(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri House Ethics Committee voted unanimously on Monday to recommend Rep. Rick Roeber be expelled from the Legislature. The committee, made up of five Republicans and five Democrats, said evidence obtained over the course of its four-month investigation confirmed Roeber had sexually abused two of his children in 1990 when they […]
Tag: political
Hawley introduces the “Bust Up Big Tech” act
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the Bust Up Big Tech Act, new legislation to restore accountability and competition to Big Tech. Senator Hawley’s bill would break up Big Tech companies seeking to dominate multiple industries simultaneously, by banning companies like Amazon from marketing their own retail goods alongside those of other sellers or providing online hosting or cloud services to an ever-growing swath of the internet—including competitors. The […]
Video: Lawmakers introduce bill to subject Major League Baseball to antitrust Laws
U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have introduced a bill to remove the antitrust exemption that has been in place for Major League Baseball to subject them to existing law. Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), with over 20 cosponsors, has produced companion legislation in the House. “MLB […]
Todd Graves approved for University of Missouri curators despite bipartisan filibuster
(Missouri Independent) – A bipartisan coalition of state Senators was unable to stop politically connected Kansas City attorney Todd Graves from winning a seat on the University of Missouri Board of Curators. After a two-round filibuster — three hours last week and eight more hours ending around 1 a.m. Wednesday — the Senate voted 19-13 to […]
Audio: Parson’s pick for University of Missouri Board of Curators having an uphill battle in Missouri Senate
The governor’s choice to serve on the University of Missouri System Board of Curators is having an uphill battle in the state Senate. Senators on both sides of the aisle blocked an attempt last week to consider the nomination of Todd Graves to the University of Missouri System Board of Curators. Graves, a former state […]
Holding Medicaid hostage over birth control defies law and reason
(Missouri Independent) – While playing politics with healthcare in Missouri is certainly nothing new, holding Missouri Medicaid hostage over basic birth control is a stunning — and consequential — shift. As captured in headlines across the state, state Sen. Paul Wieland has put the entire Missouri Medicaid program in jeopardy with his late-night amendment to a […]
Audio: Will the Missouri Senate back the House’s attempt to defund Medicaid expansion? Senate President Dave Schatz weighs in
The Missouri House has passed the next state operating budget – without funding voter-approved Medicaid expansion. The $34.1 billion budget plan is now in the hands of the Republican-controlled Senate. Missouri Senate President Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, gives his thoughts to Missourinet affiliate KTUI in Sullivan about whether he expects the upper chamber to fund the expansion. […]
Eric Schmitt joins Missouri race for U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Roy Blunt
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt officially jumped into the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, making him the second major Republican hopeful seeking to replace Roy Blunt. Schmitt’s decision comes after former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens jumped into the race earlier this week. Both made their announcements on Fox News. “Washington, D.C., needs more […]
Jay Nixon comeback? Democrats lining up for shot at open Missouri Senate seat
(Missouri Independent) – Roy Blunt’s announcement that he won’t seek a third term certainly shook up Republican politics in Missouri, sparking nearly every GOP elected official in the state to publicly mull jumping into the campaign. Democrats aren’t immune from the speculation. While any Democrat would face an uphill fight, the chance of a messy […]
Roy Blunt is out. So who’s in? A list of possible Missouri GOP senate candidates
(Missouri Independent) – Roy Blunt’s decision not to seek a third term in the U.S. Senate will have cascading effects across Missouri’s political universe. The state has no shortage of ambitious Republican officials, each of whom can make a legitimate claim at being the strongest candidate. So will the 2022 GOP primary turn into a […]
Audio: Missouri resolution would let voters decide who sits on the state board of education
Missouri voters could decide who sits on the state board of education – not the governor. Eureka Republican Representative Dottie Bailey is proposing to let voters choose board members during each general election of a presidential election year. A House committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the measure. St. Louis Democrat Ian […]
Missouri State Auditor releases monthly reports on municipalities and special district financial information
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway recently issued monthly reports detailing the compliance of municipalities and other political subdivisions with financial reporting laws. One report includes cities, towns, and villages, while the other lists political subdivisions such as water, fire protection, and other taxing districts. These entities are required to file annual financial reports with the State […]
Who defines the Missouri GOP: Roy Blunt, Josh Hawley or Eric Greitens?
(Missouri Independent) – The eyes of the nation turned to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley over the holidays when he became the first senator to announce an objection to the certification of presidential electors. But the eyes of local politicos turned instead to his home-state colleague, Missouri’s senior senator. How would Roy Blunt — up for […]
Missouri State Auditor begins citizen requested audit of Marshall School District
State Auditor Nicole Galloway announced that her office has begun audits of two school districts in western Missouri. The Marshall School District and the Smithville R-II School District’s reviews were requested through petitions submitted by residents of those districts. “The petition audit process allows citizens to demonstrate that they want to be engaged in ensuring […]
WWII Nazi concentration camp guard removed to Germany
A Tennessee resident with German citizenship was removed to Germany for participating in Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution while serving as an armed guard at a Nazi concentration camp in 1945. In February 2020, Friedrich Karl Berger, 95, was ordered removed from the U.S. based on his participation in Nazi-sponsored persecution while serving in Nazi Germany […]
Missouri Senator releases short statement on vote to acquit former President Trump
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement today after voting against the conviction of former President Donald Trump: “I said before this trial started that I believe the constitutional purpose for presidential impeachment is to remove a president from office, not to punish a person after they have left office. None of the […]
Audio: Trump’s 2nd impeachment trial begins today
The second impeachment trial of now-former president Donald Trump begins today in Washington.— in the U-S Senate. The Democratic majority in the House argues that Trump incited the violence and the attack on the US Capitol on January 6. The former president’s lawyers argue that the trial itself is unconstitutional. Political Science associate professor Kevin […]
Audio: Former Missouri State Senator launches bid for Blunt’s U.S. Senate seat
Former Missouri State Senator Scott Sifton has announced today his bid for the seat currently held by Republican U.S. Senator Roy Blunt. Sifton unveiled his decision today in a launch video critical of both Missouri U.S. Senators. “Our country is at a critical point in its history,” Sifton says in a press release. “We just […]
Former candidate for Sullivan County First District Commissioner pleads “Not Guilty” to election offenses
A former candidate for Sullivan County First District Commissioner charged with misdemeanor committing class four election offenses entered a plea of not guilty on February 4th. Online court information shows Colin Norman Sorhus of Green Castle was formally arraigned, and the case was continued to April 22nd. Sullivan County Second District Commissioner Michael Todd Williams […]