I’ve continuously assured you that almost no one pays attention to state government. It’s always been odd to me, the lack of attention they receive from the public, despite the role they are playing in spending our money. Just in case you were worried, it appears that things continue to be a complete and utter mess in Jefferson City.
The current speaker of the house, Dean Plocher, is in trouble for double billing the state for some travel. Apparently, Deano asked his campaign and the good taxpayers of the State of Missouri to pay for the same trips. That is not legal, and Dean promptly fessed up and paid it back after a news outlet reported it; coincidence that it happened in that order, I’m sure. Some of the instances date back to 2018, but that’s only five years ago in human years.
Anyway, Dean is just an innocent public servant that double dipped, according to Dean.
Apparently, Plocher was not happy with the reach of that scandal, and he decided to wade into another. Last week he announced that his new chief of staff is the former House Speaker Rod Jetton. Jetton was all the rage back in the 2000s, a real up-and-comer. Then his career got stymied by an annoying federal bribery investigation and allegations of sexual assault to which he eventually pled guilty of a misdemeanor charge. Eric Greitens before Eric Greitens was running obstacle course commercials, if you will.
Thankfully, the bribe investigation was just from the adult entertainment industry. Nothing to see here folks, move along.
Damn the luck these guys have.
Anyway, no one will notice. Jetton had most recently been deputy director of the Missouri Department of Revenue in the department of motor vehicle and driver’s license division. He had been there since 2022 and did such a bang-up job licensing your cars, he’s now back near the real power in Jefferson City.
If it doesn’t make you laugh it will certainly make you cry. Keep the taxes coming, these guys will make sure they are well managed.
Words of advice for Plocher from a longtime friend and reader of the column. “When you’re in a hole, quit digging.”
My Lord, he was digging and then asked another experienced digger to jump down in the hole with him to help.
Plocher defined the travel expense issue as a “checkbook error.” You guys still balancing your checkbook in the ledger provided by Deluxe? Me neither.
I feel for Dean. I remember the good old days when you could blame things on your checkbook, but that doesn’t pass the smell test in 2023. Debit cards never lie, Dean.
State government eats their young and it’s just a matter of time for the current power brokers in Jefferson City.
I can assure you that I have had a “checkbook error” or three in my day, but us old timers called those bounced checks, and they were as expensive as a lobbyist lunch in Jefferson City.
Anyway, that is your state government update for now. Don’t get your hopes up for better news in the future, it’s been this way an exceedingly long time.
(Guy Speckman can be reached at gspeckman@me.com or balancing his checkbook)