Senate group votes against Holden's pick

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In a rare move, a Senate committee on Wednesday rejected Gov. Bob Holden's appointee to lead the state Labor and Industrial Relations Commission.

Renee Slusher of Columbia is the first gubernatorial appointee rejected by the Senate in about 15 years, when the governor was John Ashcroft, according Senate officials.

Normally, if there are strong objections to an appointee, a governor withdraws the name from consideration. The state constitution requires Senate confirmation of appointments to state boards and commissions.

When the Legislature is not in session, appointees begin working immediately but their permanent positions still are subject to the Senate.

Slusher had served on the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission since October and had ruled on 55 worker compensation cases.

The Republican-controlled committee voted 5-4, along party lines, against her confirmation.

Slusher's opponents questioned whether she could fairly weigh businesses' interests in worker compensation claims since she once served as an attorney for plaintiffs suing companies.

"At a time when our state needs strong businesses to bolster our economy, we cannot confirm a nominee with any question of partiality," said Sen. Peter Kinder, chairman of the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments committee and president pro tem of the Senate.

When she was named to the commission, Slusher said she withdrew her membership in the association.