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Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher accused of retaliating against GOP critics

Speaker of the House Dean Plocher
Tristen Rouse
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漏 2024 外网天堂
Speaker of the House Dean Plocher, R-St. Louis, walks through the Missouri House of Representatives on the first day of the 2024 legislative session, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo.

So far this year, state Rep. Mazzie Christensen has filed 11 bills, ranging from changes to statewide education and public health policy to narrow legislation designed to help a small county in her district.

State Rep. Adam Schwadron has filed 12 bills, including his top priority to create a state fund to defray costs of security enhancements for nonprofits at elevated risk of terrorist attacks in Missouri.

Up until Thursday, more than a month into the legislative session, Christensen and Schwadron were the only Republican lawmakers who filed legislation this year who had not had any bills referred to committee by House Speaker Dean Plocher.

The pair also share one other thing in common: They were among the loudest voices within the House Republican caucus calling for Plocher to step down from leadership amid a litany of scandals.

With Plocher鈥檚 future still uncertain as , Christensen believes he鈥檚 using his power as speaker to retaliate against those who spoke out.

鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely being punished,鈥 Christensen said in an interview last week. 鈥淎nd I think it鈥檚 really petty and childish.鈥

Plocher finally referred one bill each from Christensen and Schwadron to committee on Thursday, as word spread The Independent was asking questions about the the situation.

Schwadron wasn鈥檛 interested in speculating about why his bills have been stuck in limbo, saying only that he remains hopeful he can get his legislation across the finish line.

鈥淚鈥檓 just happy that we鈥檙e moving through the process,鈥 he said.

House rules require the speaker to refer 鈥渁ll bills and resolutions鈥 to a committee, but impose no requirement that it be done in order or at any particular time during the legislative session.

Plocher, through a spokesman, denied taking any punitive action against anyone who called for him to resign.

鈥淲hile the speaker has referred a record amount of bills to committees at this point in session, not every bill will be referred, and not every referral occurs on the first day of session,鈥 Plocher鈥檚 spokesman said in a statement. 鈥淏ills will continue to be filed through the end of this month. Bills will continue to be referred throughout the session.鈥

Rep. Adam Schwadron, R-St. Charles, speaks on the floor of the Missouri House of Representatives in March, 2023. Schwadron is running to be Missouri's next Secretary of State.
Tim Bommel
Rep. Adam Schwadron, R-St. Charles, speaks on the floor of the Missouri House of Representatives in March 2023 in Jefferson City.

鈥楬e should resign鈥

In September, public records obtained by The Independent showed nonpartisan staff raising concerns about Plocher鈥檚 push for the House to award a lucrative contract to a private company.

Plocher allegedly threatened the job of the chief clerk of the House over her criticism of the potential contract. In emails to other staff and a Republican legislator, the clerk expressed 鈥溾 by the speaker.

A month later, The Independent reported that Plocher had on numerous occasions over the last five years for airfare, hotels and other travel costs already paid for by his campaign.

In each instance, Plocher was required to sign a sworn statement declaring that the payments were made with 鈥減ersonal funds, for which I have not been reimbursed.鈥

Adding to Plocher鈥檚 headaches were revelations that the Missouri House 鈥 including $29,000 on new furniture. As part of the renovation, Plocher turned another legislator鈥檚 office into what he鈥檚 referred to as his 鈥渂utler鈥檚 pantry,鈥 stocked with liquor, beer, wine and soda to complement the supply in his office.

And more recently, the Kansas City Star reported, allowing him to spend more than allowed to upgrade a flight to Utah and get reimbursed for a flight to a conference in Hawaii.

Those are the only two written requests for exemptions or waivers of House policies on travel expenses made over the past three years.

Amid the swirling scandals, Plocher also fired his and . His resigned in November.

Christensen was among the first members of the House GOP caucus to speak out, releasing a statement in late October calling on Plocher to step down as speaker over 鈥.鈥

鈥淚 believe we need a new leader with integrity,鈥 she said at the time, 鈥渢o help House Republicans move this state forward.鈥

In an interview last week, Christensen stood behind her statement.

鈥淗e should resign,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 still believe that. I didn鈥檛 say he should resign from the legislature. But he shouldn鈥檛 be in leadership.鈥

Schwadron, who is running for Missouri secretary of state, wrote a letter to his GOP colleagues in early November highlighting what he called Plocher鈥檚 鈥.鈥

鈥淚 am formally asking that our friend, Speaker Dean Plocher, put aside his pride and personal ambitions and immediately resign his speakership for the good of our Republican caucus and our Missouri Republican Party,鈥 he wrote.

Schwadron said last week that he still believes Plocher should resign. But the majority of the GOP caucus wants to wait until the ethics committee releases its report before passing judgment, he said, 鈥渁nd I will respect the position of the caucus.鈥

It鈥檚 unclear when the ethics investigation will be complete. The committee has not met since Dec. 6. Proceedings of the committee are confidential, and none of the discussions, testimony or evidence gathered is public until a report is issued.

Missouri Rep. Chris Sander has introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to say valid marriages are between 鈥渢wo individuals.鈥
Tim Bommel
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Missouri House Communications
Missouri State Rep. Chris Sander, R-Lone Jack, was the first Republican House member to call for Plocher to resign. He鈥檚 had one bill referred to committee so far this year 鈥 legislation that would do away with Daylight Savings Time.

鈥楧ifferent ways of representing my district鈥

Through his spokesman, Plocher said other representatives who 鈥渆xpressed similar sentiments prior to session commencing have had their bills referred,鈥 noting that 1,330 bills have been filed in the House so far this session and 519 were referred to committees.

The first Republican House member to call for Plocher to resign was state Rep. Chris Sander of Lone Jack. He鈥檚 had one bill referred to committee so far this year 鈥 legislation that would do away with Daylight Savings Time.

He couldn鈥檛 be reached Friday for comment.

State Rep. Doug Richey, an Excelsior Springs Republican, also publicly called for Plocher鈥檚 resignation. A month into session, Richey finally got three bills referred to committee.

Richey said he spoke with the speaker鈥檚 office about his bills, though neither side made any promises or cut any deals.

And while Richey stands behind his call for Plocher to resign, like Schwadron, he said he will abide by the will of the GOP caucus and wait for the ethics report before formally deciding the speaker鈥檚 fate.

Christensen said she鈥檚 not concerned about being in the doghouse with the speaker鈥檚 office. She鈥檒l find ways to be effective even if her bills never get any traction, she said, and has found other lawmakers willing to add her ideas to their bills.

鈥淚鈥檓 just gonna have to figure out different ways of representing my district,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ut I know my district didn鈥檛 just send me here to pass bills. They sent me here to be honest and truthful and stand up for what I believe in, and I鈥檓 not going to back down from that.鈥

Jason Hancock is a reporter covering politics and policy for The Missouri Independent.