St. Louis – Today, Governor Nixon reached out for the first time since the rioting began in August to legislative leaders with a text message attempting to set up a conference call to “provide an update on Ferguson and the security of the [St. Louis] region. He would also like to discuss the cost of national guard and Hwy patrol providing security for the region, the availability of resources to satisfy those obligations, and the potential necessity for a special session to address any shortfalls in spending authority.”
The move is not being met with a warm response from legislative leadership, as this is the first communication from his office since the unrest in St. Louis, especially since it is an attempt to solicit increased funding without keeping them informed of the situation over the past four months.
The Missouri Times has seen two versions of the text message and has spoken with one legislator invited. One legislator who was invited to be on the call commented to The Missouri Times, “It’s unbelievable that he hasn’t spoken with legislative leaders over the past four months about this, and now wants to drag us into the debacle he created to try and mask his blunders – unbelievable.”
Nixon has been under scrutiny over his communication with local officials, including the Mayor of Ferguson, who claims the Governor hasn’t spoken to him in weeks, and for not deploying the National Guard immediately to prevent the looting and burning of local business Ferguson and Dellwood.
The Governor’s office did not immediately return calls for comment.
UPDATED (8:15 p.m.): The Missouri Times has learned that the Missouri National Guard will be over budget and unable to make payroll by the middle of December. The Guard will need more money to continue to provide security in the Ferguson area due to the riots.
While various lawmakers we have talked to will support the Guard, they have little faith in the governor’s ability to manage the crisis and will require short-term contingencies on how funds will be used.
We reached out to Speaker-elect John Diehl (R-Town and Country) and he provided the following statement.
“I believe both parties in the legislature are committed to ensuring the men and women in law enforcement and in the national guard are fully compensated for their service in protecting our communities during this unrest,” Diehl said. “Since the crisis in Ferguson began we have had little to no communication from governor Nixon . Even the mayors of those cities being overrun by looters and vandals calls go unanswered by the Governor Nixon. Without consultation or communication the Governor Nixon has spent millions of taxpayers dollars while making poor decisions impacting the safety of our communities. Tonight the governor finally is willing to communicate for the purpose of requesting more taxpayer money. Governor Nixon and has yet to provide us with a written plan and has not provided basic answers to the decisions that have put us in this situation
“It is time Governor Nixon to come forward and provide answers,” Diehl continued. “We are open to a special session to address this crisis, but we will expect governor Nixon and his staff to come forward with a written and responsible plan. We also expect Governor Nixon and those on his staff that made decisions during this crisis to come forward and appear before the legislature. It is time for an accounting and for leadership that will not only communicate but work with the legislature to solve this crisis.
UPDATED (8:30 p.m.): Gov. Nixon has called a special legislative session to address the funding issues regarding the Missouri National Guard. The date has not yet been announced.
In a call with legislative leaders tonight, the Governor emphasized the importance of taking action quickly to ensure that Guard members are paid on December 15. Additional details regarding the timing and scope of the special session will be released in the coming days.
The Fiscal Year 2015 state budget approved by the legislature included $4 million for National Guard state emergency duty response costs and $3.4 million for the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for expenses incurred by state agencies, including the Highway Patrol, in responding to disasters and emergencies between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015.
“This was a productive discussion,” said Gov. Nixon regarding tonight’s call with legislators. “It’s clear these legislators share our commitment to public safety and understand the need for prompt action. I look forward to working with legislators in the coming days to ensure these vital resources are available.”
The 98th General Assembly is set to reconvene at the beginning of January for regular session – less than 6 weeks away.
Nixon has called 3 special sessions since his election in 2008.
UPDATED (9:00 p.m.): “We will do whatever is necessary to support the Guard and the Highway Patrol,” Senate Budget Chairman Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) said. “As part of that process the Governor will need to tell us how he’s already spent the $19 million we gave him for emergencies and how much more money he anticipates needing. This evening’s call was the first we’ve heard from the Governor on this issue. I look forward to seeing what his proposal is.”
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
