JEFFERSON CITY — The embattled speaker of the Missouri House has amped up spending on his staff payroll amid an ongoing and potentially damaging ethics probe by his own colleagues.
After firing two of his employees and watching as another resigned amid a midterm shake-up, House Speaker Dean Plocher is overseeing an office payroll that could cost taxpayers double the amount it did five years ago under then-Speaker Elijah Haahr.
According to payroll records provided by the House human resources office, the annual payroll for the speaker’s office as of Feb. 1 was $746,427, compared to $495,832 in his maiden year as the leader of the Legislature’s lower chamber.
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During the final year of Haahr’s tenure in 2020, the annual payroll on Feb. 1 — based on yearly salary levels being paid to his top aides — was $371,667, the documents say.
In a statement, the speaker’s office dismissed the comparisons, saying the snapshot of payroll costs doesn’t show whether the positions are filled for the entire year.
“The structure of the office and staffing reflects the Speaker’s commitment to engage and support representatives and their constituents’ concerns throughout the legislative process,” Plocher’s office said in a statement issued Tuesday.
“It would be inaccurate to state that costs are up $250,000 between calendar year 2023 and 2024, as the ‘costs’ for 2024 have not yet been incurred,” the response noted.
The statement did not address the question of why payroll levels have risen so abruptly.
Plocher, R-Des Peres, has been scrambling since last September after he raised alarms among House staffers by attempting to hire a software company to handle constituent matters without going through the normal bidding process.
Rather than using the current in-house constituent management system, Plocher was pressing to spend about $800,000 on the private firm. The deal did not go through amid pushback from House staff.
During that dustup, Plocher also began repaying the state an estimated $4,000 after a review of House records and campaign finance reports showed he falsely billed taxpayers for travel to conferences in Hawaii and elsewhere.
In December the reported that Plocher also spent $60,000 in taxpayer dollars on a renovation of space controlled by the speaker’s office, including added storage for liquor and beer, a new $2,500 refrigerator and leather furniture.
The House Ethics Committee is currently conducting an investigation into whether Plocher should be punished for his actions. The panel works in secret and has not revealed a timeline for its next meeting, but sources close to the probe say an investigator has been conducting interviews of people involved in the disputes.
Under House rules, the Ethics Committee investigates complaints of misconduct by members of the House. The harshest punishment the panel can recommend is the expulsion of a member. They also can issue lesser sanctions, such as a letter of reprimand.
Among those on the speaker’s payroll is former House Speaker Rod Jetton, who is receiving the same annual pay as Kenny Ross, who was Plocher’s chief of staff until he was let go in the tumult last year. Plocher also hired a new legal counsel to replace Julia Baker, who resigned after Ross’ departure.
In January, Plocher also fired his legislative director Erica Choinka and hired Daris Davis as legislative coordinator.
In the statement, the speaker’s office said it is operating at the same staffing level of former House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, who preceded him as leader.
But, along with an annual spending projection showing his office will spend more than double Haahr did on staff wages, the Feb. 1, 2024 figure provided by nonpartisan House personnel is more than $173,000 higher than the payroll of Vescovo’s tenure during the same time period in 2021 and nearly $250,000 more than was projected to be paid out in 2022.
The increased staffing costs come as Plocher remains in the race for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.
The office brushed off questions about staffing costs if he wins the race. It was not immediately clear whether Plocher or one of his aides penned the response.
Plocher, a former municipal judge, has recently abruptly shut down press conferences that he has scheduled after he was asked questions that appeared to upset him.
Others seeking the No. 2 post in state government include Sen. Lincoln Hough of Springfield, Holly Rehder of Sikeston and Franklin County Clerk Tim Baker.
Other GOP entrants include David Wasinger, a Huntleigh attorney who lost a bid for state auditor in 2018; and Paul Berry III of Ƶ County.
Rep. Richard Brown of Kansas City is the lone Democrat.
The filing period for the August primary begins Feb. 27.