Silvey calls the kettle black

September 15, 2011 Editorial No comments

Silvey calls the kettle black

Editor’s note: This report is from the Missouri GOP – a party that has consistently used taxpayer funding for their own interests, so read it in that context. As for Silvey’s statement that “This governor’s contempt for openness in government is simply unbelievable.” You should further know that he supported Matt Blunt, who was guilty of violating the state’s own sunshine laws governing open government.

Members of the Missouri House of Representatives are questioning the use of taxpayer-funded legislative liaisons to lobby against attempts to override the governor’s veto of an omnibus transportation bill. Members learned the governor’s office called in legislative liaisons from across all state departments to lobby state legislators to sustain the governor’s veto of HB 430.

Issues included in the bill that the executive departments lobbied against:

A Breast Cancer Awareness license plate that would generate revenue for “the support of breast cancer awareness activities,”
The enactment of multiple provisions that strengthen crimes against individuals who endanger emergency responders
Compliance with federal CDL requirements. Non-compliance will cost the state over $60 million per year on advances in highway safety and road construction,

“I am absolutely appalled that the Department of Health and Senior Services would send a taxpayer-funded representative into the state Capitol to lobby against Breast Cancer Awareness funding,” said House Budget Chairman Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City. “It’s despicable really, and the fact that Director Donnelly told me she had no idea her employee was doing this sheds light on who is ultimately responsible – the governor.”

Silvey said the cost to the Missouri taxpayer for these individuals who can leave their job from these departments at the request of the governor is more than $440,000 per year.

“I am sure the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Water Patrol, county officers and city police would love to know that an employee of the Department of Public Safety was actively working to kill this bill,” said Silvey. “It quite simply appears the governor’s disdain for billboards outweighs the need for tougher crimes against reckless behavior which endangers emergency responders.”

“When I asked Daniel Hall, Director of Legislative Affairs for the Governor, he said the marching orders to the liaisons originated from their office,” Silvey added.

Changes in Missouri law last year prohibit any statewide elected official from cost allocating staff to other departments. Silvey said the change was made to address instances such as these.

“Instead of including these people in his office to show the taxpayers some transparency, the governor has set up his own political emergency team, allocated across state departments, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Silvey. “This governor’s contempt for openness in government is simply unbelievable.”