In re: the dramedy House Republicans enacted during the Wednesday budget hearings
Be it known that the (unlucky) thirteen liaisons in the governor’s office are actual people, with mortgages and, in some cases, children to support.
Chris Pieper, a lawyer and the son of veteran political activist in St. Peters, Cheryl Hibbeler, finds himself fired as of July 1st. Pieper left a job at Thompson, Coburn for a salary that is not much more than a third of what he had been earning because–his mama raised him right!–he wants to work in public service.
Like Chris, Crystal Lovett-Tibbs left a good-paying job at Husch and Eppenberger. And I’ll bet if I had time to investigate the other eleven on the chopping block, I’d find similar stories of people willing to sacrifice because of their commitment to public service.
I looked around for the names of all thirteen liaisons but only managed to find twelve of them:
- Brett Berry in the Office of Administration
- Julie Murphy Finn in the Department of Economic Development
- Chris Moreno in the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
- Rachel Mobley in the Department of Agriculture
- Zach Pollock in the Department of Mental Health
- Sarah Madden in the Department of Social Services
- Damion Trasada in the Department of Social Services
- Patrick Lynn in the Department of Health and Senior Services
- Matt Sturm in the Department of Corrections
- James Klahr in the Department of Public Safety
- Crystal Lovett-Tibbs in the Department of Natural Resources
- Chris Pieper in the Department of Revenue
Republicans would respond: Oh, come off it! We all know the Senate will restore the funds to pay the liaisons.
And subsidize your cynical little game? Yes, we hope they will. But in the meantime, Icet’s army is toying with people’s livelihoods. And I suspect that, considering the uncertainty the liaisons are currently facing, it will be insufficient comfort for them to know that they are helping re-elect Denny Hoskins and Scott Largent.