Two important stories that remained uncovered by our major regional newspapers in southwest Missouri, the Springfield News-Leader and the Joplin Globe, involved Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt and his personal life.
I have never been a big fan of delving into politicians' personal life. If a politician gets divorced and remarries, it normally is not a big deal. Unfortunately, divorce is going to happen to about 50 percent of the marriages in this country.
But Roy Blunt's divorce and subsequent remarriage to Abigail Periman is a major exception. It's not because Ms. Periman was much younger than Blunt. Quite frankly, that's good grist for the rumor mill, but it does not affect his work representing us in Washington.
It's not even because Roy Blunt has always proclaimed himself as a politician who supports family values. Just because someone is divorced does not mean the person cannot be in favor of family values. Divorce is a fact of life.
It is Miss Periman's job that makes Blunt's remarriage newsworthy. She is a powerful lobbyist for Phillip Morris/Altria. Maybe this was mentioned in an article in one of our regional newspapers. If so, I missed it.
And I have to admit I don't recall ever reading anything in the Globe or in the News-Leader about Blunt's surreptitious effort to amend the Homeland Security Act to include a measure designed to put the hammer down on contraband cigarettes, something he claimed was designed to cut out a source of terrorist funding, but it was not seen that way in Congress, even by his own party. It appeared much more like a way to sneak in a benefit for his wife's company at the same time our nation was reeling from the aftershocks of 9-11. Unbelievably, the Congressman who told Blunt that his plan was not going to fly was Tom DeLay, someone who has had considerable association with plans to benefit himself and special interests.
This week, the U. S. Senate is debating the kind of reform Democrats say they were voted into power to enact, but it looks as if they are going to look the other way when it comes to members of Congress who have wives and children who are lobbyists. (Blunt, as readers of this blog are well aware, has both, a wife and two children who are lobbyists).
The losing effort is chronicled in today's Washington Post, which includes this segment about Blunt:
On the House side, Abigail Blunt, the wife of House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), has lobbied for years for Altria Group, the parent company for Kraft Foods and tobacco firm Philip Morris. The couple were married in 2003 and decided about a year ago that Abigail would no longer lobby any part of the House, Blunt's office said yesterday.
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While there is nothing wrong with coverage that includes Roy Blunt's announcements about funding he is bringing to the Seventh District, or getting his reaction to major events, southwest Missourians need to have a complete picture of the man they have elected to represent them in our nation's capitol. The money from Abigail Periman's clients has had a major effect on politics, both in the Seventh Congressional District and statewide.
In-depth coverage of Roy Blunt should not be limited to outstate and national news sources.
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