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Early in the Missouri Senate race, it’s all about debates for Republican Hawley

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The Republican challenger in the Missouri U.S. Senate race continues to try and gain the upper hand in the contest by pressing for debates.

Josh Hawley came out of the gate last Tuesday after securing the GOP nomination with prepared remarks challenging Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill to debates “anytime, anywhere.”

At the time, he said he would be driving around the state in a flatbed truck making speeches and invited McCaskill to join him along the way for public forums.

Since then, he’s used a pickup truck to pull a flatbed trailer on which he’s given numerous stump speeches.  The trailer is sometimes adorned with bales of hay.

The McCaskill campaign was quick to use twitter to point out the difference between a flatbed truck and a trailer on twitter and advise Hawley she’d see him at a debate.

A week after the August primary, Hawley is still making debates a centerpiece of his messaging.  He held a press call Tuesday where he specifically invited reporters to push McCaskill to “come out of the shadows” and debate him.

Hawley argues that the Democrat is out of step with Missouri’s conservative values and is afraid to debate.  “If I had voted against my state on judges, on the border wall, on taxes, on health care, on just about everything, I don’t think I’d be looking forward to facing tough questions either,” said Hawley.

McCaskill faced similar criticism in her 2012 reelection after backing the key priorities of President Obama, the health care law and the stimulus package, in a state Obama would lose twice.  Her approval rating was stuck at 40% before her Republican opponent, Todd Aiken, imploded after claiming women wouldn’t get pregnant from “legitimate rape”.

A Morning Consult poll from last month pegged McCaskill’s approval rating at a dismal 39%, lower than any of nine vulnerable Democrats running for reelection in states carried by President Trump.   Her disapproval figure was 44% although the number is close to even when the question of whether or not she deserves to be reelected is posed.

But polling of McCaskill and Hawley head-to-head consistently shows a tight race.  A survey by Missouri Scout conducted in the days after last week’s primary showed them tied at 47%.  Hawley’s message Tuesday indicated he may believe his best chance to win is to constantly put forth his conservative platform in public debates.

“Let’s do it as long as it takes and let’s do it over and over,” Hawley told reporters.  “So, it’s not just one time.  (Let’s do it) so the folks in Missouri can hear us on these issues and hear us out on the trail multiple times and can know exactly where we stand on every single issue.  I mean, let the sunshine in.”

The Republican, who now serves as Missouri’s Attorney General, has also taken to Twitter to promote his flatbed trailer.  A posting Friday after both he and McCaskill appeared before the Missouri Farm Bureau showed McCaskill’s RV driving by his parked trailer with a caption asking if the sitting Senator had a plane to catch.

McCaskill had used a private plane to shuttle between several stops in June after advertising the journey as an RV tour of the state.

During his press call Tuesday, Hawley noted that he’s accepted nine invitations from Missouri media outlets for debates while McCaskill has agreed to none.    The Senator’s campaign press secretary, Eric Mee, responded to Missourinet, saying Hawley was pulling “a stunt”.

“Missourians will see right through it,” said Mee.  “Claire welcomes debates. Claire has debated many times. And she has held over 50 town halls where any Missourian was welcome to ask her any question. She has already accepted a number of debates and looks forward to them.”

The two candidates have already agreed to a forum presented by the Missouri Press Association.  Following last week’s primary election, McCaskill issued her own challenge to Hawley, asking for four town hall style debates.

McCaskill claims she’s chosen to focus much of her time between now and the election on challenging issues such as protecting health care for those with preexisting conditions and relief from the trade war tariffs.

Man dies from getting pinned between vehicles in northwest Missouri

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Man dies from getting pinned between vehicles in northwest Missouri

A 50-year-old man has died from getting pinned between two vehicles on Tuesday in northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph. According to Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department, officers discovered the man became pinned while attempting to pull one of the vehicles out of the mud.

David Welter, Jr. was taken to the hospital and was later pronounced dead.

By Sarah Thomack of Missourinet affiliate KFEQ in St. Joseph

Missouri teen accused of hanging, killing pet dog

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(Hopkins, MO) — A northwest Missouri teenager faces felony charges for allegedly hanging a dog this year from a tree and killing the pet. Nodaway County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Rice tells Missourinet affiliate KMA in Shenandoah, Iowa that 17-year-old Lincoln Pope of Pickering is accused of torturing and mutilating a family dog and wrapping a cable around its neck in nearby Hopkins.

Lincoln Pope

“This is an important case,” Rice says. “There are some folks that are nervous, startled, and worried about their own pets. It’s our job to make sure people feel safe in their own homes, and safe with their animals. We’re taking this seriously and will pursue it as far as we can.”

Pope has been released from the Nodaway County Jail after posting $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on September 11th.

“I don’t see an acceptable resolution in this case,” Rice says. “This is one of those cases that needs to be heard in front of a judge. We’re going to proceed through the course of a criminal prosecution. Right now, he’s attempting to retain council, which I believe has been retained. We will send all of our reports, recordings, and records on this investigation to the attorney. There will be discussion back and forth as to a disposition in this case.”

If convicted, Pope faces up to four years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.

By Brent Barnett of Missourinet affiliate KMA in Shenandoah, Iowa

Missourinet 7 a.m. News 8-15-2018

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Top Stories:  About 30 union members, Democratic politicians, and striking workers protested unsafe working conditions at DelCo Construction in Springfield yesterday.  The News-Leader reports that the business owner says the claims are unfounded and the protest is union bullying.  And Kansas City’s Full Employment Council has organized a job fair on Friday aimed at helping laid-off Harley-Davidson plant workers.  170 employees lost their jobs last week and 800 more could be affected after Harley-Davidson announced its closing the Kansas City plant next year.

 

Missouri Duck Boat victim announces effort to ban the amphibious vehicles

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A woman who lost nine relatives when a Duck Boat sank last month on Table Rock Lake near Branson is spearheading an effort to have the vehicles banned.

Tia Coleman speaks during press conference in Indiana announcing an effort to get Duck Boats banned (Image courtesy of KOLR-TV)

Tia Coleman and her 13-year old nephew were the only two family members to survives the mishap that killed a total of 17 people.

She held a news conference in the living room of her home in Indianapolis Tuesday to announce an effort through change.org to drum up support to ban the amphibious vehicles.

Coleman and her family were in Branson for an annual family vacation when the Duck Boat they were on sank after taking on four-foot swells during hurricane force winds.  Her husband and three children lost their lives in the July 19th tragedy.

Coleman’s petition on change.org also urges support of a bill in Congress sponsored by Missouri’s Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill.  The measure would require the Duck Boat industry to implement safety measures recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) after a similar 1999 Duck Boat accident killed 13 people in Arkansas.

A playpen with toys inside was present when Coleman spoke to the news media at her home Tuesday.  Her three kids who died in the Branson tragedy were one-year-old Arya, seven-year-old Evan, and nine-year-old Reece.  She described the hardship of losing her three kids in the tragedy.

“I want today to kind of tell you a little bit about my family who lived in this house, here,” said Coleman.  “I was in the bed and I woke up cause I heard the bus outside and I almost yelled out, ‘hurry up you’re going to miss the bus.’ And I realized they won’t be getting on any more buses.  My family really meant everything to me, just like everybody else, they meant everything to me.  It’s a house now, it’s not a home anymore.”

Three lawsuits have been filed in the four weeks since the mishap on Table Rock Lake.  Two of them represent the estates of four of Coleman’s relatives who died when the Duck Boat sank.  One of those court cases seeks $100 million in damages.

A third lawsuit was brought by the three daughters of a couple from western Missouri’s Higginsville who were killed in the incident.

A lawsuit on behalf of Tia Coleman is expected eventually.

All three current court cases name the operation’s current owner, Ripley Entertainment and former owner, Ride the Ducks International, as defendants.

The two suits representing Coleman family members were filed in federal court.  They allege shortcomings and deliberate oversights led to the mishap.  They say the defendants had been told that design flaws in the Duck Boats made them more susceptible to sinking.

They contend that despite being aware of impending severe weather conditions, Ripley intentionally decided to take the Duck Boat out onto Table Rock Lake instead of canceling the tour and refunding the patrons’ money. The federal suits also state that the defendants had been repeatedly told over two decades to change the design of their Duck Boats to make them safer, but they entirely ignored these warnings.

Ripley Entertainment has not commented on the Branson incident as an investigation by the NTSB is ongoing.  According to the Branson operation’s website, it’s not currently offering Duck Boat rides.

At least one elected office holder has been critical of Senator McCaskill’s legislative effort in Congress.  Earlier this month, State Representative Scott Fitzpatrick said writing legislation intended to avoid future deaths on duck boat tours should wait.

Fitzpatrick, a Republican from southwest Missouri’s Shell Knob contends not enough facts have been issued yet to responsibly write legislation.  “I think that there’s plenty of opportunity to get it wrong,” said Fitzpatrick.

Missouri Governor’s ham breakfast in Sedalia will be packed on Thursday

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Thursday’s 66th annual Governor’s ham breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia is sold out.

2018 Missouri State Fair logo (courtesy of the Missouri State Fair and the Missouri Department of Agriculture)

State Fair marketing director Keri Mergen tells Missourinet all 1,000 meal tickets for the breakfast have been sold.

State Fair Director Mark Wolfe describes the ham breakfast as a unique event.

“You know I always tell people, buy your ticket, get it in advance so you make sure that you get one,” Wolfe says.

You can still purchase a $10 ticket to get inside the director’s tent, without breakfast.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) will deliver the keynote address at tomorrow’s breakfast, which begins at 8 a.m. at the State Fairgrounds.

Director Wolfe says the ham breakfast is an opportunity for you to mingle with policymakers.

“It’s a great opportunity for folks that maybe don’t normally get a chance to meet their legislators or their congressional folks face-to-face, you know in a casual setting like that where you can just stand and visit,” says Wolfe.

U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City) and Jason Smith (R-Salem) will be among those at the ham breakfast, along with U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville).

Many Missouri lawmakers will also attend, along with local leaders and commodity group officials.

The Governor’s ham breakfast is a traditional gathering of Missouri elected officials and ag leaders.

Thursday is “Governor’s, Legislators’ and Judges’ Day” at the State Fair.

It’s also Throwback Thursday, with a $5 gate admission all day for those 13 and older.

Children 12 and under will get in free.

The theme for the 116th Missouri State Fair is “Come Home.”

The fair runs through Sunday, August 19.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

McCaskill on pre-existing conditions: “We’ve got to figure out a way to take care of them that makes the most financial sense”

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Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, continues to speak out against a lawsuit Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley has joined challenging the Affordable Care Act. During a Tuesday roundtable in St. Louis with those who have pre-existing medical conditions, McCaskill says the lawsuit aims to wipe out pre-existing condition protections, resulting in economic consequences.

“Cutting people off from insurance and making it harder for people to get insurance, we’re all still gonna pay the bill because in America we’re not going to stop people at the door at the emergency room and I’m sorry you don’t have health insurance, we’re gonna let you die.” says McCaskill. “If we’re going to take care of everyone who shows up, then we’ve got to figure out a way to take care of them that makes the most financial sense.”

Josh Hawley – R – with reporters after speaking to the Missouri Farm Bureau 8-10-2018

When Hawley joined the 19 other states in his legal action, he said that he would “fight to take health care choices out of the hands of DC bureaucrats and put them in the hands of families and physicians.” Hawley, who is McCaskill’s Republican opponent in the November election, says he supports protecting pre-existing health conditions but wants Congress to replace the Affordable Care Act law. Hawley says he blames Obamacare for individual healthcare premiums increasing by 105%.

During a Farm Bureau forum in Jefferson City on Friday, McCaskill and Hawley clashed over this very issue. America’s healthcare laws and U.S. Supreme Court nominees are two of the leading issues in the race that is considered one of the most-watched in the nation. The U.S. Senate candidate chosen by Missourians will be critical in determining which party holds control of the upper chamber in Congress.

Jill Enders contributed to this story.

Activist group backs measure to limit lobbyist gifts, change voting district map

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One prominent Missouri political group is backing Amendment One In November.

Springfield League of Women Voters chapter endorses Clean Missouri ballot measure – image courtesy of KOLR TV feature

On Tuesday, members of The League of Women Voters gathered in Springfield to endorse the measure known as Clean Missouri.

The measure would change several things about the way the state government is run, by eliminating most lobbyist gifts in the general assembly.

It would require legislative records to conform to certain open records laws.

The measure further calls for a change in the way voting districts are drawn up.  Its supporters say it would make sure no political party gains an advantage when voter maps are drawn.

Ann Elwell, a member of The League of Women Voters, explains why the issue of fair voter maps, matters to her.

“Because of the way maps are drawn, candidates are essentially unopposed. And they don’t have to work hard to get to know their voters, they instead work hard to get to know their donors. And that’s not the way our democracy’s set up,” says Elwell.

Missouri’s Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit to stop amendment one from showing up on the ballot, saying it bundles together several issues under a single ballot item.

Lawsuit to block public vote on Missouri gas tax hike dismissed

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A court has dismissed a lawsuit claiming a ballot measure that would increase the state’s motor fuel tax violates the Missouri Constitution.

The Tuesday court decision means the 10-cent motor fuel tax will be on the November ballot as it now stands, although an appeal of the ruling will likely be attempted.

Judge Robert Schollmeyer in Cole County Circuit Court in Jefferson City determined legislation passed by lawmakers on the last day of this year’s session does not violate three sections of Missouri law as argued by plaintiffs.

A bill originally drawn up to establish a state tax exemption on prizes won in Olympic competition was amended to include two additional provisions – one calling for a public vote on the motor fuel tax, and another to create an emergency road fund in which the legislature can deposit state funds.

Judge Schollmeyer dismissed the suit brought by conservative activist Ron Calzone and Republican state Representative Mike Moon of Ash Grove, noting that all three provisions have to do with state revenue.

The decision backs up the action of Missouri Secretary of state Jay Ashcroft, the defendant in the case who certified the ballot measure to go before voters.

It also benefits an intervener in the litigation, SaferMO, which represents stakeholders such as contractors who would work on road projects the motor fuel tax would finance.

In rejecting the plaintiff’s contentions, Judge Schollmeyer said the legislation does not violate the state “original purpose” requirement because all three of its provisions revise Missouri’s revenue laws.  He also found that the bill does not violate the “single subject” rule because it relates to state revenues.  And he further determined it conforms to the state’s “clear title” requirement because it applies to one limited area of government activity, state revenues.

Judge Schollmeyer also rejected a fourth claim by the plaintiffs that the bill was improperly allowed to evolve during the legislative process and not required to remain true to the original title.  He said there’s no case or constitutional requirement that prohibits changes to a bill’s title as long as it satisfies the original purpose, single-subject, and clear-title conditions.

The bill as passed and certified by Secretary Ashcroft will ask voters to cast a ballot on three separate provisions, all at once on the same ballot measure.

They’ll be asked if they want to increase the motor fuel tax, exempt Olympic (as well as Special Olympic, Paralympic) prizes from state taxes, and establish the Emergency State Freight Bottleneck Fund.

The Bottleneck Fund would create a dedicated fund for certain road projects in order to reduce traffic bottlenecks that affect freight.

A single yes vote would be a vote in favor of all three provisions in the bill.  Together they are known as Proposition D.

SaferMO and other organizations supporting the ballot measure such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce will be solely focused on the motor fuel tax portion.  It would increase the fuel tax on gasoline and diesel by 2.5 cents each year for the next four years, hiking it from 17-cents-per-gallon to 27-cents-per-gallon by 2023.

The revenue will go toward public safety as well as road and bridge construction. It would provide roughly $288 million annually in the State Road Fund for transportation needs as well as $123 million annually for local transportation projects.

Scott Charton, a spokesperson for SaferMO, points out the current proposal is different than a 2014 ballot measure for roads that was rejected by voters.  “That was a general sales tax increase,” said Charton.  “This is a motor fuel tax.  This goes with making the motors operate that makes the vehicles go on the roads.  It is for users to pay.”

Charton also says the motor fuel tax would speed up the process of repairing dangerous roadways.  “There are thousands of poorly rated bridges in Missouri, Charton said.  “This is a safety threat.  We need to fix this.  We need to accelerate our projects in Missouri.”

The motor fuel tax is the only portion of the ballot measure that must receive the OK of voters.  A portion of Missouri law known as the Hancock Amendment requires legislation that raises at least $111 million in taxpayer money to be placed on the ballot.

The plaintiffs in the case, activist Calzone, and State Representative Moon, indicated they would appeal a decision against their case beforehand.  The relatively quick decision by Judge Schollmeyer will likely allow for a petition to a higher court.  Any litigation must be resolved six weeks before the November 6th election to impact the ballot measure.

 

Northern Missouri radio station owner and community leader dies

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The longtime owner of Missourinet Chillicothe affiliate KCHI Radio (AM 1010 and FM 102.5) has died.

Longtime KCHI Radio owner Dan Leatherman (photo courtesy of KCHI Radio)

KCHI has announced that 57-year-old Dan Leatherman died Sunday.

He bought the radio station in April 1996, placing a strong emphasis on local news and local and high school sports coverage.

Veteran KCHI news director Tom Tingerthal tells Missourinet Leatherman “knew the value of small town and small market radio and the importance of the station to the community.”

KCHI has written a story, focusing on Leatherman’s emphasis on the community.

Their story noted that he loved small town radio and believed in the value of radio to the local community.

“If it’s important to the local community, cover it and tell them what they need to know,” KCHI’s story quotes Leatherman as saying frequently.

KCHI’s article notes that Leatherman described the radio station as Chillicothe’s biggest cheerleader.

Leatherman’s motto was “think local.”

Leatherman was well-known in radio across the state, as well as in the northwest Missouri business community.

He served at one time as the Chillicothe Area Chamber of Commerce President, and also served on the Hedrick Medical Center Board.

Funeral services have been scheduled for Leatherman.

KCHI reports a parish rosary is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at 4 at Heritage Funeral Home in Chillicothe, with visitation to follow until 8 p.m.

Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday morning at 10 at St. Columban Catholic Church in Chillicothe.

This is the second death in 2018 involving a prominent media member in Chillicothe.

Longtime Chillicothe Mayor Chuck Haney died in May at the age of 81.

Haney and Leatherman were friends. Haney was a Missouri Press Association Hall of Famer, spending years as a reporter, newspaper publisher and radio broadcaster, primarily in northwest Missouri.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet