Missouri lawmakers head home for the weekend after calling for historic special session

The Missouri State Capitol was incredibly quiet Friday one day after the legislature called for an historic special session.

ABC 17 News crews spent Friday at the Capitol, where most of the lawmakers appeared to have gone home for the weekend before the legislative session resumes Monday.

“Everybody, I think we’re all kinda worn down at this point,” Rep. Kip Kendrick (D) – Columbia told ABC 17 News Friday. “And we’re going to continue to do our job-I’m not making excuses for any of us. But this weighs heavy on us. It weighs heavy on everyone in the state of Missouri. We’re in unprecedented territory.”

138 representatives and 29 senators signed the petition calling for a special session, including GOP Sen. Caleb Rowden.

“I think that was probably the motivation behind a lot of folks just to make sure that the investigative committee has all the time they need to do the job the right way,” he said.

Rowden said the history-making petition is disappointing.

“I certainly enjoyed a good relationship with the Governor,” he said. “I haven’t and don’t wish him any ill will, but, obviously, I think it’s pretty abundantly clear that he has put himself in a very difficult situation.”

ABC 17 News also got statement from other mid-Missouri lawmakers who signed on to the petition.

Rep. Sara Walsh, R – Ashland, released this statement:

“The Missouri House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight is not finished with its fair and thorough investigation and we are in the final two weeks of session. Weeks ago, Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson outlined a clear process of calling a special session to ensure we have time to review all the facts that will lead us to a conclusion, which I signed. As I have stated previously, we have a responsibility entrusted to us by the Constitution and the House collectively will take action based upon the evidence.”

Rep. Cheri Toalson-Reisch, R – Hallsville, released the following statement Friday afternoon:

“I have signed the call for a Special Session to allow the House Committee to continue their work beyond the end of the Regular Session. The General Assembly has a lot of work to accomplish in the next two weeks, and we want to give them as much time as they need to complete their task.”

Kendrick said some democrats chose not to sign the petition “because they are still in the mindset of moving forward now.”

“It was fairly contentious among democrats on whether or not to sign and when to sign,” Kendrick said. “I think we can continue to push forward now over the next couple weeks, but calling a special session really is a fail safe. It will provide the committee more time to continue their investigation and potentially release a new report sometime in the future, and that will give them time to make a fair and thorough recommendation to the House on how we proceed.”

Rep. Brandon Ellington (D) – District 22 put out a statement on Twitter Friday calling the special session “fiscally irresponsible” and said it will cost $125,000 per five day session.

“There is the cost,” Kendrick said. “The unfortunate cost of this is is that it’s going to keep Missouri in the news. It’s an embarrassing look. It’s a bad look for our state.”

The Missouri House judiciary committee must now decide whether to file articles of impeachment. Impeachment would require 82 votes in the House. The Senate would then appoint seven judges to conduct a trial (the Senate does not vote on impeachment proceedings). If five of those judges agree that Greitens should be removed from office, then Lt. Gov. Mike Parsons would become governor until his term ends in 2021.

“It’s probably one of the most important tasks that we will, as legislators, ever be faced with during our time in the General Assembly,” Kendrick said.