Draft report says Missouri’s House speaker stymied ethics investigation into his spending

By SUMMER BALLENTINE
Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri ethics panel is at an impasse over reported misconduct by the powerful state House speaker, who allegedly used his office to stymie the investigation. A draft Ethics Committee report would have recommended that the House formally denounce Republican Speaker Dean Plocher for hurting public confidence in the Legislature. Committee members voted 6-2 against the report Monday. An independent investigator hired to look into the claims says witnesses refused to testify out of fear. She also says Plocher’s refusal to talk to her was a major roadblock. Plocher didn’t immediately respond to an Associated Press email seeking comment Tuesday.