Rep. Jetton assailed for interrupting address

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- House Speaker Pro Tem Rod Jetton was defiantly unapologetic after interrupting the State of the State address Wednesday with a verbal outburst from the floor.

"I just got to the point where I couldn't take much more," Jetton said later.

During his speech, Gov. Bob Holden, a Democrat, repeatedly and harshly blasted Republican lawmakers for refusing to fund public education at levels he had requested during the last legislative session.

At one point, Jetton, R-Marble Hill, yelled: "Release the money, governor." Republicans, who had been sitting in stony silence during Holden's attack, responded with rousing applause.

Jetton was referring to the roughly $120 million in legislatively approved education spending Holden has withheld to keep the overall budget balanced for the fiscal year ending June 30.

Although the outburst was seen as a serious and unprecedented breach of decorum by many longtime Capitol observers, Jetton said he had no reason to apologize.

"I don't feel like I was heckling," Jetton said. "I wasn't wanting to be disrespectful to the governor. I stood quiet for a lot of things that he said."

Holden had little to say about the incident. "I think that is for others to analyze," he said.

Jetton is the No. 2 ranking House member and on track to be the next speaker should the GOP maintain chamber control in the November elections.

House Minority Floor Leader Rick Johnson, D-High Ridge, called Jetton's conduct unprofessional.

"The speaker pro tem should have better manners than that," Johnson said.

GOP leaders defended Jetton, claiming the governor distorted the facts.

House Speaker Catherine Hanaway, R-Warson Woods, said that if the governor uses his speech "as an opportunity to mislead the public, then I think it is perfectly appropriate for a cry to come out for the truth."

Republicans noted that this year's total education appropriation exceeds the amount spent on schools in the prior fiscal year. Not mentioned was that the legislature made permanent $152 million in midyear general revenue withholdings Holden had hoped would be a one-time reduction.

While he has never seen a lawmaker heckle the governor while addressing the legislature, Senate Minority Floor Leader Ken Jacob, D-Columbia, recalled a visitor in the House gallery once doing so to Republican Gov. John Ashcroft.

"The superintendent of the highway patrol put that man in a half nelson and, with great force, removed him from the chamber," Jacob said. "That's probably they way Jetton should have been dealt with."

mpowers@semissourian.com

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