What started as a routine week in the Capitol ended as anything but routine. I hope there is never again another week like it. Missourians understand elected officials are not perfect, but they have the rightful expectation their elected officials, regardless of party or position, exhibit high standards of personal conduct.
I was shocked to learn of the allegations against the governor and am very concerned by them. As this situation continues to evolve, I expect the governor to be honest and transparent. This can be done while respecting the privacy of the first lady and their children.
As a formal naval officer, the governor knows full well the actions of one or a few affect the perception of many. The perception of many good men and women who come to the Capitol to represent their districts and work to make their communities and state a better place has been tarnished as a result of the governor's alleged actions. The governor owns this now and it is up to him to re-establish the trust and confidence placed in him by Missourians. This is not the time for spin or political shell-games, it is time to be personally accountable for his actions, whatever they may have been.
The Senate and the House remain committed to advancing an agenda that continues moving Missouri forward. As has been the case each year he has been president pro tem, Sen. Ron Richard has quickly assigned many important bills to committee for consideration. Some committees met this week and I expect the committee process to be well under way by next week. As committee chairs hear and pass bills out of committee they will proceed to the floor for debate by the Senate as a whole.
In the coming weeks, appropriations committees in the House and the Senate will continue work crafting a budget for the 2019 Fiscal Year. I talk with Sen. Dan Brown, the chair of the senate appropriations committee, on a daily basis and know he and his staff are already at work using the agreed upon consensus revenue estimate for the upcoming year. The budget process is lengthy and laborious, but this is as it should be, given the significance of spending your tax dollars.
State Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, represents the 6th Senate District. He shares his perspective each Monday during the session and occasionally during the interim.