Piper for Missouri @piper4missouri
The fact that Herschel Walker paid for an abortion surprises no one. Folks with money and means will always have the right to an abortion. When they pass abortion bans, they aren’t meant for powerful folks.
A Democrat wins running for an open seat in a legislative district which was previously held by a republican (Gary Cross – term limited out) who was a reliable vote for republican party ideology.
How is that done in a district held by a republican for eight years? Talk to voters. Listen. Knock on doors, a lot of doors. Talk to even more voters. Address their real concerns. Out work the opposition. Repeat. Get out the vote.
Keri Ingle (D) [2018 file photo]
It really worked. The results:
State of Missouri – General Election, November 06, 2018
Unofficial Results
Cato the Elder tacked that on to his speeches in the Roman Senate, relevant or not.
The republicans in the Missouri General Assembly have super majorities in both houses.
Therefore, we should arm everyone in our public schools. Therefore, if it could possibly involve Planned Parenthood, we’re not interested. Therefore, St. Louis schools are not our problem. Therefore, an AR-15 is a perfectly good tool for hunting, because, well…
HCS SB 743, an education bill, was the subject of most of yesterday’s morning and afternoon sessions in the House. By one count there were forty amendments to be considered on the bill. With the time remaining on the legislative calendar, the actions (or lack thereof) of the Senate, and an impending sense of doom the education bill became a vehicle to try to hang entire bills which have no other legislative route to approval other than as amendments to another bill.
Then those amendments have to survive a conference committee.
As the afternoon session ground on one member of the House in the side gallery started quietly singing “Oh, Christmas tree”, joking that hanging all those ornaments on the tree was going to make it topple.
Representative Bruce Franks, Jr. (D) – May 8, 2018.
Representative Stacey Newman (D) – May 8, 2018.
Representative Hannah Kelly (R) – May 8, 2018.
Representative Holly Rehder (R) – May 8, 2018
Representative Deb Lavender (D) – May 8, 2018.
Minority Whip Kip Kendrick (D) – May 8, 2018.
Representative Martha Stevens (D) – May 8, 2018.
Representative Karla May (D) – May 8, 2018.
Speaker Todd Richardson – May 8, 2018.
Representative Mike Moon (R) – May 8, 2018.
There isn’t much levity at the end of this session in comparison to others. One can sense the tension and frustration – sometimes that bubbles up. It’s not so much the possible (probable, depending on who you talk to) impeachment of Governor Eric Greitens (r), but, as one member of the House said, a symptom of the Trump Era.
The Special Session which may consider impeachment commences at 6:30 p.m. on May 18th, thirty minutes after the end of the General Session. No one is certain of what is going to happen.
Though, we’d like to find out where that $1,975,000.00 really came from.
Tony Messenger @tonymess
Missouri Democrats ask for resignation of state Rep. Bob Burns, D-St. Louis, after discovery of his regular calls to racist radio show:
STATEMENT
House Democratic Leadership asks Rep. Burns to resign
“In recent days, House Democratic Leadership leraned of disturbing recordings of calls by Rep. Bob Burns to a St. Louis-area radio show whose host is notorious for making racist on-air statements. While we acknowledge some of the recordings have been edited, the fact that Rep. Burn repeatedly called into this show is reprehensible given the host’s well-known racist views. As a result, House Democratic leadership has asked Rep. Burns to immediately tender his resignation as state representative. We will not tolerate this conduct from any member of the Democratic Caucus.”
House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty
D-Kansas City
Via Twitter from State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D):
Nicole Galloway, CPA @nicolergalloway
Hate speech should never be accepted or tolerated. We are obligated to challenge racism and those who espouse it. Representative Burns should resign his seat in the Missouri House. #MoLeg 12:11 PM – 21 Apr 2018
Via Twitter from Representative Bruce Franks, Jr. (D):
Bruce Franks Jr @brucefranksjr
Bob Burns must resign, hearing those tapes upset me. That’s something we can’t stand for! There comes a time when silence becomes betrayal. 1:56 PM – 21 Apr 2018
And Missouri Democratic Party Chair Stephen Webber, and Senator Claire (D) McCaskill…
Special Investigative Committee on Oversight
Chair: Jay Barnes (60)
House Hearing Room 5
3/6/2018 – 5:00 PM or upon conclusion of afternoon session (whichever is later)
***Corrected***
3/5/2018 4:54:13 PM
Comments
Organizational Meeting
Executive session may be held on any matter referred to the committee.
And one tomorrow morning.
Special Investigative Committee on Oversight
Chair: Jay Barnes (60)
401 Monroe Street; Jefferson City, MO
3/7/2018 – 8:00 A.M.
***Amended***
3/6/2018 11:20:45 AM
Comments
Pursuant to HR5565, portions of this hearing may be closed.
Executive session may be held on any matter referred to the committee.
Today at noon at the capitol in Jefferson City the Missouri General Assembly started the 2018 legislative session. Speaker Todd Richardson (r) addressed the House, at different points extolling the virtues of so-called “Right to Work” and praising a republican House member’s persistance in promoting anti-choice legislation. For the most part members in the Democratic minority sat on their hands during the address.
Speaker Todd Richardson (r), presiding over the opening of the session in the House.
Rep. Martha Stevens (D).
Speaker Todd Richardson (r).
Rep. Bruce Franks, Jr. (D).
Speaker Todd Richardson (r) listening to a question from the media at the majority press conference in the House Lounge after the day’s adjournment.
At one point someone in the media at the minority press conference took issue with Minority Floor Leader Gail McCann Beatty’s (D) characterization of the Speaker’s address as partisan. Seriously.
Minority Floor Leader Gail McCann Beatty (D) at the minority press conference in the House Lounge.
Assistant Minority Floor Leader Gina Mitten (D) at the minority press conference in the House Lounge.
Rep. Tracy McCreery (D).
It is apparent that the legislative agendas of the majority and minority parties in the House don’t have much in common. Throw the republican controlled Senate and Governor Eric Greitens (r) into the mix and the prospects for progress look dim.
The republican majority in the Missouri House outlined their legislative agenda and their displeasure with Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) in their press conference in the House Lounge after the opening day’s adjournment.
Speaker Todd Richardson (r) – Jefferson City – January 4, 2017.
At the majority caucus press conference:
House Majority Leader Mike Cierpiot (r) – Jefferson City – January 4, 2017.
The Democratic minority in the Missouri House made clear their opposition to “right to work” legislation and any efforts toward dismantling the Missouri Court Plan from the republican majority. Representative Kip Kendrick (D) called on the majority to support ethics reform legislation modelled on the campaign rhetoric of Governor-elect Eric Greitens (r).
House Minority Floor Leader Gail McCann Beatty (D) – Jefferson City – January 4, 2017.
At the minority caucus press conference in the House Lounge after the opening day’s adjournment:
House Minority Whip Kip Kendrick (D) – Jefferson City – January 4, 2017.
One important part of the opening of the legislative session is that the members of the House elect a Speaker. The majority party (republicans) easily prevailed. The minority Democrats took the opportunity to nominate their leader for the position.
Minority Floor Leader Gail McCann Beatty (D) – in the House – Jefferson City – January 4, 2017
The minority leader’s remarks:
Minority Floor Leader Gail McCann Beatty (D): I am honored to be considered for Speaker of the House.
It is time that we let go of those issues which divide our state and address issues that our constituents have identified as priorities: true ethics reform, quality education, and job creation. Our responsibility is to our constituents and not special interests.
Racial tensions are at an all-time high fueled by an unprecedented federal election that seemed to not just ignore these issues but seem to legitimize it. Ferguson was just the tip of the iceberg and we cannot continue to ignore its existence. Ignoring the issue will not make it go away. The unrest in Ferguson was more than 2 years ago, and this legislature has done nothing to understand why it occurred and little to address the underlying issues to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. The failure to address the issue has allowed racism to trickle down into our schools, affecting our children. Our state boast an unemployment rate of 4.7% but the reality is that the unemployment rate for minorities is more than double that and for minorities age 16-24 it can be as high as 45%.
Sexual Harassment was dismissed as locker room talk. Recent articles have highlighted how serious the issue of sexual harassment is in our state. Millions of taxpayer dollars are being used to sweep these incidents under the rug rather than address the root problem. This is another issue we cannot continue to ignore. As a legislature it should be our priority to eliminate this behavior in our state.
We tout Christian values yet we continue to allow these injustices. It is time for us to say “not in our state.”
We can address many of these issues by focusing on quality public education and funding early childhood education. We have seen some improvement by all of our school districts but we still have a long way to go. Providing an educated workforce is essential to reducing unemployment and bringing jobs to our state.
When we focus on the priority of our constituents, we can find bi-partisan solutions. Democrats stand willing to work on solutions that address the priorities of our state. It is in the best interest of our state that we are committed to work together. For that reason, I withdraw my nomination for Speaker of the House. I am committed to finding bi-partisan solutions to address the problems of our state and working with the Gentleman from Butler to restore public trust in our state government.
