Gridlock and mutually assured destruction: The Missouri Legislature’s first three weeks

Democrats entered the session divided after a contentious leadership fight. But the 10-member caucus appears to have coalesced around a simple two-pronged strategy: absolute opposition to increasing the sales tax and a willingness to slow the Senate to a crawl (Getty Images).

Let’s talk about how the first three weeks of Missouri’s legislative session are going.

In short: Gridlock in the Senate. Scandal in the House.

Senate Democrats entered the year divided after a contentious leadership fight. But the 10-member caucus appears to have coalesced around a simple two-pronged strategy: absolute opposition to increasing the sales tax and a willingness to slow the Senate to a crawl.

Normally, opposing tax increases would put Democrats squarely on Republican turf. This year, it’s the Republican governor pushing a plan that would move Missouri away from income taxes and toward higher sales taxes — a change Democrats argue would shift the tax burden onto the working poor.

Democrats have also taken aim at the Senate’s pace. So far, they have delayed the only official business the chamber has attempted this year, twice filibustering to block votes on gubernatorial appointments.

Part of the obstruction is payback. Last year, Republicans invoked a rarely used rule four times to cut off debate and push through bills repealing expanded paid sick leave, gerrymandering the state’s congressional map, changing the initiative petition process, and reimposing an abortion ban.

But Democrats are also using the gridlock to argue that the GOP supermajority has been moving too fast and making costly mistakes. A handful of examples have become staples of Democratic filibusters.

A wildly inaccurate cost estimate for legislation eliminating the capital gains tax. A Kansas City precinct placed in two different congressional districts in the gerrymandered map. A $250 million mistake in state budget estimates released earlier this month. Drafting errors in two different income tax cut proposals.

What happens next? If Democrats don’t stand down, the nominees will either have to be withdrawn by early next month or face being barred from holding those appointments for life.

Republicans aren’t naïve. They knew a smooth session was unlikely after last year. How they choose to break the logjam remains an open question.

Meanwhile, in the Missouri House, an overwhelming bipartisan majority voted last week to punish Democratic state Rep. Jeremy Dean for obscene text messages he sent to Republican Rep. Cecelie Williams.

Only 10 Democrats voted against sanctions: Doug Clemons, Aaron Crossley, Anthony Ealy, Elizabeth Fuchs, Jeff Hales, Kerri Ingle, Ian Mackey, Ray Reed, Del Taylor and Wick Thomas.

The punishment includes removal from committees, mandatory sexual harassment training and a requirement that Dean stay at least 50 feet away from Williams.

In a short speech before the vote, Williams said the sanctions did not go far enough, noting that at any other job “a message like that would be grounds for immediate termination, no questions asked.”

Dean, she said, targeted her despite knowing her history as a domestic abuse survivor. His apology was half-hearted, deflective and lacked true accountability.

“He knew my story, he knew my past, he knew my pain and he chose to exploit it anyway,” Williams said.

In the days leading up to the vote, there was talk that some GOP lawmakers would push for expulsion. But Republican leadership quietly worked behind the scenes to tamp that down.

Expulsion is rare in Missouri’s legislature, reserved for extraordinary circumstances, such as after the Civil War for disloyalty to the Union and, in 2021, for credible allegations of sexual and physical abuse of children.

Concerns about escalation also played a role. Push for expulsion, and Democrats might start scrolling through their phones and sharing messages they’ve received from GOP lawmakers.

The logic of mutually assured destruction, it seems, was enough to end any serious talk of expulsion.

Three weeks down. Fifteen more to go before adjournment.