June 30, 2021

Missouri Supreme Court could decide to expand Medicaid benefits to include 275,000 more residents

JEFFERSON CITY — The legal effort to expand Missouri's Medicaid program will head directly to the state's highest court after being appealed.

An attorney representing three women suing the state to receive Medicaid benefits, Chuck Hatfield, wrote on Twitter Friday that the Missouri Supreme Court had scheduled arguments for the case on July 13 at 11 a.m. The hearing will come weeks after a circuit court judge ruled that the state was not required to expand Medicaid under a voter-approved constitutional amendment enacted last year.

Hatfield and Lowell Pearson, another attorney representing the women, said after the initial circuit court hearing they expected the case to be appealed all the way to the Missouri Supreme Court.

The July 13 hearing will be another crucial step in a high-stakes case — one that will eventually determine whether roughly 275,000 low-income Missourians are eligible to receive health care benefits and services. It will also review Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem's ruling that Amendment 2, approved by 53 percent of voters last year, was unconstitutional because it didn't designate funding for the program's expansion.

Read more: https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/2021/06/28/missouri-supreme-court-hear-case-medicaid-expansion-legislature-july-2021-low-income-residents/5372021001/
(Springfield News-Leader)

June 30, 2021

'No rules at all'? Downtown group, St. Louis battle over liquor control complaints

ST. LOUIS — A group of downtown developers and residents says the city’s liquor control division is failing to enforce rules governing bars and nightclubs, allowing lawlessness to spread in the popular Washington Avenue entertainment district.

In a letter to Public Safety Director Dan Isom earlier this month, Citizens for a Greater Downtown St. Louis accused liquor control chief Myles McDonnell and his division of standing by as “large late-night crowds, alcohol-fueled disorderly behavior, and criminal activity” threaten the existence of the neighborhood.

McDonnell and the office of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones resolutely rejected the claims in the letter.

“It’s wholly inaccurate,” McDonnell said this week.

Downtown has been buffeted by concerns over crime and late-night rowdiness every few years for the past decade. Last year, reports of violent crime spiked to record levels in June and July amid the pandemic and civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, rekindling worries.

Read more: https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/no-rules-at-all-downtown-group-city-battle-over-liquor-control-complaints/article_7d8d6846-8d94-55b5-b5fb-df5b13593a9b.html

June 30, 2021

St. Louis to Bring Vaccines to Black-Owned Barbershops and Salons

With COVID and its Delta variant spreading in Missouri, St. Louis is aiming to bring vaccines to Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons through the "Shots at the Shop" program.

Around 44 percent of the state's population has initiated vaccination, but only 28 percent of Missouri's Black residents have gotten at least one shot, according to the state's vaccine dashboard. The disparity persists nationwide, and health experts are urging governments to reach people who might not be interested in participating in large vaccine events.

That's where Shots at the Shop comes in. Announced earlier this month by the Biden administration, the program is a collaboration between the White House, the Black Coalition Against COVID, SheaMoisture, and the University of Maryland Center for Health Equity.

"St. Louis is ready to plug into this exciting national program to help more residents get vaccinated," Dr. Frederick Echols, acting director for the City of St. Louis, said in a press release. “I encourage interested businesses to reach out to the Department of Health to be a part of this opportunity.”

Read more: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2021/06/28/st-louis-to-bring-vaccines-to-black-owned-barbershops-and-salons

June 30, 2021

Inside Gun-Surrendering Criminal Mark McCloskey's Very Sad St. Louis Rally

Noted local criminal Mark McCloskey played host to a barbecue/political rally on Sunday afternoon, drawing tens of admirers to the sweltering parking lot of a closed outlet mall in St. Louis County to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the time he pulled a gun on a crowd of people who otherwise would never have noticed or cared he existed.

Despite the fact that none of the big names who had been billed to speak at the June 27 event showed up, and despite the fact that ticket sales were so dismal attendance was opened to the public for free at the last minute, St. Louis' most gun-surrendering lawyer plowed right ahead with the First Annual Pink Shirt Guy BBQ and RINO Roast in the St. Louis Mills parking lot.

Grievance and untethered delusion topped the menu at the event, with McCloskey and a roster of speakers largely unknown outside the fever swamps of the far right taking turns condemning everything from critical race theory (their newest and most nonsensical bogeyman) to "cultural Marxism" (George Soros' fault of course, but how dare you level accusations of antisemitism) to the "radical left" agenda of (hahahahaha) Joe Biden. The whole gun-and-pony show was in service of McCloskey's deeply stupid run for U.S. Senate, because if there's one thing that qualifies a man for public office in the Republican party in 2021 it's a willingness to point a firearm at those with whom you disagree politically.

Initially, fellow criminal and proponent of armed coups Michael Flynn was scheduled to speak, but he was subbed out for North Carolina Congressman and notably dumb guy Madison Cawthorn, who also did not show up. But the show must go on, as they say, and so we were instead primarily treated to the emcee abilities of former radio host Jamie Allman, who lost his longtime job back in 2018 after taking to Twitter to pontificate about ramming a hot poker up a teenager's ass.

Read more: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2021/06/28/inside-gun-surrendering-criminal-mark-mccloskeys-very-sad-st-louis-rally


REUBEN HEMMER
They were at least kind enough to wear their signature outfits, which is good because no one would recognize or care about them otherwise.


REUBEN HEMMER
McCloskey's throngs of supporters watch as his speaks.

June 30, 2021

Will Missouri Taxpayers Ever Tire of Losing Other People's Lawsuits?

Eric Schmitt did what Eric Schmitt does last week.

He lost a big lawsuit outside of Missouri. Badly. And then tried to pretend like nothing happened. That’s how the man rolls.

Schmitt, working his side hustle as Missouri attorney general, got crushed last week before the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices ruled 7-2 that the states represented by Schmitt and his friend group of GOP-vote-starved attorneys lacked standing to bring forward the umpteenth Republican effort — and third at SCOTUS — to kill the Affordable Care Act.

Sound familiar?

In December, Schmitt wasted Missouri taxpayer resources to join the infamous Texas case challenging the election of President Joe Biden on behalf of loser Donald Trump’s Big Lie. At the time, Schmitt loudly proclaimed, “We’re in the fight!” The fight ended in an early first-round knockout, with the case rejected out of hand by a Supreme Court packed with a 6-3 conservative Republican majority.

Read more: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/hartmann-will-missouri-taxpayers-ever-tire-of-losing-other-peoples-lawsuits/Content?oid=35758471

June 30, 2021

Democratic lawmakers ask U.S. Treasury to block Abbott from using COVID funds for border wall

Thirteen Democratic members of Texas' congressional delegation have asked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to block Gov. Greg Abbott from using COVID-relief money to build his recently announced border wall.

In a letter dated Monday, San Antonio U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar, Lloyd Doggett and others asked Yellen to issue a rule blocking use of the funds for building a border wall. They also asked for stipulations that would prevent the state from using it to replenish other sources of funding used for a wall.

“With no Republican support, we approved $350 billion in the American Rescue Plan for eligible state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to assist local leaders, who confronted pandemic challenges, and to assist with economic and job recovery,” the members of Congress wrote. “We are concerned by the prospect of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s potential misuse of these funds to continue the misguided plans of President Trump to extend a wall along the border between Texas and Mexico.”

Abbott, a Republican, grabbed headlines earlier this month when he announced he'd use $250 million in Texas Department of Criminal Justice funding as a "down payment" for a border wall akin to former President Donald Trump's. His office subsequently said it raised more than $450,000 in private donations for the project.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2021/06/28/democratic-lawmakers-ask-us-treasury-to-block-abbott-from-using-covid-funds-for-border-wall

June 30, 2021

Veterans hit back at San Antonio-based USAA for advertising on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show

San Antonio's USAA, a financial services firm for military personnel, is getting member blowback for advertising on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show after the far-right pundit called the nation's top military officer "stupid" and a "pig."

On Thursday, Carlson lashed out at Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over the officer's forceful defense of the Defense Department's diversity programs. The host lit into Milley again the following day, accusing him of a "race attack" for stating that "white rage" played a part in the January 6 insurrection.

Over the weekend, vets and military personnel vented on Twitter and USAA’s Facebook account, warning that they'll take their business elsewhere if the company continues to buy ads on Carlson's show. The flurry of social media activity was first reported by the Express-News.

Carlson has faced prior criticism for embracing white supremacist rhetoric and for spreading conspiracies related to the Capitol insurrection and COVID-19 vaccines.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2021/06/29/veterans-hit-back-at-san-antonio-based-usaa-for-advertising-on-tucker-carlsons-fox-news-show

June 30, 2021

Veterans hit back at San Antonio-based USAA for advertising on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show

San Antonio's USAA, a financial services firm for military personnel, is getting member blowback for advertising on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show after the far-right pundit called the nation's top military officer "stupid" and a "pig."

On Thursday, Carlson lashed out at Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over the officer's forceful defense of the Defense Department's diversity programs. The host lit into Milley again the following day, accusing him of a "race attack" for stating that "white rage" played a part in the January 6 insurrection.

Over the weekend, vets and military personnel vented on Twitter and USAA’s Facebook account, warning that they'll take their business elsewhere if the company continues to buy ads on Carlson's show. The flurry of social media activity was first reported by the Express-News.

Carlson has faced prior criticism for embracing white supremacist rhetoric and for spreading conspiracies related to the Capitol insurrection and COVID-19 vaccines.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2021/06/29/veterans-hit-back-at-san-antonio-based-usaa-for-advertising-on-tucker-carlsons-fox-news-show

June 30, 2021

Mother of slain cheerleader files wrongful death suit against Trinity University, daughter's

Mother of slain cheerleader files wrongful death suit against Trinity University, daughter's boyfriend


SAN ANTONIO -- The mother of slain Trinity University cheerleader Cayley Mandadi filed a civil lawsuit on Monday against the school and her daughter's alleged killer, Mark Howerton.

The civil lawsuit, filed in Bexar County by Mandadi’s mother, Alison Steele, alleges Mark Howerton, Mandadi’s boyfriend, sexually and physically assaulted her over the course of a weeks-long relationship and ultimately caused her 2017 death.

The legal filing accuses Trinity of failing to respond to reports that Howerton was abusing and stalking Mandadi, then 19.

Howerton's attorney didn't respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit. A spokeswoman for the university said it doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Mandadi's death made national headlines amid questions whether it was an accident or a homicide.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2021/06/29/mother-of-slain-cheerleader-files-wrongful-death-suit-against-trinity-university-daughters-boyfriend

June 30, 2021

'That's Violence' -- Corporations Can Turn Off Electricity For Past-Due Bills Starting Tuesday In TX

Starting Tuesday, private electricity corporations can shut off power to Texans who don't pay their bills.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) issued a moratorium on disconnections as COVID-19 wreaked economic havoc on working people last year, and reinstated it in response to the winter storm. For months, private industry pushed for an end to the moratorium, and they got their wish — just as the summer heat arrives.

The decision is expected to disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous and Latinx people, as well as seniors living on fixed incomes.

Betty and Weldon Gregory are retired. They live in Houston's Fifth Ward, where their monthly $1,800 in social security benefits is usually enough to get by. But money is tighter than normal after water damage from several floods and burst pipes during the winter storm.

Read more: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2021/06/29/401849/thats-violence-corporations-can-turn-off-electricity-for-past-due-bills-starting-tuesday-in-texas/