The following statement is in response to today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch story about the governor’s questionable use of campaign funds in his plot to take control of the constitutionally independent Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education:
“Missourians should be disturbed and concerned by professional politician Eric Greitens’ bumbling attempt to orchestrate a coup at the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. To limit political meddling in state education policy, the Missouri Constitution wisely establishes DESE as an independent agency outside of the governor’s direct control.
“Unfortunately, Eric Greitens has no respect for – or awareness of — the constitutional limitations on his power. His potential misuse of campaign funds as part of his underhanded scheme to depose the current state education commissioner and install his own handpicked choice seems to be yet another example of the governor playing fast and loose with the law.”
House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty
D-Kansas City
