TheChat: Groups pledging to defeat voter ID in Missouri

Good morning.

▪ “I personally feel that it was as if they were dancing on my ancestors' graves.” — the Rev. Cassandra Gould, pastor of Quinn Chapel AME in Jefferson City and executive director of Missouri Faith Voices, on passage of voter ID legislation.

A series of groups are pledging to oppose the proposal, which now goes to the ballot in November. The groups have announced Freedom Summer '16, a campaign designed to oppose voter ID restrictions and educate the public on the issue.

▪ “This is nearly a regret-free campaign. We literally did every single thing we could do.” — Ted Cruz campaign manager Jeff Roe, formerly of Kansas City, to his staff at campaign’s end.

Roe appears to have become a national GOP figure in the wake of this campaign, which saw Cruz finish second in what once was a crowded GOP field. Roe’s remarks appear in a feel-good youtube video that featured him and Cruz speaking to the staff.

▪ “People outside of this building would assume that that would have been the easiest one to get done. Unfortunately, it's the hardest one to get done.” — Missouri state Rep. Justin Alferman on a bill he sponsored to ban lobbyist gifts in the Statehouse.

The measure failed, and House Speaker Todd Richardson says the bill will be the first the House takes up next year. The bill's defeat means lawmakers still can receive unlimited tickets to baseball games, concert tickets, spa services and steak dinners. (link courtesy of johncombest.com).

▪ “We will have to come back and see what can be done next year.” — Missouri state Rep. David Wood, a Versailles Republican, on the controversial religious liberty amendment that protected businesses from being sued if they rejected providing services for a same-sex marriage ceremony.

Wood predicted the proposal will resurface next year. “You hate to see the Senate go through 40 hours of filibuster for (the bill) and then not have the result come out of it,” Wood said.

▪ “The current experiment in Kansas is failing.” — former Kansas Gov. Mike Hayden, a Republican, on the massive 2012 tax cuts that Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law.

Hayden, who served from 1987-1991, said lawmakers and Brownback should address those cuts again. “It’s time to admit we don’t have the resources to provide the people the necessities they need,” Hayden said.