U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley | 98.3 The Dove

Missouri’s governor say his AG pick embodies faith, family and freedom

November 23, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Governor Mike Parson prepares to introduce Andrew Bailey as Missouri’s next attorney general on November 23, 2022 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Missouri’s next attorney general is a familiar name in state government and at the Statehouse in Jefferson City.

Governor Mike Parson (R) has appointed his office’s general counsel, Andrew Bailey, to the post. Bailey has also served as a Missouri Assistant Attorney General and as general counsel for the Missouri Department of Corrections.

He will be Missouri’s fourth attorney general in six years. Governor Mike Parson says bringing stability to the AG’s office is critical. The governor says he looked for five core things with this appointment.

“Commitment to law and order, patriotism and respect for the (state) Constitution. Conservative values, family values and someone who would promote calm and steady while never afraid to fight for Missourians,” Parson says.

Bailey’s start date hasn’t been determined yet. While the governor didn’t say it, he implied that he expects Bailey to run for the post in 2024. Parson tells Capitol reporters that Bailey has had many accomplishments as general counsel for the governor’s office.

“We fought for the unborn and ended elective abortions in Missouri. We’ve strengthened the Second Amendment protections. Supported law enforcement at every turn,” says Bailey.

Bailey will replace U.S. Sen.-Elect Eric Schmitt, the outgoing attorney general. This is the second time Governor Parson has appointed an attorney general. Parson appointed Schmitt to the post in 2018, when Josh Hawley was elected to the U-S Senate.

Meantime, Missouri’s top House Democrat is calling on Bailey to end what she calls outgoing attorney general Schmitt’s frivolous lawsuits. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D-Springfield) says Schmitt used the attorney general’s office “as a taxpayer-funded arm of his political campaigns,” saying he wasted money on frivolous lawsuits.

‘We are hopeful that Mr. Bailey can succeed in the immense task that awaits him,” Leader Quade says, in a news release.

As for GOP Governor Parson, he says Bailey embodies the ideals of faith, family and freedom, and that he’ll fight for Missouri children like they’re his own.

Treece, Buffaloe see bright future with new COU terminal

November 17, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (right) visits with former Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and others at the October 18, 2022 ribbon-cutting for COU’s $23-million new terminal (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

A former Columbia mayor describes Columbia Regional Airport’s (COU) $23-million new terminal as a six-year project that culminated with the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony and first flight.

Former Mayor Brian Treece is proud of this project.

“It’s really due to no small part to the partnership between local, state and federal government, our two U.S. Senators, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) but also MoDOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) and the taxpayers of Columbia,” Mr. Treece says.

Treece tells 939 the Eagle that his first vote in April 2016 was one asking voters to increase a hotel tax for economic development. Columbia voters approved that 2016 hotel tax, and it’s the new terminal’s main funding source. He says the new terminal is better than you can imagine. Treece notes the new terminal is 52,000 square feet, compared to the 16,000 square foot terminal that was built in 1968.

“And it really dramatizes how tired our current and now former (COU) terminal is. And what a great front porch this is going to make for the University of Missouri, for people that are visiting Columbia for the first time to see family or friends or visit a doctor. Or to maybe locate a new business here or send their daughter or son to college here,” says Treece.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson predicts the new terminal will help make Columbia a top medical destination. Current Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe agrees. She describes COU’s new terminal as eye-opening.

“So we have the opportunity here already with our regional medical destination but also we have the research that’s now happening with the University of Missouri Health Care System to bring people in from other states, other cities to come here. So we do have that potential,” Treece says.

COU will use the old terminal to house car rental counters until the project’s second phase is finished.

Missouri Republicans will now control every statewide office, following Tuesday’s election

November 8, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt poses with supporters of his U-S Senate campaign during a GOP rally in Columbia on November 7, 2022 (photo courtesy of Schmitt Senate campaign Facebook page)

Missouri’s governor will soon have to appoint a new attorney general and a new state treasurer, after voters elected Republicans Eric Schmitt to the U-S Senate and Scott Fitzpatrick as state auditor, respectively.

Both won in landslides, helped by strong turnouts in rural Missouri, which remains ruby red.

Schmitt has served as attorney general since being appointed by the governor in late 2018, when Josh Hawley was elected to the Senate. Schmitt was elected to a full term as attorney general in 2020. Fitzpatrick served as the Missouri House Budget Committee chairman before the governor appointed him as state treasurer in 2018, to replace Schmitt, who was appointed attorney general. Fitzpatrick won a full term as treasurer in 2020 and will now be state auditor.

Auditor-elect Fitzpatrick says Missouri Republicans will now control every statewide office for the first time in 100 years. The lone Democrat has been state auditor Nicole Galloway of Columbia, who declined to seek re-election this fall.

Schmitt and Busch Valentine to face off in November in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race

August 3, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s GOP attorney general is vowing to go Washington to fight socialism. Eric Schmitt won Tuesday’s 21-candidate primary to capture the GOP U.S. Senate nomination with 46 percent of the vote. U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) came in second in the primary, 137,000 votes back and former Governor Eric Greitens came in a distant third. …

Schmitt and Busch Valentine to face off in November in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race

August 3, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth