Posted on Oct 27, 2023
Missouri Republicans call for investigation or resignation of House Speaker Dean Plocher
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Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher is facing calls for his resignation following revelations that he filed false expense reports with the legislature to be personally reimbursed for travel already paid for by his campaign.
Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher is facing calls for his resignation following revelations that he filed false expense reports with the legislature to be personally reimbursed for travel already paid for by his campaign.
Plocher, a Republican from Des Peres, chalked up the situation to “administrative errors,” vowing to review all of his expenses and reimburse any money he was wrongly paid over the years. He began writing checks to the House last week.
“Missourians deserve complete transparency and accountability from their elected representatives, which I’ve delivered and will continue to deliver as speaker,” Plocher said in a statement posted on social media.
A day after The Independent’s story about Plocher’s expense reports, prominent Republicans began calling for a formal inquiry — and suggesting it could cost Plocher his job.
Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher is facing calls for his resignation following revelations that he filed false expense reports with the legislature to be personally reimbursed for travel already paid for by his campaign.
Plocher, a Republican from Des Peres, chalked up the situation to “administrative errors,” vowing to review all of his expenses and reimburse any money he was wrongly paid over the years. He began writing checks to the House last week.
“Missourians deserve complete transparency and accountability from their elected representatives, which I’ve delivered and will continue to deliver as speaker,” Plocher said in a statement posted on social media.
A day after The Independent’s story about Plocher’s expense reports, prominent Republicans began calling for a formal inquiry — and suggesting it could cost Plocher his job.
Missouri Republicans call for investigation or resignation of House Speaker Dean Plocher
Posted from kcur.org
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Posted 7 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel another crooked Republican...
..."Friday’s hearing did not appear to center on a filed complaint, which is what the ethics commission typically reviews. State Rep. Richard Brown, a Democrat who is also running for lieutenant governor, did not recuse himself from the hearing.
Kelly told reporters after the hearing that while “personnel inquiry” was not included in the Missouri House ethics rules, the committee uses the U.S. House ethics rules as a guide. The U.S. House ethics rules allow for House members, officers or employees to request written opinions “with respect to the propriety of any current or proposed conduct of such Member, officer, or employee.”
Kelly said the committee would continue to discuss the personnel inquiry at its next meeting in November. Asked at what point the personnel inquiry would rise to something else, Kelly said she did not know.
“That is a great question that I can’t answer,” she said.
Several Missouri House speakers in the modern era have faced significant controversies, including Bob Griffin, a Democrat and the state’s longest-serving speaker who served from 1981 to 1996, who was indicted and later convicted on bribery charges.
In 2015, then-Speaker John Diehl, a Republican, resigned from the post after The Kansas City Star reported that he had been sending sexually-charged messages with an intern."
..."Friday’s hearing did not appear to center on a filed complaint, which is what the ethics commission typically reviews. State Rep. Richard Brown, a Democrat who is also running for lieutenant governor, did not recuse himself from the hearing.
Kelly told reporters after the hearing that while “personnel inquiry” was not included in the Missouri House ethics rules, the committee uses the U.S. House ethics rules as a guide. The U.S. House ethics rules allow for House members, officers or employees to request written opinions “with respect to the propriety of any current or proposed conduct of such Member, officer, or employee.”
Kelly said the committee would continue to discuss the personnel inquiry at its next meeting in November. Asked at what point the personnel inquiry would rise to something else, Kelly said she did not know.
“That is a great question that I can’t answer,” she said.
Several Missouri House speakers in the modern era have faced significant controversies, including Bob Griffin, a Democrat and the state’s longest-serving speaker who served from 1981 to 1996, who was indicted and later convicted on bribery charges.
In 2015, then-Speaker John Diehl, a Republican, resigned from the post after The Kansas City Star reported that he had been sending sexually-charged messages with an intern."
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