Democrats ask administration office to block Limbaugh bust from Capitol

Saying it would "not bring honor to the state," House Democrats on Wednesday called on the Office of Administration to block an effort to induct conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh in the Hall of Famous Missourians.

House Speaker Steve Tilley's decision has also caught the attention of Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, who announced Wednesday he wants the procedure studied.

"The governor has concerns about the process of selecting individuals to be honored in the Hall of Famous Missourians," Nixon spokesman Scott Holste said. "He has asked the acting commissioner of administration to review the process."

The acting commissioner, Doug Nelson, did not return phone calls seeking comment and, through an assistant, referred inquiries to the governor's office.

For his part, Tilley, a Perryville Republican, stood his ground Wednesday, saying he has no intention of backing away from putting the Cape Girardeau native and conservative firebrand into the hall.

"The Democrats are using it as a political ploy and nothing else," Tilley said.

The letter from the House Democratic Caucus asks the Office of Administration to block Limbaugh's placement, which would entail placing a bust of Limbaugh's likeness in the Missouri Capitol rotunda. The letter is signed by Reps. Mike Talboy of Kansas City, Tishaura Jones of St. Louis and Mike Colona of St. Louis.

The Hall of Famous Missourians, the letter says, is an entirely unofficial honor. There is no state law creating it and no legal requirement that busts of inductees selected by the House speaker be granted space in the rotunda.

Limbaugh doesn't belong in the hall, according to the Democrats.

"Mr. Limbaugh's greatest distinction during his controversial career has been his penchant for divisiveness and offensive behavior," the letter says.

The letter asks the administration office to refuse to allow Limbaugh's bust to be placed in the rotunda along with the other 30 inductees, which include Mark Twain, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Harry S. Truman.

The letter says the Office of Administration's Division of Facilities Management has general supervision and control over all public areas of the Capitol.

But Tilley said Wednesday he's not certain that the Office of Administration has control over the third-floor rotunda.

Alex Curchin, the House's chief counsel, said the practice has been that the House and Senate control the reservation and use of the space on the third-floor rotunda. Even Office of Administration applications for use of space there defers to approval of the House and Senate, Curchin said.

"Tradition has it that the House has always controlled that space and that the speaker can place a bust there without approval," Curchin said.

Limbaugh is embroiled in a firestorm after calling Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" because she advocated for expanded birth-control coverage. He has seen more than 40 advertisers drop out from his "Rush Limbaugh Show," which is said to have more than 20 million listeners each week.

"But keep this in mind: Rush has been on the radio 20 years, three hours a day," Tilley said. "You're not insinuating that this is the first time he's said something controversial and inflammatory? He's an entertainer. He's a talk-show guy. That's kind of what he does."

He also said it's important to note that others in the hall have said controversial things as well.

In an interview with the Southeast Missourian, Talboy said that it's a reasonable request not to put Limbaugh into the hall given the "misogynistic, ignorant and arrogant and very hurtful comments" Limbaugh made on the air. Limbaugh did later apologize for the comments.

Some House Republicans were quick to defend Tilley, including Rep. Wayne Wallingford, who represents Limbaugh's hometown.

"I know it's for famous Missourians, and he's certainly a famous Missourian," Wallingford said. "I have traveled all over the world, and when they find out I'm from Cape Girardeau, they say right away that it's the home of Rush Limbaugh."

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

201 W. Capitol Plaza, Jefferson City, MO