Did you miss MSNBC Rachel Maddow’s segment on the Missouri GOP controversies? Her analysis of the current state of the Republican Party in Missouri is spot on, something that we have known for a long time.
“From the governor on down, they are wading chin-deep right now in just a disaster and mess of their own making,” said Maddow toward the end of the segment.
Maddow reports on three specific Missouri legislators: Reps. Patricia Derges and Chad Perkins along with now expelled Rick Roeber.
Derges faces federal indictments and 20 felony charges for falsely claiming to have a COVID-19 cure and collected nearly $200,000 for shots administered. Although the ingredients of the shot are unclear, medical professionals have determined there were no stem cells present as Derges claimed. On top of this, another indictment claims she fradulently received another $296,974 from CARES ACT funds for testing patients had already paid her for. Refusing to resign and with no expulsion vote on the horizon, Derges has been delegated apparently to the broom closet at the State Capitol.
Chad Perkins, another sitting Republican Representative in Jefferson City, is just starting to feel the heat after reports and text message proof of him receiving “sexual favors” from an underage and drunk female while on duty as a Bowling Green Police Officer. Despite Frankford Police Chief asking the Speaker to take action against Perkins, there has been no statement from the Republican Party or Caucus.
On an entirely different level, former Rep. Rock Roeber was finally expelled from the Missouri State House after months of his own children begging the Speaker to remove him – because he had physically and sexually abused not only them, but more children growing up.
While the Democrats are focused on getting people back to work and urging along our COVID-19 recovery, it’s not about that for the Republicans. It’s about fake COVID-19 cures, sexual assault allegations and expulsions and police misconduct. All within one state party.
We need to use this national exposure to pressure the bad decision makers in our state into making better calls for all of us, instead of a few truly scandalous legislators. As Democrats we are concentrated on getting Missouri families back on their feet and fixing this inequitable economy that the pandemic has only highlighted
