JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 A top adviser to Missouri鈥檚 politically hobbled House speaker said the Des Peres Republican should take a page out of convicted felon Donald Trump鈥檚 playbook.
In a podcast interview Tuesday, political consultant Jonathan Ratliff said House Speaker Dean Plocher could bolster his bid to become Missouri鈥檚 next secretary of state by playing up a whistleblower lawsuit filed against him and his chief of staff Friday.
Rather than addressing allegations of retaliation, mismanagement and fear-mongering made by the top administrator in the House, Plocher should mimic Trump and say he鈥檚 being attacked by insiders, Ratliff said during an episode of 鈥淭his Week in Missouri Politics.鈥
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鈥淲e have a story just like President Trump. We have fought the swamp in Jefferson City. We took on the bureaucracy. We beat them. Now they are using lawfare to come after us, just like President Trump,鈥 Ratliff said.
The lawsuit filed by House Chief Clerk Dana Rademan Miller came after Plocher pushed back against a seven-month investigation by the House Ethics Committee in response to his attempt to steer an $800,000 software contract for the House around the standard bidding process, possibly in pursuit of a campaign donation.
He also repaid a series of travel bills that he had charged to taxpayers, fired two long-time House aides and hired former House Speaker Rod Jetton to help him right the ship.
The ethics case was eventually dismissed by the panel, but Plocher was accused of obstructing the investigation with Jetton鈥檚 assistance.
In her lawsuit, Miller said she privately counseled Plocher about complaints she had received about his treatment of female Republican lawmakers, including former Rep. Sara Walsh of Ashland, whom he called 鈥渟tupid.鈥
鈥淧locher鈥檚 reaction to plaintiff鈥檚 sharing of those concerns was to be dismissive. He replied, 鈥楾hey are like an invasive species.鈥
鈥淲hen Miller expressed her confusion over that statement, Plocher clarified, 鈥楽tupid Republican women 鈥 they are an invasive species.鈥欌
The lawsuit also says Jetton allegedly told another employee that 鈥渢hat they needed to 鈥榗hoke鈥欌 Miller鈥檚 authority and 鈥渕ade a physical choking gesture with both hands.鈥
Jetton, who served as speaker from 2005 to 2009, was charged with felony assault from a 2009 sexual encounter where he choked a woman to the point of unconsciousness. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor assault.
Plocher, in a separate interview Tuesday on KSSZ-FM in Columbia, signaled he is taking Ratliff鈥檚 advice, calling the pushback he received from House employees an attempted 鈥渃oup.鈥
鈥淭his has been a coup for a long time now,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he bureaucrats in the House are trying to take us down. We are not going to let the bureaucrats run the place just because they are whining.鈥
Ratliff said the timing of the lawsuit and Trump鈥檚 conviction on 34 counts in a New York City courtroom last week were a gift to Plocher鈥檚 campaign to be the state鈥檚 top election official.
鈥淔rom a stagecraft perspective we couldn鈥檛 honestly have coordinated it any better,鈥 Ratliff said.
Ratliff, who is the former political director for the Missouri House Republican Campaign Committee, is a partner with Palm Strategic Group, which has received $37,000 from Plocher鈥檚 political action committee this year.
He downplayed the controversy swirling around his client.
鈥淒on鈥檛 believe anything you read in the funny papers,鈥 he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a generally good guy.鈥
Plocher, meantime, has not said whether he will ask Attorney General Andrew Bailey鈥檚 office to represent him in the whistleblower case.
If that occurs, any damages Miller may be awarded would come from taxpayer funds, not out of Plocher鈥檚 pocket.
A similar scenario facing three state senators accused of defamation spurred Gov. Mike Parson to say the state won鈥檛 pay their legal bills, but Bailey has nonetheless moved forward with those cases.
Plocher, a former municipal judge, is leading the fundraising race to replace Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is running for governor.
In April, Plocher reported more than $1.3 million between his campaign account and an allied political action committee.
His closest competitor in the campaign finance arena was Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, who had nearly $255,000 on hand.
Other Republicans running include state Rep. Adam Schwadron, state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, Valentina Gomez, Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller, Jamie Corley and Mike Carter.
Coverage of Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher鈥檚 ethics issues
Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, a Republican from Des Peres, was the subject of a lengthy investigation by the House Ethics Committee. The panel dropped the complaint on April 29, 2024.聽聽