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10/23/23 Missouri Mondays - UAW strike enters 6th week – No Excuse In-Person Absentee voting begins

No Excuse

In-Person Absentee voting begins Oct 24 – Join MO allies taking action this week!


Welcome to another Missouri Mondays!


Thank you for staying informed and making your voice heard with pro-Democracy allies across Missouri. Together we make a difference! Help us spread the word and share this link to sign up for Missouri Mondays weekly email https://bit.ly/3pF99Uw.


UPCOMING EVENTS - WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!


TAKE ACTION WITH THE MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC)

TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE


Join the MOVPC weekly online meeting MONDAYS at 10 AM

Text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register HERE: bit.ly/protectmovoters


Our work to protect the vote requires our continued attention! So we hope you'll join our next MOVPC call where we will discuss the necessary steps in our fight to protect the right to vote in Missouri. MOVPC is a nonpartisan statewide network promoting access to the ballot and working to remove barriers to voting in Missouri!


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MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD IN THE NOVEMBER 7 ELECTION!


November 7, 2023 Special Election

Election Day: November 7, 2023

Polls Open: 6:00 a.m.

Polls Close: 7:00 p.m.

No Excuse In Person Absentee (Early) Voting Opens: October 24, 2023


Sample Ballot for the Nov 7 Special Election (Kansas City, Jackson County) here:


Sample Ballot for the Nov 7 Special Election (Jackson County outside Kansas City): https://jcebmo.org/wp-content/uploads/11.7.23-Notice-of-Special-Election.pdf


More voter information resources

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The Imperative of Uplifting Rural Voices

Missouri Women’s Political Caucus

MOWPC/NWPC-VA Salon Series

Wednesday, October 25th

6pm CST

FREE Via Zoom (A link to attend this virtual event will be emailed upon RSVP)


MOWPC members and guests are invited to join a new collaboration with our sister caucus in Virginia: A salon series to discuss Senator Jon Tester's New York Times Interview titled 'Our Message Is Really, Really Flawed.'


Experienced moderators Jess Piper and Finale Norton will guide our discussion to help us better understand how to ensure women are elevated and elected in rural areas of every state.


Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus

October Membership Meeting

The Politics of Boards

Thursday, October 26

7:00 PM


Once upon a time, school board races were largely ignored by the voters. However, pandemic parenting, controversial political agendas, and outside forces are stressing our school boards in both Kansas and Missouri. Local school boards and school board members are at the core of how education runs for every community in our nation.

What are school boards supposed to do and what can we do to support them?


Join us for a special educational discussion about the current state of our school boards and how you can support your local board.


Our panelists include:

Leah Fliter – Kansas School Board Association, Assistant Executive of Director

Advocacy

Jodie Dietz – President, Blue Valley Kansas Schools

Karen Rogers – Vice President, Liberty Public Schools Board of Education


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Stand Up for UAW workers!


Here’s what you can do to help:


  • $5 For the Fight Fund - Donate to the $5 for the Fight Fund to help a union member in need. Your donations keep the Fund going to help union families facing unexpected expenses due to injury, job loss, changing life circumstances, medical emergencies or other unexpected changes. One hundred percent of every donation goes to the Fight fund, and 100 percent of the money in the fund goes to help working families in need. Make your donation here: https://labortribune.com/5-for-the-fight/

  • Add your name calling for Fair Contracts NOW! Sign the petition in solidarity with striking UAW workers here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/uaw-solidarity/

  • Join the Fight to Make Things Right at the Big Three - How to stand up for Autoworkers: https://uaw.org/standwith

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MISSOURI HOUSE DEMOCRATS


Join the MO Democratic Legislative Network!

The Democratic Legislative Network is building a community of dedicated activists to support our ideals, our message and our candidates in Missouri. Sign up here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/oZqeiPSF7kqrBstdpQLk9w2


Get involved in your area!

We need your help to make sure there is an active presence in every district in our state, because every district matters in the fight to flip Missouri blue. Can we count on you to help us build progressive communities across the state? Sign up here:


Make a donation!

Every election matters. Every gift can help.

Donate today and help us keep building the infrastructure needed to recruit, train, and support local candidates in Missouri. Organizing efforts require year-round work, not just when there is an upcoming election, and your donation will help build the groundwork needed to bring real change benefitting all Missourians. Make a donation here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mhd-donate-now


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How to help victims of the Israel-Hamas terrorist attack


Find organizations helping victims of this war here and make a donation:



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Missouri in the News


“Jay Ashcroft joins legal team defending his summary of Missouri abortion amendment – The Secretary of State would not say whether he intends to participate in oral arguments set for Oct. 30 before the Court of Appeals”


“There is a new member of the legal team defending the ballot language Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft wrote for proposed initiatives that would add abortion rights to the Missouri Constitution – Ashcroft himself.


Ashcroft, who was an engineer by trade until earning his law degree in 2008, rarely appeared in court on behalf of clients, he said in an interview with The Independent on Wednesday. He will be in court Oct. 30, when the Western District Court of Appeals in Kansas City hears arguments in the case, but said he won’t disclose whether he will take an active role in the hearing. “That’s something that we’ll decide internally and it’s really not something I necessarily want to let the opposition know about before the trial date,” Ashcroft said.


Ashcfroft is appealing the Sept. 25 ruling that the ballot language he wrote for six proposed constitutional amendments was biased. Petitions must have an approved ballot title before signatures can be gathered.


In the decision that rewrote the ballot language, Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem concluded that “certain phrases included in the secretary’s summary are problematic in that they are argumentative or do not fairly describe the purposes or probable effect of the initiative.”



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Ashcroft says initiatives filed by Republican political operative Jamie Corley “seek to ‘nullify Missouri laws protecting the right to life’ – Attorney General Andrew Bailey said if the amendment passes it would cost the state $21 million because he’d refuse to defend it”


Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft completed work on ballot summaries for six proposed constitutional amendments filed in August by Republican political operative Jamie Corley, writing that the petitions would either “allow no excuse abortions” for up to 12 weeks or “nullify Missouri laws protecting the right to life.”


The initiative petitions filed by Corley with assistance from Democratic attorney Chuck Hatfield, “are being pitched as a middle ground between the ban currently in place and more expansive proposals filed earlier this year” by abortion rights supporter **Dr. Anna Fitz-James on behalf of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom.”


“Attorney General Andrew Bailey argued that if any of the amendments filed by Corley were approved by voters, legal costs would balloon in his office to $21 million because he would refuse to defend the provisions in court and would instead hire outside counsel.”



**More on Dr. Anna Fitz-James’ abortion rights petitions**


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“Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher fires his chief of staff”


“Missouri House Speaker and Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Dean Plocher, fired his chief of staff on Tuesday — just weeks after the lawmaker was accused by nonpartisan legislative employees of unlawful conduct.


In a letter to legislators, Plocher announced that the chief of staff position in his office is vacant effective immediately. Up until Tuesday, that job had been held by Kenny Ross, who has served as chief of staff to the last three Republican speakers — Todd Richardson, Elijah Haahr and Rob Vescovo.


There was no reason given for Ross leaving his position. A spokesman for the speaker’s office said he did not anticipate being able to provide clarity on the situation. Ross declined to comment.”


“Ross’ departure from the speaker’s office comes in the wake of allegations by the chief clerk of the House of potentially illegal and unethical conduct by Plocher in his unsuccessful push for the chamber to spend nearly $800,000 to hire a private company to manage constituent information.


The accusations were uncovered in emails obtained by The Independent through Missouri’s Sunshine Law.”



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“Donation to Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey riles plaintiffs in lead-poisoning suit against St. Louis company – The parent company for Doe Run cut at $50,000 check to a PAC supporting Andrew Bailey three months after he filed a brief in support of the lead smelter in federal court”


“Over the summer, Attorney General Andrew Bailey joined in the effort to try to convince a federal court to move a lead-poisoning lawsuit against a St. Louis company out of Missouri.


The litigation in question was filed by thousands of people from Peru suing Doe Run Resources Corp. over alleged injuries caused by its lead smelter in that country.


Bailey filed an amicus brief, signed by his solicitor general, arguing that the lawsuit should be handled by courts in Peru, where the plaintiffs live and where the pollution took place.


Doe Run’s corporate headquarters is in St. Louis.


Less than three months later, Bailey’s re-election campaign got a major boost. A political action committee created to support his 2024 hopes got a $50,000 check from Doe Run’s parent company, New York-based Renco Group.


On Wednesday, lawyers for the plaintiffs cried foul, asking a federal court to either throw Bailey’s brief out altogether or require him to amend it to acknowledge the five-figure contribution.


Plaintiffs noted Renco has only waded into Missouri politics twice: Last month for Bailey, and in 2018 for Gov. Mike Parson, shortly after he, too, tried to get the case to be moved to Peru.


“Renco seemingly has only ever made two donations to Missouri state politicians — and both closely coincided with the recipients intervening in this litigation to help Renco,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.”



National News


“The Big 3 automakers now have record offers on the table. UAW says they can do more”


“In the five weeks since autoworkers first walked out at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, the offers on the table have gotten dramatically richer.


Proposed wage increases over the 4.5-year contract began at 9% but they are now at 23% at all Big Three automakers, UAW president Shawn Fain said on Friday in his latest Facebook Live address.


In addition, Ford and GM now have improved cost of living adjustment offers, while all three automakers have offered to cut the number of years it takes to reach the top wage and to increase 401(k) retirement contributions.


But Fain said, there's still room to move. "One thing we've been hearing over and over from these companies is how they've offered us record contracts," he said. "You know what? We agree. These are already record contracts, but they come at the end of decades of record decline. So it's not enough."


Still, Fain did not announce another expansion of the strike after last calling for 8,700 workers at a key Ford Kentucky plant to walk out. Instead, he acknowledged the UAW auto workers who have been called on to strike under the union's plan to ramp up pressure on automakers by calling for walkouts at only some of the plants.”



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“U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks order in Missouri social media lawsuit”


“The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court’s order limiting executive branch officials’ discussions with social media companies about controversial online posts.


The lawsuit was originally filed by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry alleging the federal government colluded with social media companies like Twitter and Facebook to suppress the freedom of speech.


The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans last month prohibited the White House, the Surgeon General’s Office, the F.B.I., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from having practically any contact with the social media companies. It found that the Biden administration most likely overstepped the First Amendment by urging the major social media platforms to remove misleading or false content.

On Friday, the Supreme Court placed a temporary stay on the order until it decides the case. It also agreed to immediately take up the government’s appeal, meaning it will hear arguments and issue a ruling on the merits in its current term, which runs until the end of June.


Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch dissented. “Today,” Alito wrote in his dissent, a majority of the court, without undertaking a full review of the record and without any explanation, suspends the effect of the injunction until the court completes its review of this case, an event that may not occur until late in the spring of next year.”



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“The U.S. Supreme Court keeps a Missouri law on hold that bars police from enforcing federal gun laws – The law would impose a fine of $50,000 on an officer who knowingly enforces federal gun laws that don’t match up with state restrictions.”


“The Supreme Court on Friday kept on hold a Missouri law that bars police from enforcing federal gun laws, rejecting an emergency appeal from the state.


The 2019 law was ruled unconstitutional by a District Court judge but allowed to remain in effect. A federal appeals court then blocked enforcement while the state appeals the District Court ruling.

Missouri had wanted the law to be in effect while the court fight plays out.


Justice Clarence Thomas was the only member of the court to side with Missouri on Friday.

The law would impose a fine of $50,000 on an officer who knowingly enforces federal gun laws that don’t match up with state restrictions.


Federal laws without similar Missouri laws include registration and tracking requirements and possession of firearms by some domestic violence offenders.

The court expanded gun rights in a 2022 decision authored by Thomas. It is hearing arguments next month in the first case stemming from last year’s ruling. An appeals court invalidated a federal law that aims to keep guns away from people facing domestic violence restraining orders.”

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“Who are the 9 Republicans running for U.S. House speaker? Here are the candidates – Nine Republican lawmakers have tossed their hats into the ring to be considered for speaker of the House.”


“U.S. House Republicans have been working to elect a speaker since Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted at the start of the month. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise withdrew his candidacy on Oct. 12 after receiving the nomination on Oct. 11. Rep. Jim Jordan was dropped as the nominee Friday after he lost a third ballot for the speakership.


Who are the nine candidates for speaker of the House?

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York said there was a noon deadline on Sunday for representatives to announce their candidacies for speaker.


The candidates who met that deadline are Reps. Jack Berman, Byron Donalds, Tom Emmer, Kevin Hern, Mike Johnson, Dan Meuser, Gary Palmer, Austin Scott and Pete Sessions.


Republicans will meet Monday evening to discuss potential candidates, with an internal vote set for Tuesday morning, according to interim Speaker Rep. Patrick McHenry.”



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MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT!


With so much important news each week we don’t want you to miss a thing! Check out our MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13cokjWlCh2EkY5K6bM357rjVPizZDzxlMqjAuoBQfoI/edit?usp=sharing


 

THANK YOU! for staying informed and taking action to make a difference!

Invite your friends and neighbors to join us and sign up for Missouri Action Alliance and this Missouri Mondays weekly email at https://bit.ly/3pF99Uw.

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @MissouriAction, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MOActionAlliance and check out our website at http://www.MOActionAlliance.com

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