A panel of lawmakers in Missouri dismissed an ethics complaint against Speaker Dean Plocher on Monday. The complaint accused Plocher of misusing taxpayer dollars, pushing a costly contract with a company tied to his employer, and retaliating against staffers who raised concerns. Plocher, who is running for Missouri secretary of state as a Republican, maintained his innocence throughout the investigation. Republican Ethics Committee Chair Hannah Kelly sought to dismiss the case due to alleged obstruction of the process by Plocher. However, other committee members voted to strip Kelly’s addendum on obstruction from the official report.
Plocher admitted to wrongfully being reimbursed for a business-class flight to Hawaii and other work trip expenses, for which he repaid the House. The speaker also faced allegations of using his influence to push the House to contract with a company connected to his law firm and retaliating against staffers who raised concerns about the proposal. Despite the Ethics Committee voting against recommending a letter of denouncement and directing Plocher to hire an accountant, his lawyers pushed for the case to be closed. Republican Speaker Pro Tem Mike Henderson attempted to schedule an ethics hearing, which was later canceled by Kelly.
The draft committee report released earlier outlined Plocher’s lawyer’s refusal to cooperate with an independent investigator, his reluctance to sign off on subpoenas, and his refusal to approve payment for the investigator. The investigator mentioned encountering significant obstacles due to a level of fear expressed by potential witnesses. Kelly attempted to read a letter documenting retaliation for participating in the ethics investigation, but was silenced by a vote. Members voted 7-2 to dismiss the allegations against Plocher, with one Democrat voting present. Plocher maintained that he fully cooperated with the investigation and denied obstructing anything.
During the investigation, Plocher’s lawyers were accused of refusing to cooperate with an independent investigator, and Plocher himself was reluctant to sign off on subpoenas. The investigator expressed difficulty completing the investigation due to fear expressed by potential witnesses. Kelly expressed disappointment in the committee’s decision to dismiss the case, citing obstruction, intimidation, and retaliation uncovered during the investigation. Plocher’s lawyers had been pressuring the Ethics Committee to close the case against him, leading to an attempt by Henderson to schedule a hearing that was later canceled. Despite the dismissal of the ethics complaint, concerns remain about the handling of the investigation and the allegations made against Plocher.
