Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder (R) is criticizing Governor Jay Nixon’s (D) administration for not taking part in a disaster recovery hearing Tuesday at the State Capitol.
A House interim committee appointed to examine the state’s response to last year’s flooding and tornadoes held what was supposed to be its final hearing – but it ended early when no one from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) or the Department of Public Safety showed up. Kinder, who chairs the committee, says they will now send a letter to the Nixon Administration asking for written testimony.
“We were kind of caught off-guard by their refusal to cooperate, and we feel they have an obligation to cooperate," Kinder said. "We’re not chasing after bad guys here, we’re not on a witch hunt.”
Kinder has been especially critical of SEMA. He accuses the state agency of making the town of Bridgeton wait nine months to receive federal aid for the Good Friday tornado that also damaged Lambert St. Louis International Airport. The Governor’s office has so far not responded to requests for a comment.
Kinder is seeking a third term as Lt. Governor.
