Gov. Parson suggests ‘disgusting scheme’ kept him from delivering address in Missouri House – By Jack Suntrup , Kurt Erickson (St Louis Post Dispatch) / January 31 2021
JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Parson fired off a letter to GOP lawmakers on Friday suggesting House leadership had engaged in a “purposeful and disgusting scheme to embarrass” him by cutting off access to the House chamber hours before his annual State of the State speech.
Following closed-door discussions with GOP House leaders on Wednesday, Parson broke with tradition and gave his speech in the Senate that afternoon.
Lawmakers have played down the level of discontent between House Speaker Rob Vescovo and Parson, both Republicans, but Friday’s letter was the most concrete evidence yet of a feud between the two leaders.
“When I served in the legislature, each chamber respected the traditions, processes, and integrity of their institutions,” Parson said. “The same respect was absent from the 2021 State of the State Address.”
