Nixon Says Vetting Refugees is Feds Job November 16, 2015

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon says Washington should implement the strongest possible safeguards when screening refugees entering the United States.

Nixon noted the screening process for refugees is a function of the US State Department and the federal Department of Homeland Security, not the state of Missouri.

At least three republican gubernatorial candidates, John Brunner, Peter Kinder and Catherine Hanaway called on Nixon to join other Governors in refusing to take in any refugees from Syria.
A backlash against accepting Syrian refugees accelerated Monday. One of the Paris attackers was discovered to have entered Europe posing as a Syrian refugee.

Earlier this year, Washington agreed to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees.
Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, who is also running for governor, says his office sent a letter to Nixon.
“ I urge you to refuse to accept any of Syrian refugees being located to Missouri until the federal government ensures a proper vetting procedure is in place,” Kinder wrote.

Catherine Hanaway asked Nixon to suspend accepting any Syrian refugees “until further security measure are put into place to understand who and where these refugees are coming from,”.

Another St. Louisan, John Brunner said “I call on Governor Nixon to reject President Obama’s plan to relocate Syrian refugees to Missouri”.

Earlier this year the international Institute of St. Louis indicated it would accept refugees from Syria.

It is unlikely any refugees are sent to Kansas City.

Hillary Cohen Singer of the refugee service of the Jewish Vocational Services group says refugees are usually sent to an area where a community is already established.

Cohen Singer says there are few Syrians in the Kansas City metro.

Hanaway & Schweich Talks of Agenda to Editors February 12, 2015

(AP) – Missouri’s two leading Republican candidates for governor disagree over education policy as they look toward the 2016 elections.

State Auditor Tom Schweich (shwyk) and former House Speaker Catherine Hanaway spoke Thursday at the Capitol to media editors and reporters.

Hanaway said she supports eliminating teacher tenure so local schools have more flexibility in hiring and salary decisions. Schweich said he supports tenure protections and equated repealing them to trying to coerce teachers into improving their performance.

Both candidates shied away from proposals raising taxes for transportation. Schweich said he thinks the transportation department can be more efficient. Hanaway said she wants to direct cost-savings from the general state budget to highways.

Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster, who also is running for governor, did not attend the event.

Schweich Continues ‘ Clean Out Jeff City’ Campaign Theme January 30, 2015

Missouri State Auditor, Republican Tom Schweich continues to pres his ‘Clean Out Jefferson City’ theme on his first campaign swing as a candidiate for Givernor.
“You can’t get anything done until you clean up the corruption,” Schweich said I. Kansas City Thursday.
It was the second day of Schweich fly-around announcement tour.
Schweich expects to face former Misspuri House Speaker Catherine Hanaway during the August 2016 Republican Party primary for Govenor.
As Schweich’s campaign started, he took a swipe at Hanaway and one of her supporters, wealthy investor Rex Sinquefield. He has donated heavily to her campaign.
In Kansas City, Schweich mentioned Sinquefield more by name than he did Hanway.
“They’re one in the same,” claimed the auditor.
Schweich is just starting his second term as State Auditor. democrats did not mount a challenger to him.
Schweich says he’ll also make improving Missouri schools and economic development major campaign issues.
when asked about the economic competition in the Kansas City area, known as ‘The Border War’, Schweich says, as Govenor he would try to resolve the problem. He was nit specifics.
The main theme of his remarks centered on the problem he sees with correct potion, since Missouri has no political campaign contribution limits and few restrictions on lobbyist activity.
“t’s deception, it’s fraud, it’s influence peddling. And it’s the kind of thing that worries me about the future of the Republlican Party in Missouri,” he said.
A statement from the Hanway campaign says it is really the Schweich bid that could jeopardize the the GOP, by dividing it with a primary campaign.
“Primaries have repeatedly cost Missouri Republicans statewide elections, a Hanaway spokesman wrote in a statement.
In 2012, a hard fought Republican primary gave the Missouri US Senate nomination to former Congressman Todd Akins.
He was easily defeated by Democrat Claire McCaskill in a race that Missouri Republicans thought they started out with the upper hand.
Democrat Attorney General Chris Koster is the heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2016.

Hanaway & Schweich– $1 Million, or More in Campaign Accounts January 16, 2015

(AP) — Republican Catherine Hanaway says her campaign for the 2016 Missouri governor’s race raised an additional $71,354 in the fourth quarter of 2014.

She ended the year with $1.3 million in cash according to Thursday campaign filings.

Hanaway is the only Republican candidate who’s officially declared for the state’s highest executive office.

Republican Auditor Tom Schweich has said he will announce whether he’s running for governor in the coming weeks.

Schweich’s campaign says he raised $140,000 in the fourth quarter and ended with about $1 million on hand.

Democrat Attorney General Chris Koster is also running for governor. A primary on the Democratic side is unlikely after Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday she would not run in 2016.

Cheney Pitches for Early GOP Convention in KC Meeting With Site Selectors June 5, 2014

Catherine Hanaway and former Vice President Dick Cheney in Kansas City Wednesday night

Former Vice President Dick Cheney apparently favors a 2016 GOP convention in Kansas City.
2016 Republican candidate for Governor Catherine Hanaway tweeted out a picture of her posing with Cheney at a reception in Kansas City Wednesday night.
“A big thank to Mr. Vice President and Mrs Cheney for coming to Kansas City to support @KCRNC2016”.
The Kansas City Start reports Cheney also made a pitch for holding the GOP convention earlier in the 2016 election year.
Of the four finalists the site selection committee is considering, only Kansas City’s Sprint Center Arena does not have a pro sports team as anchor tenant.
Professional basketball and hockey teams play into the spring with many season lasting longer because if the playoff schedules.
The GOP would want access to the convention site in the spring if it wants to hold a June convention.