JEFFERSON CITY — The director of a state agency in Gov. Mike Parson’s administration earlier this week endorsed Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick in his bid for auditor in 2022.
But despite the prospect of that endorsement resulting in more favorable treatment when future audits of the administration are conducted, the governor’s office said the decision is fine by him.
“The Governor’s Office does not, cannot, and should not interfere with an employee’s expression of his/her political views made in his/her unofficial capacity. The Missouri Ethics Commission enforces the rules regarding what appointed officials do in their official capacity. The Governor’s Office does not make political endorsements and certainly would not do so with the intent of receiving favorable treatment from another elected office,†said Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones.
Her comments came in response to questions raised about MO HealthNet Director Todd Richardson’s decision to endorse Fitzpatrick, who wants to take over for Auditor Nicole Galloway, a Democrat who is not seeking another four-year term in 2022.
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Richardson, a former GOP speaker of the Missouri House, has been on a leave of absence as director of the state’s Medicaid program since the spring and is set to return to the $233,000-per-year job in mid-September.
On Tuesday, ¹ó¾±³Ù³ú±è²¹³Ù°ù¾±³¦°ì’s campaign announced he’d been endorsed by Richardson, former Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, former Speaker Elijah Haahr, former state Sen. Brad Lager and House Budget Chair Cody Smith.
¹ó¾±³Ù³ú±è²¹³Ù°ù¾±³¦°ì’s lone opponent thus far is Rep. David Gregory, a fellow Republican from Sunset Hills. No Democrats have announced plans to run.
At issue is whether a political endorsement could be used to avert an in-depth audit of the state’s $11 billion Medicaid program, which takes up nearly a third of all state spending and is set to be expanded on Oct. 1.
Disagreements between Galloway and those she has audited in the past are not uncommon.
In 2017, Galloway issued a subpoena to former Gov. Eric Greitens’ office, saying one of his agencies wasn’t complying with a request for information. Greitens complied a day later but accused Galloway of a “political stunt.â€
Galloway, the lone Democrat among statewide officers in the Capitol, said the lack of transparency by the Greitens administration was part of a trend.
Fitzpatrick campaign manager Steele Shippy said the endorsement by Richardson was the product of mutual admiration between two Republicans who served together in the General Assembly.
“In the House of Representatives, then-House Speaker Richardson and Budget Chair Fitzpatrick worked side-by-side to pass historic tax relief, balance the state budget, reform wasteful government programs and combat corruption,†Shippy said.
He added, “Richardson is a universally well-respected public servant with unquestioned integrity, and we’re honored to have earned his endorsement. Throughout Scott’s career, he has been willing to take on the tough fights and do what was right, no matter the consequences. That’s exactly what he’ll do as auditor.â€