Parson on Plocher controversy: ‘too early to tell’ if Mo. House Speaker should stay or go

Missouri governor Mike Parson is keeping an eye on developments surrounding House Speaker Dean Plocher. 

The Republican lawmaker from St. Louis County is embroiled in controversy over reimbursements he received for travel expenses that had already been paid for with campaign money, according to the Missouri Independent. 

Parson says it’s too early to draw conclusions about whether Plocher should resign:

“I don’t know all the details, other than what I’m reading from you guys, but he needs to pay it back. I mean if he owes the money then he needs to pay it back and he needs to get it straight. He needs to tell what happened.”

Meanwhile, Plocher says he “self-reported and immediately corrected administrative errors” found in his travel reports. 

They include nearly four thousand dollars for hotel and airfare for a trip to Hawaii earlier this year. He says he’s begun paying the reimbursements back.