Lawmakers call for GOP leader to step down

Missouri GOP chairman John Hancock is still in office and said he is not going anywhere after a few lawmakers called for his resignation.

The fallout comes after late state auditor and gubernatorial candidate Tom Schweich’s suicide.

Hancock said its a time for the party to be unified, not divided.

He said he’s disappointed by the Senate Republicans that spoke out at the Capitol Thursday.

Hancock said they don’t have all the facts and they shouldn’t rush to judgement.

Lawmakers led by Senator David Pearce said the Missouri GOP need a change at the top, and said it should start by Hancock stepping down.

“I don’t think we can ever think that this is acceptable. That one of our statewide elected officials committed suicide and he did it because of all of this negative garbage that was being thrust upon him and shame on us if we don’t make some changes,” said Pearce.

Some people accuse Hancock of planting a whispering campaign saying Schweich was Jewish.

Those who knew Schweich said he was extremely upset about the anti-semitic tone, and in part possibly led to his suicide.

But in his defense, Hancock said there was never a whisper campaign.

“It’s disappointing to me that some fellow Republicans have jumped to conclusions before the truth has been fully revealed, and I’ll say this as a chairman of the party, if any of these legislators with false rumors or false allegations in the future, I will be the first person to come to their defense,” said Hancock.

Senator Mike Parson said regardless, since there’s a cloud of suspicion hanging over him, Hancock should leave for the good of the party.

“We have let this thing get out of hand, what I believe to be out of hand. The politics of this state, and it’s going to be up to some of us to show leadership and we will try to somehow make sure that we get politics back in some orderly fashion,” said Parson.

Hancock said he’s had a lot of friends that have spoke up about his good character.

He said moving forward, he will work hard to unify the GOP at the Capitol.