Keith English Archives

State representatives participate in charity MMA, ‘sumo’ fights (VIDEOS)

April 29, 2014 By Mike Lear

Three state representatives were cheered on by dozens of their peers at the I-70 Grudge Match Tuesday night in Jefferson City. The Mixed Martial Arts competition featured 13 fights and raised $4,000 for the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund.

Representative Keith English (D-Florissant) knocked out his opponent, David Tate of Mexico, about two minutes into their match, while Representatives Glen Kolkmeyer (R-Odessa) and John Mayfield (D-Independence) were the night’s special feature.

Watch their bouts below. First, Representatives Kolkmeyer (red) and Mayfield (blue):

Representative Keith English (red gloves and black trunks) versus David Tate:

Benefit MMA card featuring 3 state representatives is set (VIDEO)

April 28, 2014 By Mike Lear

One state representative didn’t make weight for the benefit mixed martial arts event, the “I-70 Grudge Match,” Tuesday in Jefferson City.

The card still features 13 matchups including one for Representative Keith English of Florissant, who takes a 10-0 record up against an opponent he’s never faced. English was to have faced Harrisonville Representative Rick Brattin, but their weights were too far apart to meet the standard of Missouri sanctions.

The event is Tuesday beginning at 7:30 at the Capitol Plaza Convention Center in Jefferson City. Proceeds go to the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund.

Representatives weigh-in tonight for charity fights Tuesday

April 28, 2014 By Mike Lear

State representatives will step on the scales Monday in advance of matches Tuesday in the “I-70 Grudge Match,” a charity mixed martial arts competition that promoters hope will be just the first in Jefferson City. Proceeds from the event will go to the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund.

This poster promoting the “I-70 Grudge Match” includes a picture of Rep. English following a previous charity fight. (Courtesy; the office of State Rep. Keith English)

Representative Keith English, who has a background in MMA, was originally set to face fellow House Democrat Brandon Ellington. Ellington is recovering from an injury, however, so English is scheduled to take on Republican Representative Rick Brattin.

English says there is a sense of rivalry in the match.

“Representative Brattin’s very energetic, being a Marine,” says English. “For me, I’m doing it for the kids. Children of Fallen Soldiers has been dear to me. My mother served 33 years in the military, and working with a lot of the members [in the legislature] that are veterans themselves, this will be a great event for both sides of the aisle to come out and support a charity.”

Brattin says there is no animosity involved.

“Not at all. I like Representative English. Great guy, good man,” says Brattin, but he adds, “I’m in it to win it … I don’t like to lose and I’m sure he doesn’t so I’m sure it’s going to be the real deal.”

There will be a somber ceremony Tuesday as well, when some veterans and some children of fallen soldiers will accept the check to the charity.

English says the fights Tuesday night are sanctioned by the USA Mixed Martial Arts Federation. He and representative Brattin have had to be cleared medically to participate, must make weight and must have their blood pressure at a safe level in order for the fight to take place.

Theirs will not be the only matchup.

“There will be some serious fights here for belts,” says English. “The winner of both the featherweight and the lightweight will be able to challenge a UFC fighter.”

There could be 13 fights in all on the card, including what’s being billed as the night’s Special Feature between Representatives Glen Kolkmeyer and John Mayfield.

The event is Tuesday at 7:30 at the Capitol Plaza Convention Center.

Charity fights pit state reps against one another

April 14, 2014 By Mike Lear

Two pairs of state representatives will pair off in fights later this month to raise money for the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund. The event is being dubbed the I-70 Grudge Match.

This poster promoting the “I-70 Grudge Match” includes a picture of Rep. English following a previous charity fight. (Courtesy; the office of State Rep. Keith English)

The fights will pit Representative Brandon Ellington (D-Kansas City) against Representative Keith English (D-Florissant) and Representative Glen Kolkmeyer (R-Odessa) against Representative John Mayfield (D-Independence).

Promoter Brian Batton says English approached him about putting together a benefit event..

“He actually fought on one of my previous cards,” says Batton.

Though an e-mail promoting the fights refers to the “biggest boxing match” of the year, Batton can’t confirm whether the fights will be boxing or some other form of competition. English has experience as a mixed martial arts fighter.

The event will be April 29 at 7:30 at the Capitol Plaza Convention Center. It will include other kickboxing and mixed martial arts matches, including between amateur fighters Skylar Belzer and Dallas Jennings and between Austin Broom and Brooks Ryan, with more to be scheduled.

Amendment would keep state from paying for inmate abortions

March 25, 2014 By Mike Lear

A House Democrat has filed an amendment to the state budget that would bar the use of Department of Corrections funds for abortion, cloning or stem cell research.

Representative Keith English (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Representative Keith English’s (D-Florrisant) proposal would add to the budget bill for the Department of Corrections language that would prevent the use of funds from that bill for any “intentional life-ending medical procedure including, but not limited to, abortion, cloning or stem cell research.” It would also require that funds in that budget bill be subject to the same statutory provisions and definitions that govern funds going to the Life Sciences Research Board.

English, a self-described pro-life Democrat, says he doesn’t want taxpayers paying for abortions for inmates in Missouri’s prison system.

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis declared unconstitutional in 2008 a Corrections Department’s policy that prohibited transportation of inmates to clinics for abortions that are not medically necessary. English says his amendment would also prevent such transportation to be funded.

He wants the money that would be used for inmate abortions go to sheltered workshops.

The House is anticipated to begin debate if the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2015 Tuesday. Amendments such as that filed by English may or may not be offered during that debate.

The budget bill for Corrections is HB 2009.

MO House joins Governor Nixon in supporting Keystone XL Pipeline

March 4, 2014 By Mike Lear

A day after Governor Jay Nixon (D) urged U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to support the Keystone XL Pipeline project, the Republican-controlled Missouri House has lended its voice to that discussion.

The House has approved a resolution urging President Barack Obama to support the Pipeline, and the permitting for oil production off the northern coast of Alaska.

The resolution was offered by Representative Keith English (D-Florissant).

“The approval and construction of the Keystone Pipeline will strengthen our economy, create jobs and promote American energy independence,” English said in presenting the measure.

The resolution stirred in the House debate about the Pipeline and America’s energy future.

Representative Margo McNeil (D-Florrisant) said Canada could run a pipeline through its own country to a seaport, but it doesn’t want to out of fear of what could happened if the pipeline suffered a failure.

“If the pipes do erode over a period of 10, 20, 30 years,” says McNeil, it is going to be on American soil that the oil leaks and that the cleanup is required and that our farmland and possibly our water supply are damaged.”

The House voted 134-12 to send the resolution to the Senate.

A second attempt at education reform fails in the House (AUDIO)

May 9, 2013 By Mike Lear

For the second time, an attempt by House leadership to pass education reform legislation has failed in a late night vote.

Representative Jay Barnes speaks on the House floor on SB 125 while its Senate sponsor, Senator Jamilah Nasheed, looks on. Barnes handled her bill in the House. (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Changes were proposed to Senate bill 125 sponsored by Senator Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis City) that would lift the two-year wait before the state can intervene in a failing school district to add language to institute principal evaluations.

The plan was carried in the House by Representative Jay Barnes (R-Jefferson City), who said he would rather have offered all the provisions in SB 125.

“What I’m going to attempt to do tonight is to take a part of a bill … and we’re going to amend it down to a [principal evaluations] which I believe can and should pass this body because it got 104 votes when it was offered earlier this session as an amendment onto a bill.”

The proposal inspired impassioned comments from lawmakers including Representative Steve Webb (D-Florissant), who supported the bill.

“We’re failing. We’re failing. And while we’re talking about putting letter grades on schools, which I think we should do, let’s put a letter grade on this legislature. It’s been an ‘F.'”

Representative Vicki Englund (D-St. Louis) says the principal evaluation proposal would not have allowed school districts to do anything they can’t already.

“A lot of the things that we debate are already tools in the toolbox. It’s a matter of how the school board members choose to use them or don’t choose to use them, and there are things that make school districts different. For example, the funding level that each school district receives, in my opinion, greatly impacts the quality of the education that the children receive.”

After a close vote adopted the amendment to implement principal evaluations, the House voted down its substitute for the bill 76-82, after leaving the board open the full 30 minutes possible as supporters tried to swing votes. The Senate bill has been laid aside on the House Calendar and could be taken up again and passed in the form in which it left the Senate before the session ends next week.

The education discussion turned what had been a night of at time jovial debate by lawmakers who had just returned from a social event into a somber and tense debate.

Senator Nasheed, who had been talking to lawmakers from the side floor galleries of the House throughout the debate, left the chamber for a time after Representative Keith English (D-Florrisant) shouted at her to quit threatening people. English was a “nay” vote on the bill.

When House Majority Floor Leader John Deihl (R-Town and Country) moved for the previous question, to cut off debate and force a vote on the bill, Representative Genise Montecillo (D-St. Louis) stormed off the floor. Montecillo, often vocal on education issues, had been standing to speak throughout the debate but was not recognized to.

The House in April voted down a teacher performance evaluation proposal (see the story on that bill).

AUDIO: Hear Steve Webb’s floor remarks, 5:47