Missouri senator moving out of room he rented from lobbyist

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri senator said Monday he's moving out of a room in Jefferson City he rents from a lobbyist after questions from a co-worker about the ethics of doing so.

After telling colleagues on the Senate floor he's staying at a hotel as he searches for a new place in the city, Republican Sen. Rob Schaaf criticized GOP Gov. Eric Greitens' ethics.

He said Greitens has accepted political donations from companies that could benefit from policies he supports.

"Governor, don't ignore the log in your eye when you see the speck in mine," said Schaaf, who's from St. Joseph. "I'm removing the speck."

On Thursday, Republican Sen. Caleb Rowden of Columbia questioned Schaaf on the Senate floor about renting from Richard McIntosh, lobbyist for the trucking technology company Drivewyze, while sponsoring a bill that could allow more businesses such as Drivewyze to offer truck weigh station bypass services in the state.

Schaaf acknowledged Monday his renting from McIntosh contributed "to the appearance of corruption in Jefferson City."

Then, after calling for state ethics laws to be strengthened, he turned his attention to the governor.

He said Greitens should return donations from the health-insurance company Centene and wealthy Joplin businessman David Humphreys of TAMKO Building Products Inc. Greitens supports policies that could benefit those companies, Schaaf said.

The senator said A New Missouri Inc., the not-for-profit supporting Greitens and his agenda, should be disbanded. He said it was created "specifically for the purpose of hiding his donors."

Greitens' senior adviser, Austin Chambers, called Schaaf's comments "absurd."

Adding to the tensions, Schaaf on Thursday effectively stalled a vote on one of Greitens' main priorities: establishing an alert system to notify the public when someone accused of harming a police officer is on the run.

A New Missouri launched ads that day accusing Schaaf of "attempting to shut down all conservative action in the Senate because of personal political games that he is playing along with the liberals."

The ads urge people to call Schaaf's personal cellphone.

Chambers said A New Missouri is using radio ads, digital ads and robocalls against Schaaf. He said similar tactics will be used to push Greitens' agenda.

"This isn't about just something against Sen. Schaaf," Chambers said. "If there are others who are standing in the way or if there are others who are being very supportive of the agenda, then we will engage with them."