ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

Senate President , who is term limited in the Missouri Legislature and running for the U.S. Senate, has pushed for years for a law that would block companies from placing unregulated video gambling devices, now commonly found in gas stations and liquor stores.

On Wednesday night, with the legislative session set to end at 6 p.m. Friday, the Republican from Sullivan introduced a surprise amendment to a business regulation bill. Schatz’s proposal, which ultimately failed, would attempt to punish businesses if they offer illegal slot machines at their establishments.

The Senate, which has been roiled by infighting among Schatz and a splinter group called the “Conservative Caucus,� had been operating on a semi-regular pace Wednesday as they tried to take care of mostly routine business heading toward Friday’s scheduled adjournment.

Schatz has been pushing to ban the machines for more than four years as politically connected companies like Wildwood-based Torch Electronics have placed their machines in thousands of gas stations and liquor stores across the state.

But his efforts have been stymied by the powerful connections employed by Torch, including former House Speaker Steve Tilley, an ally of Gov. Mike Parson.

Among those objecting to Schatz’s proposal was Sen. , R-Ash Grove, who read a deposition on the Senate floor related to an investigation and lawsuit involving Torch’s activities.

The deposition, which was reviewed by the Post-Dispatch, shows that attorneys for Torch were unsuccessful in trying to link Schatz to the Missouri Highway Patrol probe, based on testimony by state troopers.

Moon, who is running for a congressional seat in southwest Missouri, in the final fundraising quarter last year, received more than $15,000 in campaign contributions to his state-level account from political action committees tied to Tilley.

The Post-Dispatch reported last year that a Torch lobbyist was in contact with Moon, considered among the most conservative lawmakers in the Legislature, as the Senate was weighing a similar measure that ultimately died.

Schatz ultimately pulled his proposed amendment from consideration.

The eleventh-hour maneuvering comes as lawmakers are still facing the question of legalizing sports betting, which has been a priority of Missouri’s professional sports teams, including the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals, the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Blues and Kansas City’s sports teams.

The teams, as well as the state’s casino operators, have lobbied heavily for allowing Missourians to join residents in most neighboring states who can bet on athletic events, generating millions of dollars in tax revenue.

Posted at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, May 12.