GOP bickering marks beginning of legislative session in Missouri Senate

JEFFERSON CITY • It wasn’t the kind of start Republicans hinted at when they launched the 100th Missouri General Assembly on Wednesday.

Meeting in their first full day of the legislative session Thursday, Republican infighting brought chamber business to an immediate halt as an intra-party power battle broke out between rank-and-file lawmakers and newly installed Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz.

The seven hour filibuster tested the resolve of Schatz and signaled the next four months could be a rocky affair, despite the GOP holding an iron grip on state government.

And, it came after Republican Gov. Mike Parson has been working to restore calm to a Capitol that was roiled last year by the scandal involving former Gov. Eric Greitens.

Read more: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/gop-bickering-marks-beginning-of-legislative-session-in-missouri-senate/article_df76e35a-2a91-52d3-8600-11493c648b59.html