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Medicaid expansion not included in final Missouri House budget; heated floor debate involves scripture

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After a heated floor debate that included numerous biblical references, the Missouri House voted Thursday afternoon to give final approval to a $34.1 billion state operating budget. The House budget does not contain funding for Medicaid expansion.

House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage) and State Rep. Brad Hudson (R-Cape Fair) have a discussion on the Missouri House floor on April 1, 2021 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The operating budget now heads to the Missouri Senate, and Medicaid expansion supporters hope senators will include the funding. The state Constitution requires Missouri lawmakers to approve a balanced budget, by early May.

Medicaid is formally known as MO HealthNet, and it’s a federal and state program that assists with medical costs for residents with limited incomes. In August, 53 percent of Missouri voters approved Medicaid expansion, although it failed in 105 of the state’s 114 counties. Rural House members from those districts led the opposition to Medicaid expansion this week.

Amendment Two supporters say the measure expands Medicaid for residents between the ages of 19 and 64 with an income level at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level.

House Republicans, led by House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage) say Medicaid expansion would help able bodied adults, many who choose not to work. Smith has filed a bill to use the $1.9 billion to instead support seniors in nursing homes, to provide care for the developmentally disabled and to expand mental health programs.

State Rep. Doug Richey (R-Excelsior Springs), who serves on the House Budget Committee, supports Chairman Smith’s position. Richey says it’s important for state government to prioritize.

“What we are doing in this is we are prioritizing the most vulnerable among us,” Richey tells House colleagues.

State Rep. Michael Burton (D-Lakeshire) speaks about Medicaid expansion on the Missouri House floor on April 1, 2021 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The Missouri House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee’s top Democrat is criticizing House Republicans for approving a budget that doesn’t include Medicaid expansion. She voted against the budget bill.

“In 2010 I became an activist and supported President (Barack) Obama’s Affordable Care Act, because it was the right thing to do and thank God that I did. Because it saved my life,” State Rep. LaDonna Appelbaum (D-St. Louis County) tells colleagues.

Appelbaum also talked about her experience with chemotherapy.

Thursday’s debate included numerous references to the Bible, with lawmakers in both parties invoking Jesus’ name and quoting scripture. State Rep. Michael Burton (D-Lakeshire) asked Republicans what Jesus would do about people in need without health care, and State Rep. Trish Gunby (D-Manchester) notes her United Methodist Church believes health care is a right.

But State Rep. Ben Baker (R-Neosho), a minister and former dean of students at Neosho’s Ozark Bible Institute, quoted the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians on the floor.

“If you don’t work, you don’t eat,” Baker tells the House. He accuses House Democrats of hypocrisy, and State Rep. Nick Schroer (R-O’Fallon) agreed. Schroer says Democrats quote the Roman Catholic Church and other religions, when it’s something they agree with.

State Rep. Keri Ingle (D-Lee’s Summit), quoted Matthew Chapter 25 in a Thursday tweet.

“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”

Governor Parson was asked about the House’s effort on Wednesday, during a live interview on Missourinet Sedalia affiliate KDRO (AM 1490).

“We’ll have to see how that goes in the Senate there. We did put the money in the budget for that,” Parson tells KDRO. “People did vote for it. Although I didn’t support it (Medicaid expansion) at the time but the reality of it is, the people of the state voted for it. I thought it was my obligation as governor to make sure we try to get it implemented. We’ll see though. The House voted against that … a little different maneuver I want to say, I guess. We’ll see what the Senate does and we’ll see how it comes out at the end of the day.”

Missouri lawmakers have left Jefferson City for their Easter break. They’ll return to the Capitol on Tuesday.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

UPDATE: Missouri House gives final approval of five crime bills; juvenile certification bill is dead

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The Missouri House voted Tuesday in Jefferson City to give final approval to five bills that are key components of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) special session call on violent crime. The five bills received initial House approval on Monday.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, gavels the House into session on August 24, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Meantime, House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, confirms that juvenile certification legislation that has drawn criticism from state lawmakers in both parties will not be taken up by the House, and is dead.

“There’s no consensus about moving a juvenile certification bill, so at this point we’re going to let the law remain where it is,” Speaker Haahr told Missourinet late Monday morning, during an interview in his Capitol office in Jefferson City.

Earlier this month, the Missouri Senate approved legislation that would allow Missouri courts to certify juveniles 14-18 as adults for violent weapons offenses. Governor Parson called for the provision, saying it’s aimed at violent crime like murder. But State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, and other critics say it would lock up children and put them in prison with violent offenders and murderers.

The Missouri House Special Committee on Criminal Justice amended the bill last week, changing the ages to 16-18.

“You know I always had concerns with it. Senate Bill One came over and there was some concerns about a variety of parts. We thought it was better for the House to break them down and analyze them separately,” says Haahr.

The five bills given final approval by the House today include witness protection legislation and legislation eliminating the residency requirements for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel.

The bipartisan witness protection bill was approved today by a 147-3 vote. The legislation from State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, will create a pretrial witness protection services fund, to be operated by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies. The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

We learned Monday that a second special session will be called to fund the program. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, told colleagues on the House floor that if lawmakers approve the Patterson bill, Governor Parson will call the second special session to fund the program.

State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, sponsored the legislation that eliminates the residency requirements for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel. It has a three-year sunset clause. Today’s final House vote was 117-35.

State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, sponsors the legislation that increases penalties for witness and victim tampering. The vote was 133-11.

The other two crime bills are sponsored by State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon. The Schroer bills passed 117-33 and 103-45.

Neither the Senate nor House has held a hearing yet on the governor’s amended special session call involving St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (D). Speaker Haahr says he’s been in touch with his Senate colleagues.

“The (special session) call was sort of expanded in the middle of the special session. We’ve been in constant dialogue with the Senate. Neither side seems to be prepared at this point to move forward yet on that issue. So I think we are going to try to put these other ones (crime bills) to bed before we figure out what to do with that,” Haahr says.

The governor wants to allow the Missouri Attorney General’s office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by Gardner’s office. Circuit Attorney Gardner and the bipartisan Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys oppose that plan.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri House panel raises age to 16 for trying juveniles as adults

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State Rep. Shamed Dogan, R-Ballwin, speaks on the Missouri House floor on February 7, 2019 (Tim Bommel at House Communications)

A Missouri House committee voted to raise the age of certifying juvenile offenders as adults to a minimum of 16 years old. In an amendment to O’Fallon Rep. Nick Schroer’s H.B. 12, the Republican-led panel upped the age from 14, making the bill more palatable to Democrats.

The House Committee on Criminal Justice, led by Shamed Dogan, R-Ballwin, amended the bill further to expand the crimes that make juveniles eligible for adult prison to include armed criminal action with an underlying felony; and unlawful use of a weapon which can be either a misdemeanor or felony offense.

The amendment also removes drug offenses from the list of crimes that make juveniles eligible for certification as adults. It requires statewide data collection on the youth considered for certification, including race and the crimes.

Dogan also plans to add a “probable cause” determination for juveniles so that children will get the same due process as adults, requiring the government to prove that they more than likely committed a crime before standing trial as an adult.

He says this is already in place in 35 other states.

“While this still might not be ideal in my view or the view of others, it at least protects more of our juveniles from the consequences of adult certification and it ensures that no middle school children will be subject to certification,” Dogan told his committee colleagues.

Child advocate witnesses and the state public defenders office spoke for the amendments but disagree with the original bill’s sponsor, Rep. Schroer that the certification process is beneficial to juveniles and opens up additional services.

Schroer said, “In my experience, you are getting the adults into the room. You’re getting the adults mandated into the certification process to determine, ‘Look, this 12-year-old, this 13-year-old, here’s the crime that allegedly they committed. Mom and Dad, where were you?'”

Director of Juvenile Defense and Policy for the Missouri State Public Defender System testified, “It’s not good for the clients and it’s not something that is required in order for children to get services. Children can get services without being considered for certification.”

One Republican challenged the measure saying it changes the governor’s intent for calling the session. Parson supports the 12 to 18 age range to be considered for adult court.

Missouri House committees to hear crime bills on Monday; Kendrick wants to expand special session call

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Three Missouri House committees plan hearings on Monday afternoon in Jefferson City, relating to the special session on violent crime.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, and Majority Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, announced earlier this week that they would simplify the process with single-subject bills to protect the integrity of the lawmaking process and to ensure the issues are thoroughly vetted.

Missouri House Judiciary Committee Chairman David Gregory, R-St. Louis County, checks paperwork at a hearing on August 10, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Ben Peters at House Communications)

The House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by State Rep. David Gregory, R-St. Louis County, will hear three bills on Monday, including legislation from State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, that would eliminate the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers.

The Hicks bill says that St. Louis Police cannot impose a residency requirement on their officers, more stringent than a one-hour response time. St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden has testified that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention. Opponents of the plan say it’s safer for neighborhoods to have the officers living in the city.

The Judiciary Committee will also hear a bill on Monday about witness protection. State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, has filed legislation that would create a pretrial witness protection services fund, which would be administered by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies. The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

The Judiciary Committee will also hold a hearing on legislation from State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, regarding witness and victim tampering.

The House Special Committee on Criminal Justice will hold a Monday hearing on legislation from State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, which would allow Missouri courts to certify some juveniles as adults for violent weapons offenses.

Governor Mike Parson (R) has called for this provision, saying it’s aimed at violent crime, such as murder and rape.

But State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, and other critics say it will lock up children and put them in prison with violent offenders and murderers. Aldridge and others protested in downtown Jefferson City this week.

“Charge them as an adult because that is how we are going to fix violence- by being tough on crime to individuals that have made a mistake and should be held accountable but you are charging our youngest babies,” Aldridge said Thursday. “When do we go to ten? When do we go to nine? What’s going to be next? Eight? Seven? We are locking up literally babies and putting them in jail with serial killers.”

The House General Laws Committee will hold a Monday hearing on two bills from Representative Schroer. One involves the unlawful transfer of weapons, and the other involves endangering the welfare of a child.

Meantime, Governor Parson spoke to Missouri House members today about the special session on violent crime. The governor hosted conference calls with House members. Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones tells Missourinet that there have been several calls today.

There have been 167 homicides in St. Louis in 2020. The city had 194 murders in 2019. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reports there have been 15 child homicides so far in 2020, which tops all of last year.

Across the state in Kansas City, there have been 124 homicides. There were 90, at this point in 2019 in Kansas City.

The governor expanded his special session call on Monday, to include a provision to allow the state attorney general’s office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (D). The governor says this is about fighting violent crime.

Circuit Attorney Gardner and the bipartisan Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys oppose that plan.

A hearing on a Gardner-related bill has not been scheduled, at this time.

The Missouri Senate approved the crime bill earlier this month, by a bipartisan 27-3 vote. The full Missouri House is scheduled to return to Jefferson City on Monday August 24.

There was another development in Jefferson City on Friday, when State Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, requested that the governor expand the special session call to address absentee ballots for the November general election.

Representative Kendrick, the House Budget Committee’s ranking Democrat, wants the General Assembly to take legislative and appropriation action to ensure that every Missourian’s properly postmarked, but late delivered, absentee ballot for November will count.

Kendrick, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, and others will address Capitol reporters Monday in Jefferson City, about the issue.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri’s governor signs major crime legislation into law

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Sweeping legislation aimed at cracking down on violent crime was signed into law late Monday afternoon by Missouri’s governor in Jefferson City.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on July 6, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson (R) announced that he would sign Senate Bill 600 during his media briefing with Capitol reporters. He describes the bill as a large step toward safety and justice for communities.

Critics say it will cause Missouri to have to build two new prisons.

The bill updates Missouri’s law involving the offense of conspiracy, a point emphasized by the governor during today’s press conference. Parson says that under current law, a person cannot be convicted of an offense based upon a conspiracy to commit it unless the person committed an overt act.

“This allows law enforcement and prosecutors to hold individuals accountable that plan criminal enterprises. This bill also includes other key provisions to help address violent crime,” Parson tells reporters.

The bill creates mandatory prison sentences for several violent crimes, and creates a new offense of vehicle hijacking. That provision was a priority for State Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, and for Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R).

Onder testified before a legislative committee in February, saying there were 351 carjackings in St. Louis City in 2019.

“These are violent crimes in which Missourians are terrorized in what should be a safe sanctuary, their cars,” Onder testified that day.

He noted during his February testimony that there was no uniform sentencing in Missouri for carjacking. Some suspects are charged with robbery, while he said others are charged with stealing and are being sentenced to just four months in prison.

The bill also establishes the Missouri criminal street gangs prevention act, which Governor Parson says modernizes the approach to prosecuting criminal gangs.

State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, sponsored the House bill. Schroer tweeted Monday that the legislation is “a bipartisan approach that will help make Missouri safer.”

Critics of the bill include Americans for Prosperity-Missouri and the ACLU of Missouri.

“Governor Parson’s commitment to signing SB 600 is shortsighted. We know that crime bills like this one exacerbate racial inequalities and fuel mass incarceration with no actual improvement to public safety,” ACLU of Missouri policy director Sara Baker says, in a statement.

Baker says the bill “tears money away from public education and services proven to decrease crime.”

The bill is also opposed by Americans for Prosperity-Missouri (AFP-MO), which predicts the law will increase Missouri’s prison population by 2,500 and will cause two new prisons to be built.

“Locking up more people does not result in safer neighborhoods, but rather harms taxpayers and needlessly rips families and communities apart,” AFP-MO state director Jeremy Cady says, in a statement. Cady says it will cost $500 million to build the new prisons.

With the governor’s signature, the new law will take effect on August 28.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

PDMP expected to hit Missouri Senate floor on Thursday; House floor debate gets heated

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Legislation creating a Missouri prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) is one step away from reaching the governor’s desk, after the House voted to give it final approval on Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson City.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, and State Rep. Holly Rehder, R-Scott City, speak at the dais following the May 13, 2020 House vote to give final approval to Rehder’s PDMP bill (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The bipartisan House vote was 94-59. During Wednesday’s heated House floor debate, State Rep. Warren Love, R-Osceola, blasted some of his colleagues, for dragging their feet on this and other issues.

“We (the Missouri House) didn’t want to have REAL ID, we’re one of the only ones that don’t have PDMP, we don’t have Wayfair internet, folks, what’s wrong with us?,” Love asks colleagues.

Love voted for PDMP, which is an electronic database that collects data on controlled substance prescriptions within a state. He’s been a co-sponsor of the PDMP legislation from State Rep. Holly Rehder, R-Scott City, for eight years.

They entered the House together, after being elected in November 2012.

While Wednesday’s vote was bipartisan, the debate exposed some tension inside the House GOP caucus. It happened when State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, publicly said on the floor that a deal was made with the Senate to kill the fentanyl, date rape and carjacking bills, to pass PDMP.

“To vote on this (PDMP) bill, you are killing all of those bills in a deal that was made with the Senate,” Schroer tells colleagues. “Keep that in mind, keep that in mind.”

Schroer also says the prison drone legislation was killed as well.

State Rep. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, voted against PDMP, warning about potential data breaches involving your prescription information.

“But it perhaps could be individuals looking for specific information on a particular person, and how could that be used to harm someone. Very possible,” says Moon.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where it needs one more favorable vote before Friday’s deadline. The Legislature must adjourn by Friday evening at 6, under the state Constitution.

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, tells Missourinet he expects PDMP to be on the Senate floor on Thursday, adding that he is still optimistic.

“Now that we have it back in this chamber it only needs one more action, and I am sure we will try to give it that opportunity,” Schatz says.

State Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, tweeted at Missourinet on Wednesday, saying Representative Schroer’s House bill cracks down on carjacking, fentanyl traffickers and date rape drugs.

“It (the Schroer bill) must pass the Missouri Senate before PDMP,” Onder tweets.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri House Democratic Leader describes medical marijuana rollout as “atrocious”

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Missouri’s House Democratic Leader said Thursday in Jefferson City that she has several concerns about the state’s medical marijuana program.

Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, and Assistant Minority Floor Leader Tommie Pierson, D-St. Louis, brief Capitol reporters on March 5, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, spoke to Capitol reporters in the House press gallery, after Thursday morning’s adjournment.

Missourinet asked Leader Quade about the three hearings conducted by the House Special Committee on Government Oversight. She says the hearings have left her with even more questions.

“My position is that the rollout has been atrocious,” Quade says. “That we have a lot of questions from conflict to interests to decisions that were made on licensing.”

The oversight committee has been focusing on how licenses have been approved. During hearings, some committee members in both parties have questioned Missouri medical marijuana director Lyndall Fraker’s qualifications and his handling of the program.

Mr. Fraker testified this week that the hearings are all about “money and politics,” and that he stands by all of his decisions.

“I’m quite offended by it. We’ve got a team of folks that, they’ve put their heart and soul into this for over a year now and they’re hurt by this (House oversight committee inquiry). They’re hurt by this inquiry, as well as I am too,” Fraker told House committee members.

The oversight committee has asked questions about the decision to hire a third-party scoring company whose partners are already active in the industry.

As for Leader Quade, she’s frustrated by what she describes as a lack of responsibility, during testimony.

“You know the first couple of hearings were with Director Fraker, and his response is that was the Office of Administration (OA). We had them in yesterday, they bucked it back to the department,” Quade tells the Capitol Press Corps.

Quade says the responsibility lies with the Parson administration.

But House Oversight Committee vice chairman State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, disagrees. Schroer defends Fraker and Governor Parson, saying the issues are with third-party scorers who are unaffiliated with the Parson administration.

The oversight committee has held three hearings. The first one was informational, and the last two have involved committee members asking questions of witnesses.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

New Missouri bill would allow St. Louis Police to turn over cases to Schmitt’s office; Roorda blasts Gardner

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(This story is written by Missourinet St. Louis contributor Jill Enders)

ST. LOUIS- A state lawmaker from eastern Missouri’s St. Charles County is calling for tougher penalties for violent crime and is also calling out the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office.

State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, speaks to reporters on January 31, 2020 at the St. Louis Police Union Hall (photo from Missourinet contributor Jill Enders)

State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, held a Friday press conference at the St. Louis Police Union Hall, outlining three bills aimed at combating crime.

Schroer, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee, was joined by law enforcement officers. He was also joined by State Reps. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, and Jim Murphy, R-St. Louis County.

“These three bills are geared at combating violent crime in our state, protecting the men and women who put their lives on the line for the betterment of our citizenry, and ultimately, to make this state safer,” Schroer says.

One of the bills toughens penalties for armed criminal action.

“Felons in possession of firearms using those weapons to further commit more crimes will have to serve mandatory (prison) time under this bill. Moreover, armed criminal action under this legislation will become a dangerous felony, meaning they will have to serve 85 percent of their sentence. These dangerous felons have proven they have no regard for our laws and our Missourians,” Schroer says.

Schroer has also filed a new bill, House Bill 1900. It calls for Missouri’s Attorney General to assert jurisdiction to prosecute criminal cases.

“This would allow law enforcement officers to turn over cases to the (Missouri) Attorney General’s office that the Circuit Attorney’s Office refuses to prosecute,” Schroer tells reporters.

“Last year of the 7,045 charges requested by police, the Circuit Attorney’s Office only took action on 1,641 of those. Those which the Circuit Attorney has refused to take action on are back on our streets committing further crimes,” Schroer tells reporters.

Former State Rep. Jeff Roorda (D), who’s the business manager for the St. Louis Police Officer’s Association, joined Schroer at the press conference. He blasted Circuit Attorney Gardner, during an interview with Missourinet.

“She’s not doing her job. She’s not the Circuit Attorney. She’s the circus attorney and she’s made a mockery of herself. She is a clown and people know it, and nobody cares what she thinks,” Roorda says.

Missourinet reached out to Circuit Attorney Gardner’s office, for reaction to the legislation and press conference comments.

“Public safety in our community, and communities around the state, is a key priority. Poverty and hopelessness fuel crime in our communities and we must address the root causes. In order to improve as a community, we must all work together. However, these issues must be addressed at a local level. The CAO (Circuit Attorney’s Office) continues to be committed to providing justice for all,” the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office statement reads.

Schroer’s third bill is House Bill 1889, which would create the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights. It would require that any law enforcement officer who is suspended without pay, demoted, terminated, transferred or placed on a status resulting in economic loss is entitled to a full due process hearing.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri House committee hears testimony from Galloway’s office about ongoing Hawley audit (AUDIO)

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A Missouri House oversight committee learned Wednesday that a state auditor’s employee overseeing the closeout audit of former Attorney General Josh Hawley (R) has been removed from that audit.

Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway (2018 file photo)

Hawley, who’s now a U.S. Senator, has accused State Auditor Nicole Galloway’s (D) office of using blatantly biased staff, including those who came from former U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill’s (D) campaign.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway’s audit director, Jon Halwes, testified for about 90 minutes before the House Special Committee on Government Oversight. State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, asked Halwes about employee Bobby Showers.

“He was the audit director on the (Hawley) audit until about two weeks ago, when I took over,” Halwes testified.

“Why did you take over,” Schroer asked Halwes.

“We removed him from the audit due to the appearance of bias,” Halwes said.

Representative Schroer says that Showers donated to Senator McCaskill’s campaign. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” notes Showers contributed $50 to McCaskill.

Mr. Halwes emphasizes that Showers was removed, because of the appearance that the audit might not be independent.

The closeout audit of Hawley’s office began in early 2019, according to Halwes. Hawley served as Missouri Attorney General from January 2017 to January 2019, before resigning following his November 2018 Senate victory over McCaskill.

Halwes took over the audit two weeks ago, which is about the same time Senator Hawley tweeted about his concerns with the auditor’s office. Halwes testified that he has not seen any indication of bias in Showers’ audit, as he’s reviewed it.

“In your two weeks since you’ve come into that position, has there been any indication of any actual bias in the course of this audit?,” State Rep. Peter Meredith, D-St. Louis, asked Halwes.

“I have not identified anything,” Halwes responds. “Okay, that’s good to hear,” Meredith told him.

In his mid-January tweets, Hawley revealed e-mails written by the auditor’s office in which an employee appeared to discuss changing part of the audit.

Hawley released an e-mail from auditor Pam Allison which said she would “beef up” part of the audit that involved Hawley’s use of personal email/personal calendar.

Allison was only briefly mentioned during Wednesday’s hearing, and none of the committee members asked about that e-mail.

As for Galloway, she says there has been no political bias nor impropriety during the audit process, emphasizing that audits are based on evidence and facts.

Mr. Halwes emphasized that too, during his testimony. He says audits are based on facts and evidence, not political beliefs. Halwes testified the auditor’s office has four levels of review. He says it would be impossible to release an audit that isn’t independent, because of those layers.

Halwes, who’s now overseeing the Hawley audit, is a career employee who has worked for the state auditor’s office for about 35 years. He testifies he’s voted Republican most of his life and that it doesn’t impact his independence to audit Democrats or others.

Auditor Galloway issued a statement after the hearing, reiterating what Chairman Ross told the committee and audience on Wedneday: that Missouri law prohibits the Auditor’s office from discussing the content of an ongoing audit. She says the team involved in the Hawley audit has nearly 90 years of audit experience, working for state auditors in both parties, dating to former State Auditor Margaret Kelly (R).

Galloway also says that David Kirby, who is the auditor’s legislative liaison, had no role in the audit process involving the Hawley closeout audit. Mr. Kirby was Senator McCaskill’s campaign manager.

House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Robert Ross, R-Yukon, is concerned about Hawley’s allegations. He called the hearing.

“We as legislators rely on audits for a lot of oversight and watching how our government is performing,” Ross told Capitol reporters after the hearing. “We have to know that those are being performed without bias.”

Despite his concerns, Ross says Galloway has been tough on Republicans and Democrats, adding that she’s given “excellent” ratings to Republicans. Ross says there could be additional hearings in the future.

Galloway’s statement says the Hawley audit will be released “in the coming weeks.”

Click here to listen to House Special Committee on Government Oversight Committee Chairman Robert Ross’ comments to Capitol reporters, including Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth, after the January 29, 2020 hearing in Jefferson City:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Retired Missouri judge: “Justice cries for Bobby Bostic to be released”

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A retired St. Louis judge who sentenced a teen to 241 years in prison in 1997 says her sentence should be overturned. Judge Evelyn Baker traveled to the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on Tuesday, in support of legislation aimed at providing a parole hearing for Bobby Bostic.

41-year-old Bobby Bostic is incarcerated at the Jefferson City Correctional Center (December 2017 file photo courtesy of Missouri DOC)

Bostic, who’s now 41, is incarcerated at the maximum-security Jefferson City Correctional Center (JCCC). While he was convicted on 16 felony counts, including robbery and armed criminal action, his supporters note his crime did not cause death or serious injuries to victims.

Bostic has been incarcerated since March 1997, for robbing a group of people who were delivering Christmas gifts to needy St. Louisans in 1995.

Judge Evelyn Baker briefed Capitol reporters on Tuesday, and Missourinet asked the retired judge about her 1997 sentence.

“If I knew then what I know now, I would never have sentenced that child (Bostic) to 241 years,” Baker says. “I didn’t know it then, but I do know it now. And it’s my duty to try to rectify a wrong.”

Bostic was 16 at the time of the robbery. Judge Baker says “Bobby was just a kid who was 16 years old. His brain had years to go before he became a full-fledged adult.”

Baker supports bipartisan legislation from State Reps. Nick Schroer (R-O’Fallon) and Barbara Washington (D-Kansas City) that would give Bostic an immediate parole hearing.

Bostic currently has to wait until he’s 112 years old, to get a hearing. Washington says Bostic should have never been certified as an adult, in the case.

Retired St. Louis Circuit Judge Evelyn Baker briefs Capitol reporters on January 21, 2020, as State Reps. Nick Schroer and Barbara Washington look on (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

As for Schroer, who serves on the Missouri House Judiciary Committee, he tells Capitol reporters that none of Bostic’s victims were killed or seriously injured, adding that Bostic prevented a sexual assault from happening that night.

“It is noteworthy to mention that zero of these victims from that one night have indicated that they are against Mr. Bostic being granted clemency or parole,” says Schroer.

The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” has reported that Bostic was with an 18-year-old co-defendant during the 1995 incident, and that while two people were shot, no one was seriously injured.

The co-defendant accepted a plea bargain and was sentenced to 30 years, according to the newspaper.

Representative Schroer emphasizes the legislation doesn’t guarantee Bostic parole, but simply a hearing and an opportunity to appear before Missouri’s Probation and Parole Board.

The bill is House Bill 2201.

Schroer also says Bostic has been involved in restorative justice efforts in prison.

“In the months ahead of us you will learn about how Bobby Bostic is a changed man, fully repentant, obtaining many scholastic accolades and degrees,” Schroer says. “He has taken full responsibility for his actions on that one December night in 1995.”

Judge Baker tells the Capitol Press Corps that “justice cries for Bobby Bostic to be released.”

During their press conference, Representatives Schroer and Washington also called on Governor Mike Parson (R) to grant Bostic clemency. Schroer says he spoke to Governor Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson about the case, in 2019.

In addition to Judge Baker, Schroer and Washington were also joined by several lawmakers from both parties. They included State Reps. Tony Lovasco, R-O’Fallon, Dottie Bailey, R-Eureka, Shamed Dogan, R-Ballwin, Rasheen Aldridge Jr., D-St. Louis, LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis, and Tracy McCreery, D-Olivette. The ACLU’s Sara Baker also attended and spoke.

Baker notes Bostic has written poetry and has been teaching other inmates how to read. The Missouri Department of Corrections (DOC) says Bostic has also been involved in the Puppies for Parole program.

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