Yeah, yeah, we know, we didn't get any photos in the Senate.
Representative Beth Low (D-39) speaking against ant-choice legislation for the "millionth time".
Representative Low did not file for re-election and will not return to the House. Instead, she has taken a position as director of the Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition.
The ubiquitous right wingnut anti-choice bill, with the usual results.
A typical end of session scene on a representative's desk on the floor of the House.
I drove an hour and a half through steady rain and arrived at the Capitol a little after 9:15 a.m. I made my way to the House Communications Office and checked in with the director. Shortly before the start of the day's session he escorted me to one of the side galleries on the floor and later introduced me to one of the doorkeepers. I set up my camera on a tripod and then watched and photographed the proceedings.
Representative Luke Scavuzzo (D-124) (center, seated) in conversation on the House floor while other representatives (standing in the background) wait to be recognized by the Speaker.
Over the course of the day I was able to have a number of brief conversations with representatives and longer conversations with others. At this point in the session votes can come fast and furious. There is a constant hubbub of conversation and activity taking place barely below the debate and action on the floor.
Representative Mary Still (D-25) (center, standing at microphone) in debate on the "sexually oriented businesses" bill - HCS SS SCS SBs 586 & 617.
HCS SS SCS SBs 586 & 617 [pdf] on "sexually oriented businesses" was originally sponsored by Senator Matt Bartle (r). A earlier iteration of this bill in a previous session was killed in a House committee and those circumstances have been the subject of a federal investigation and grand jury.
The tally on one of several votes on the "sexually oriented businesses" bill - HCS SS SCS SBs 586 & 617.
Curiously, during today's proceedings (and reportedly during yesterday's, too), debate on the "sexually oriented businesses" bill was not subjected to a previous question vote (a parliamentary procedure designed to end debate and move to a vote) as quickly as other bills.
Speaker Ron Richard on the dais (center, right) and Minority Leader Paul LeVota (D-52) on the floor (right, standing). The press gallery is directly above the dais.
Representative Jason Kander (D), via Twitter, on the state of ethics reform legislation today in Jefferson City:
I'm in House Rules committee where they are finally discussing the ethics bill. Will they send it to the floor? about 4 hours ago via Echofon
Delaying a bipartisan ethics bill to make it partisan is exactly the kind of politics I hoped to avoid this year. about 4 hours ago via Echofon
Rules cmmte is ground zero for the "cold feet" illness sweeping the Capitol. Ethics reform heads back to cmmte. Absurd. about 4 hours ago via Echofon
Despite obstacles such as today, we've gotten pretty far on ethics reform. Redoubling my efforts in the last 3 wks of session. about 1 hour ago via HootSuite
Tony Messenger of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, via Twitter:
According to @jasonkander, House rules committee sent ethics bill back to its House committee. Doesn about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck
Ah, those little devils in the House, they do keep themselves busy. Wednesday, for example, they discussed at length whether or not to allow bingo 15 times a year instead of four and relieve churches of a small tax on each bingo card. Some Republicans were outraged at doing anything to expand gambling in our state. I've got my own reservations about gambling, but considering the hundreds of millions in moolah that casinos take in, to be shocked over giving bingo a break is akin to fretting about an ant wandering into a house that's collapsing from termite damage.
It's hardly surprising--typical, actually--that the floor was half to two-thirds full at any given time and that some of the reps were even listening to those speaking at the mikes.
Still in the category of irrelevant and still playing to the base, but with a whisper of "cruel and unusual" to my way of thinking, was the vote to imprison for ten to thirty years any sex offender who fails three times to register. Obligatory caveat: I'm not proposing to coddle sex offenders. But ten to thirty years? Aren't some of the offenders guilty only of statutory rape (consensual sex with someone under 18), and don't they face harassment once they've registered? Others are true predators. This bill bludgeons all of them with a ten to thirty year club.
...Just have to add that what is the point to this? Are they concerned the Missouri Democratic Party is too leftwing, and so concerned that they have to yell out loud, "Those people are unserious leftists, but we are very serious people who people can trust?"?
According to Republican State Rep. Bryan Stevenson, the proposed pro-choice "Freedom of Choice Act" is the biggest federal power grab since the "War of Northern Aggression."
Our previous coverage of the business relationship between Representative Steve Tilley (r - 106), the republican Majority Floor Leader in the Missouri House, and lobbyist Travis Brown:
There are a number of threads connecting many people. Travis Brown is associated with Pelopidas, LLC. There are several other individuals who are also listed as participating in lobbying activities on their web site.
Again, the Missouri Ethics Commission has a convenient online place to look through fillings like a "Lobbyist Monthly Expenditure Report":
Our previous coverage of the business relationship between Representative Steve Tilley (r - 106), the republican Majority Floor Leader in the Missouri House, and lobbyist Travis Brown:
Report of activities for the month of February 2008...
...Electronically submitted by Travis Brown, on 3/10/2008 1:11:25 PM...
...INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES
Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children...
...GROUP EXPENDITURES
Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of a group of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children, on any single occasion...
...PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES
All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears...
...PELOPIDAS, LLC
912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 207
COLUMBIA MO 65201
XXX-XXX-XXXX $160.00
[emphasis added]
All of the reports from 2008 now include this:
...BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS
Direct business relationships, association or partnership with any public official during the reporting period.
Public Official Description Time Period Relationship Existed
Rep. Steve Tilley Co-owner, Mid Missouri Aviation, LLC, general purpose: general aviation, private travel Since 12/12/2006...
It's a long slog, but we'll go through the monthly reports.
A "Lobbyist Monthly Expenditure Report" for November 2008 which was "Electronically submitted by Travis Brown, on 12/9/2008 7:56:18 PM" with the Missouri Ethics Commission:
...Lobbyist Name: Travis Brown
Address: 912 East Broadway, Suite 207
Columbia, MO 65201...
...BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS Direct business relationships, association or partnership with any public official during the reporting period.
Public Official Description Time Period Relationship Existed Rep. Steve Tilley Co-owner, Mid-Missouri Aviation, LLC, general purpose: general aviation, private travel Since 12/12/2006...
...PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears.
Principal Name, Address and Phone Number Amount
PELOPIDAS, LLC
912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 207
COLUMBIA MO 65201
XXX-XXX-XXXX $88.00
REX AND JEANNE SINQUEFIELD
XXXXX
ST. LOUIS MO 63108
XXX-XXX-XXXX $4,569.11
THE BROWN LOBBY FIRM, LLC
912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 208
COLUMBIA MO 65201
XXX-XXX-XXXX $150.00
Note the mailing addresses of the first and third entities.
Let's take a look at a few businesses registered in Missouri:
Representative Jason Kander (D - 44) gets cut back by the Speaker:
For Immediate Release
Republican Speaker Blocks Freshman Representative's Appointment to Powerful Committee
Democrat Jason Kander chooses to view extraordinary step as compliment
Jefferson City - In a late-night meeting between Republican and Democratic senior staff, Speaker Ron Richard's office characterized Rep. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City), an attorney and Afghanistan veteran, as a "political problem" for the Republicans. Accordingly, the Speaker took the extraordinary step of blocking Kander's appointment to the powerful professional licensing and registration committee.
A select few other Democratic appointments were blocked, but only Kander did not receive another appointment as a consolation prize. While a handful of senior members in leadership positions have fewer committee assignments, the over 150 rank-and-file members of the House all serve on a minimum of three committees. Kander, who was sworn in less than two weeks ago, is the only rank-and-file member of either party that the Speaker has limited to just two committees.
The professional registration committee oversees the regulation of a variety of professions ranging from insurance agents to physicians. Kander remains on the Homeland Security Committee and the high-profile Budget Committee.
"I think it says a tremendous amount about the strength of young Democrats when the Speaker of the House is going out of his way to play defense against one of our freshmen," said House Minority Leader Rep. Paul LeVota (D-Independence). "Despite the Speaker's best efforts, Representative Kander is going to be an extremely effective member of this body."
"I came here to champion the economic agenda that gave Governor Nixon a twenty point victory, so this presents an obstacle," said Kander, "but I've decided to take the advice of senior members and view this as a roundabout vote of confidence from the Republican leadership."
But Kander is unlikely to have difficulty filling his day, as he has political duties to tend to outside the Capitol. After his election, Rep. LeVota appointed him to the House Democratic Campaign Committee and his peers in the freshman class elected him to the executive committee of the Freshman Democratic Caucus.
"Jason's efforts this last election cycle have made his work ethic legendary," said Rep. Mike Talboy, chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee. "It's no surprise to me that the Speaker is worried about him."
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