President Trump touted his steel tariffs at his rally Thursday night in mid-Missouri’s Columbia, saying, “Billions of dollars will be flowing into our coffers.”

Workers at a struggling nail factory in southeast Missouri’s Poplar Bluff say they can not make it to the President’s rally 75 miles down the road in Cape Girardeau Monday, but they still want a chance to convince him to save their jobs.

Mid Continent Steel & Wire has lost close to 200 employees and more than 70 percent of its sales since the President’s steel tariffs took effect June 1.

Operations General Manager Chris Pratt says the company has completed every step in the tariff exclusion process but they’re still waiting on a response from the U.S. Commerce Department.

Pratt believes the nail factory is the “poster child” for exclusions and he wants the opportunity to prove it to the President face to face.  “We are not stopping,” Pratt said. “We’re going to fight this until the end. That is what I’d want to say to him. I’d want to bring my papers. I want to bring my evidence. You’re going to know from everything that we show you that we are the best case for exclusions and you’ll sign it and I want to be the guy to hand you the pen.”

Pratt also says the promises made to him and other nail factory employees is going to play a big factor in how he votes during the midterm elections next week.

Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill visited the plant in June.

Republican Congressman Jason Smith, whose district includes the nail factory, has remains and enthusiastic an vocal supporter of the President and his trade policies.

(KFVS-TV contributed this report)

One of the three medical marijuana ballot measures in November’s election has drawn the most attention and endorsements.

Amendment 2 would tax sales of medical marijuana at 4%, raising $18 million a year which would go toward care for military veterans and to pay for the licensing and regulation of the businesses through the state Department of Health & Senior Sevices.  It’s estimated operating cost to the state is $7 million annually.

Both Amendment 2 and Amendment 3 would change the state constitution to allow Medical marijuana while a third measure, Proposition C would change the law to allow its use.  Amendment 3 and Proposition C have been relegated to a lower profile as Amendment 2 has racked up positive reviews from the state’s most influential newspapers.

The editorial boards of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Kansas City Star, the Springfield News-Leader, the Joplin Globe and the St. Louis American have all expressed a preference for Amendment 2 over the other proposals.  Amendment 2 has further been endorsed by the Epilepsy Foundation of Missouri and Kansas and Adolphus M. Pruitt, the president of St. Louis City NAACP.

In addition, the Missouri Chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has given a full-throated endorsement of Amendment 2.  It’s the first such organization in the country to support a medical marijuana proposal.

Although some of the taxes collected from Proposition C would be used for veterans’ services, Amendment 2 stipulates that much of the proceeds from its tax on medical marijuana sales would be used by the Missouri Veterans Commission to provide services for military veterans.

The Missouri VFW held a press phone call recently with former service members to announce its embrace of the proposal.  Tom Mundell is the former State Commander of the Department of Missouri, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

He said the organization rarely makes political endorsements but thinks medical marijuana could be a difference maker in the fight against addiction.  “We have to get a control somehow on the opioid and drug issues that we’re having,” said Mundell.  “And we feel that medical cannabis is the option that we need.”

Mundell indicated medical marijuana could help curb the number of veterans who commit suicide which he quoted at 22 per day.

Lieutenant Colonel Todd Scattini served in the United States Army for 27 years before retiring earlier this year.  He said medical marijuana could address problems stemming from over-prescription of opioids to veterans and could help alleviate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Scattini also contends it could prove to be successful in handling brain injuries.  “I believe that medical cannabis and cannabis medicine is an effective way to treat traumatic brain injury, and eventually to mitigate and prevent traumatic brain injury which is a huge issue amongst, especially Army personnel,” said Scattini.

Kyle Kisner served in the military from 2004-2011, with tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  He claims he overcame a struggle with opioid addiction by using medical marijuana.  Kisner acknowledges a condition exists called marijuana use disorder but contends it presents very few dependency problems.

“What we’re seeing is that it’s less addictive than caffeine,” said Kisner.  “Less than nine percent of people actually form marijuana use disorder.  So, even with kind of a broad definition under that heading, we’re still seeing very low rates of addiction.”

Debbie Holmes is a United States Air Force Desert Storm veteran (1988-1992) who dealt with sexual trauma, cervical cancer, and knee replacement after leaving the military.  She says that some strains of marijuana can help ease a wide range of veteran ailments.  “Veterans have a lot of chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, PTSD,” said Holmes.  “Depending on the strain you can address all of that with a single plant.”

Opponents of the medical marijuana ballot measures have started to campaign loudly as election day approaches.  Among them is Joy Sweeney, a Doctor of Philosophy at Capella University in Minneapolis, who has lived in mid-Missouri’s Jefferson City for 15 years and is the Executive Director of Council for Drug-Free Youth.

Sweeney points out the major medical associations in the state are against the ballot measures because they don’t categorize marijuana as medicine.  “If we’re talking about medicine, then we need to go to the people who specialize in medicine,” said Sweeney.  “and all of them are saying this isn’t medicine.

The Kansas City Medical Society released a statement in mid-October stating it does not believe legalization of medical marijuana is in the best interest of the public and their health.  It contends the current level of research on cannabis in medicine is inadequate.

Likewise, the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association and the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons have gone on record as opposing the medical proposals. In its statement, the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society said it “opposes such measures until the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reclassifies marijuana to allow for increased scientific research.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for the first time in June, approved use of a cannabis-based medicine, one that is a chemical compound in the cannabis plant called cannabidiol, or CBD.  Sweeney thinks the FDA must first approve medical marijuana before Missouri can be allowed to legalize it.  “Legitimate medications are not voted on by people,” Sweeney said.  “They have adequate safeguards and appropriate warning and they also have dosage and frequency requirements.”

Sweeney also points to an article published by the conservative-leaning Center for Marriage Policy called “The Costly Fraud of Marijuana Normalization.”  Among many other things, the article contends big tobacco money is advancing marijuana for its own self-interest.  “No economic impact study has ever been done either before or after legalization,” the article says.  “Every state has a fiscal duty to assess these things in advance.  This duty had been shirked by politicos bought and paid for by the powerful tobacco lobby now hawking pot.”

Another opposing view to medical marijuana comes from Dr. Norman Shealey of Shealy Wellness in Springfield.  He told KOLR-TV that it severely hinders mental capacity and is habit-forming.  “It destroys your ability to function and think straight,” said Shealey.  “And it highly addicting.  It is much more addicting than nicotine.  And so, making it available for the few uses it has just opens the door, as it has with so many drugs, for misuse and abuse.”

Amendment 2 is the only one of the measures that allow patients to cultivate up to six plants and caretakers up to 18., although they would also have to register with the state and pay a $100 annual fee.

All three medical marijuana measures appear on Tuesday’s general election ballot.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is assuring residents that mid-term election voting will be secure and free of cyber breaches.  The secretary held a joint news conference with Governor Mike Parson Thursday to highlight steps his office has taken to prevent security breakdowns.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft-R (left) at a joint news conference with Governor Mike Parson-R (Right)

Federal security personnel discovered that voting systems in 21 states were targeted by Russian-connected hackers in 2016.  One of them was neighboring Illinois, where up to 76,000 voters may have had their personal information compromised.

As a result, Congress allocated $380 million to secure election systems and shore up cybersecurity.  $7.2 million came to Missouri, which Ashcroft says is being used to upgrade voter registration systems and beef up Internet Technology capabilities for local election authorities.

The first-term secretary of state told reporters that his office has been working for more than a year with federal agencies as well as third-party computer experts to improve safeguards against attempts to hack into the state’s digital election networks as well as efforts at phishing and spear phishing.  He also said there’s also a focus on blocking physical attempts to meddle with election equipment.

According to Ashcroft, there’s agreement on the state and federal level that there’s been no attempt to compromise Missouri’s voting system.  He did say the state’s digital network is scanned by outside sources 100,000 times per day but noted the inquiries were superficial in nature.   “Those are at best the cyber equivalent of someone walking past your house and looking to see if your window was open, or jiggling your doorknob,” said Ashcroft.

The secretary contends there has been no indication of any inappropriate interaction with voter registration information.  He noted that such voter information is available to any individual under the state’s sunshine law for a $35 fee.

There’s been heightened concern over outside interference since numerous federal agencies confirmed that Russia attempted to meddle in the 2016 elections.  Election security experts and government officials such as Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen have recommended states use voting systems that offer a paper trail to ensure results are properly recorded.

Secretary Ashcroft stressed that all Missouri voting machines have a paper backup. “There are no votes that are digital ones and zeroes,” Ashcroft said.  “Every vote in Missouri has a paper record.  There are required audits after the election.  There is a real physical audit trail.”  Five states – Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and South Carolina – have no such paper trails, in addition to eight states that use paperless voting machines in some counties.

Ashcroft acknowledged Missouri has some electronic voting machines in the St. Louis area but said they all print a record of every vote.  “Even on those machines, you have a cash register tape that every time there’s a vote, it tabulates that and shows that there is a paper record.”

Secretary Ashcroft emphasized that every registered voter can vote, and their vote will count.  He did not mention a recent court decision striking down a requirement for voters who don’t present a photo ID to sign an affidavit.

Evidence was presented in the court case that some registered voters without photo ID had difficulty casting a regular ballot in August 2017 elections, although they were ultimately able to vote.  Ashcroft, a Republican who campaigned on the requirement for photo voter ID’s in his 2016 election, is appealing the ruling to the Missouri Supreme Court.  The high bench declined a request by the attorney general’s office representing Ashcroft for an emergency stay of the lower court decision.  The Supreme Court hasn’t announced whether it will hear the appeal.

Ashcroft has been active efforts to strengthen election security, although his political leanings have sometimes shown through.  He Hosted a two-day National Election Security Summit in St. Louis in September.

He also testified before the U.S. Senate Rules Committee chaired by fellow Missouri Republican Roy Blunt in June.  At the hearing, Ashcroft said voter fraud is “an exponentially greater threat than hacking” to the U.S. election system.

Ashcroft favors the requirement of photo ID to prevent voter fraud.  His critics, including many Democrats, contend requiring photo IDs would only expose the act of voter impersonation, which they claim is virtually non-existent.

Last minute campaigning in the Missouri U.S. Senate race has hit overdrive.

Both Incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republican challenger Josh Hawley are getting support from national politicians.  Former Vice President Joe Biden appeared at a union shop near St. Louis Wednesday where he staged an upbeat rally for McCaskill.

President Trump will make an airport stop near mid-Missouri’s Columbia Thursday to drum up his base to vote for Republicans such as Hawley.  Trump will also close out his campaigning for the 2018 mid-terms with a last-minute stop at 9 p.m. Monday night in southeast Missouri’s Cape Girardeau.

The 11th hour Presidential appearance in the state reflects the intensity of one of the most closely watched battles in the election cycle as the tight contest could tip the scales of power in the U.S. Senate.

The analysis site FiveThirtyEight only gives Democrats a 16 percent shot at taking back the upper chamber, but energy and money have poured into several tight Senate races across the country.

Outside spending in the Missouri Senate contest has now topped $70 million according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Hawley often rails against the dark money being spent by a Super PAC associated with Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, but the Super PAC aligned with Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has chipped in the most cash, almost $20 million.  The Schumer affiliated Senate Majority PAC is second at $17.7 million.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is third at $5.2 million followed by two Democratic-leaning organizations; Women Vote – $4.4 million and Priorities USA – $3.9 million.  The biggest chunk of money for or against a candidate is being spent to oppose McCaskill – $38 million.

Only Florida, a much larger state with more large media markets, has seen more outside money injected into its Senate race – $73 million.  More outside money has been funneled into the Missouri and Florida Senate contests than any other race across the country in the midterm elections.

In a rare less contentious moment on the stump, Hawley praised McCaskill for her public service before returning to his usual talking points.  “You know Senator McCaskill, I think she’s a good person,” said Hawley.  “I respect her years of service, 36 years of service to this state and this country.  I thank her for that.  But she just doesn’t represent this state anymore.”

The Real Clear Politics average of polls gives Hawley a 2 point lead with five days left before the election.  The latest poll released Wednesday night by FOX News showed a dead heat at 45% each.

Former Vice President Joe Biden delivered an uplifting speech tonight near St. Louis in support of Democratic U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill and eastern Missouri Congressional candidate Cort VanOstran. At the Machinists’ Hall in Bridgeton, Biden said there’s something different about this year’s election.

Former Vice President Joe Biden

“This year’s election is bigger than politics,” he said. “The very character of our country is on the ballot this time.”

Biden said hate will continue to grow if people don’t speak up. His message appeared to be directed to President Donald Trump and some in the Republican Party.

“The words of our leaders matter. Silence is complicit,” Biden said. “The first thing we have to do is change the political climate.”

Biden said the only thing strong enough to tear America apart is America itself.

“We’ve seen it start and we must make it stop now. Right now. That’s what Tuesday is about,” Biden said. “We have to make sure who we are as Democrats. We choose hope over fear. We choose unity over division. We choose our allies over our enemies. We choose truth over lies. It’s time for this country to come together.”

Biden went on to say the U.S. is better positioned than any other nation to own the 21st century. He said there’s nothing beyond America’s capacity.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri

“We have the world’s largest economy, the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. We have the strongest military in the history of the world,” he said. “We have more great research universities in America than all of the rest of the world combined. Every major new change has come out of one of those research facilities, not out of a corporation.”

Tom Bauer of St. Louis attended the rally. He said Democrats must take over the U.S. House.

“I’ve never come to something that had a national figure like Joe Biden along with Claire McCaskill at the same time,” said Bauer. “They were both phenomenal. Joe articulates a message that everybody can agree with – the country’s in trouble and this is a turning point.”

McCaskill faces a tight reelection bid next Tuesday against Republican challenger and Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley. VanOstran faces Republican incumbent Ann Wagner.

According to McCaskill’s campaign, more than 1,000 people attended Wednesday night’s rally. Future St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell also talked on stage. Another known Democrat attending the rally was State Sen. Jill Schupp of Creve Coeur.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

The front-running candidates in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race are walking on different tightropes in the final days approaching the election.

Incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill has taken shots at progressive members in her own party and embraced President Trump’s border policies in the last week.  Meanwhile, Republican challenger Josh Hawley has avoided taking a stand on the President’s newly announced plan to end “birthright citizenship”.

In a rare interview with FOX News last Monday, McCaskill singled out two U.S. Senators when asked about the term “crazy Democrats” that was used in one of her recent ads.

Without calling them crazy, she’s said she disagrees with Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on a “bunch of stuff” and claimed Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) attacked her when she called for less regulation on small banks. She also said she’s not a knee-jerk opponent of President Trump, like some of her colleagues.

In a striking move that’s a major departure for McCaskill, she gave a full-throated endorsement of Trump’s plan to block a caravan of refugees fleeing violence in Central American countries from entering the U.S.  “Stop them at the border,” McCaskill proclaimed on FOX News.

During a press phone call Tuesday, her campaign manager David Kirby gave a more nuanced response.  “She believes that these individuals if they’re not seeking asylum, should be turned away,” said Kirby.

While McCaskill told FOX News that she “100 percent” backs Trump to “use every tool he has at his disposal” in dealing with the caravan, neither she or Kirby have criticized any of the President’s controversial remarks about the migrants.

Trump has called the caravan an “invasion”, and while offering no evidence, has said “criminals and unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in” among the migrants and claimed that “many Gang Members and some very bad people” are traveling in the caravan.

As the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee and a member of the Armed Services Committee, McCaskill has not offered her thoughts on President Trump’s decision to deploy 5,200 U.S. troops to the southern border this week in response to the migrant caravan.

The caravan itself is roughly 1,000 miles from the border and will take weeks to arrive there.  Many observers think President Trump is proposing the military deployment to motivate anti-immigrant members of his base to show up at the polls and vote for Republicans

Kirby pointed out Tuesday that McCaskill believes the U.S. should have a strong border, and that she’s been endorsed by border security agents.  McCaskill herself has mentioned that those agents want better technology rather than the wall Trump has long pushed for.

The two-term Senator’s uncharacteristic move to embrace of the President’s plan for the caravan and her ad campaign’s reference to crazy Democrats could reflect new felt distress for a politician who handily defeated her flawed Republican rival – Todd Aiken – six years ago.

The Real Clear Politics average of polls gives Hawley a slight two-point edge, although the latest survey from Missouri Scout pegs Hawley with a four-point lead.

In a press call Wednesday, Hawley declined to offer a view of President Trump’s intention to use an executive order to end “birthright citizenship”, the process by which babies born in the country automatically become citizens.

Hawley said he hadn’t seen any text of a controversial proposal and suggested the President’s goal instead was to end “chain migration” which he agreed with.  “I think the issue of chain migration, which is what this is directed at, is that they are exactly right, to be concerned about, to be against it,” said Hawley.  “I’m against it. We need to change that into law, and we need to consider every potential measure to get that done.”

“Chain migration”, which is officially known as “family reunification” under federal law, is the process by which green card holders or legal U.S. residents may sponsor a family member for immigration to the United States.  The Slovenian parents of President Trump’s wife, Melania, became United States citizens under the same family-based immigration program.

Wednesday morning, Trump continued his campaign to do away with “birthright citizenship”, posting on twitter that it was not covered by the 14th Amendment as many legal scholars have said.

So-called Birthright Citizenship, which costs our Country billions of dollars and is very unfair to our citizens, will be ended one way or the other. It is not covered by the 14th Amendment because of the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” Many legal scholars agree…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2018

Wednesday, at least two prominent fellow Republicans, retiring Speaker of the House Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Congressman Justin Amash of Michigan, said the 14th Amendment cannot be altered by executive order.

Hawley, himself a constitutional law professor, refused to break with President Trump, saying the issue would have to be settled through litigation.  “In terms of what the 14th Amendment means precisely, my guess is we’re going to head toward the court having to actually say that and settle the controversy,” Hawley said.

The election takes place next Tuesday, November 6th.