Livengood, Messenger hint at possibility of Jetton resignation

In his latest post on Political Fix, St. Louis Post-Dispatch political reporter Tony Messenger, the former editorial page editor of the Springfield News-Leader managed to slip in a hint of the big rumor circulating across the state- that Speaker of the House Rod Jetton will resign during his Thursday morning press conference. The speculation comes on a day which has seen Congressman Kenny Hulshof join with his GOP primary opponent for governor Sarah Steelman and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder to call for an end to legislators doubling as political consultants:

Jetton is expected to address the issue at a news conference in Jefferson City on Thursday. The pressure against Jetton built late in the Legislative session when House members at one point discussed trying to force the speaker to resign because of his actions opposing the “village law” repeal.

Jetton survived that coup attempt and remained defiant. Will that defiance continue on Thursday? With Kinder, Steelman and Hulshof all showing a united front, there seems to be serious pressure for Jetton to discontinue his dual role as speaker and consultant.

Since Jetton will not return to the General Assembly in January, thanks to term limits, there seems little reason for Jetton to forsake his lucrative business, so the possibility of a resignation as House Speaker Thurday morning seems logical.

And that is addressed more specifically by the man who replaced Messenger as the political reporter for the News-Leader, hard-working Chad Livengood:

Some Republican sources are suggesting today that Jetton may be forced to pick one of his roles and resign from the other. But (House Communications Director Barry) Bennett said there's no indication Jetton will resign from either position.

"I don't know many Marines who quit anything," Bennett said, referring to Jetton's often cited background as a Marine.