, Inc. PO Box 68086 Cincinnati OH 45206 2/14/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Are they trying to tell us something?

Previously:

Catherine Hanaway (r) is running for Governor in 2016 (February 8, 2014)

That’s okay, we’re held together with spit, baling wire, and duct tape (June 11, 2013)

This evening, via Twitter:

GaryHarris-SaraWalsh ‏@MoGOP19

Catherine Hanaway announces run 4 Governor in 2016 @ Moniteau Co Republican Club’s Lincoln Day dinner 2nite [….] 5:18 PM – 8 Feb 2014

Catherine Hanaway (r) was a member of the Missouri House, Speaker of the House, and a U.S. Attorney. She ran for Missouri Secretary of State in 2004, losing to Robin Carnahan (D):

Official Election Returns

State of Missouri General Election

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

As announced by the Board of State Canvassers

on Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Secretary Of State   Precincts Reporting 3920 of 3920

  Carnahan, Robin DEM 1,367,783 51.1%

  Hanaway, Catherine L. REP 1,243,003 46.4%

  Davis, Christopher LIB 51,964 1.9%

  Ivanovich, Donna CST 15,576 .6%

Total Votes   2,678,326

[emphasis added]

That republican primary is going to be really interesting to watch. Their base will make it so. I recommend investing in popcorn futures.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 01/24/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Rudolph Farber 100 North Wood St Neosho MO 64850 Community Bank & Trust Chairman 1/24/2014 $6,000.00

C111150 01/24/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Peter Herschend 538 Oak Bluff Road Branson MO 65616 Herschend Family Entertainment Inc. Co-owner 1/24/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Previously: Campaign Finance: yeah, whatever (January 24, 2014)

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 01/23/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH James McDonnell III 40 Glen Eagle Dr. Saint Louis MO 63124 Retired 1/22/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

You were expecting something else?

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 01/14/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Sam Fox 7701 Forsyth Blvd Suite 600 St Louis MO 63105 Harbour Group Owner 1/14/2014 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

Well, well, well, is this a new standard? Just asking

The second regular session of the 97th General Assembly commenced at noon today in Jefferson City.

Architectural detail in the Missouri capitol building.

Expectations for any legislative accomplishment or any significant bipartisan agreement during this session have already been low.

Representative Chris Kelly (D) – the first member on the floor before the start of the session.

Speaker Timothy Jones (r) partisan remarks to the House pretty much insured that there’s not going to be any progress on legislation on a number of issues. Medicaid anyone?  

Speaker Timothy Jones (r) addressing the House.

State Auditor Tom Schweich (r) watches the proceedings in the House from a side gallery.

Representative Jill Schupp (D).

Rep. Vicki Englund (D).

Representative Chris Kelly (D).

“The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law” – noble sentiment, rarely accomplished.

And definitely not in this session of the General Assembly.

The mood throughout the day could only be described as subdued.

A detail from the Thomas Hart Benton painting in the House Lounge.