FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 19, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson, (573)751-0290
Carnahan’s "Disappointment" with Special Session is Misdirected
JEFFERSON CITY—Secretary of State Robin Carnahan issued a pithy attack on Gov. Matt Blunt for his decision to call a special session of the legislature to enact legislation to reduce the number of abortions in Missouri.
In a format eerily reminiscent of the attacks placed on her mother’s blogsite against the governor, his wife and five-month old son, Carnahan’s statement contains wild accusations and blatant inaccuracies about the governor’s record to protect Missouri investors.
The fact is no secretary of state has done more to protect Missouri investors than Gov. Blunt did during his tenure. Under his leadership, Missouri enacted the most comprehensive reforms to state securities laws in more than 40 years that strengthened penalties against offenders and updated statutes to match securities business in the Internet age.
"Robin Carnahan has no one but herself to blame for the fact that her one priority piece of legislation wasn’t passed," said Blunt spokesman Spence Jackson. "She has astonishingly little to show for her term in office besides hosting a forum on political cartoons. If she doesn’t start working a little harder that is the way most Missourians will remember her tenure."
Blunt was also the first secretary of state to propose the very reform to state law that Carnahan is seeking that would give the secretary of state the authority to regulate the sale of variable annuities. The sharpest difference between the two is that Blunt actually worked on getting the changes enacted in the face of a massive opposition lobbying effort by the insurance industry and a lack of consensus in the General Assembly.
Carnahan on the other hand remained virtually invisible on the issue while the bill, HB 846, moved through the legislative process. Blunt endorsed the bill early on and his former Securities Commissioner and the current Deputy Director of the Department of Insurance Doug Ommen testified before the House Insurance Committee about the bill, something Carnahan and her staff failed to do.
Despite the assertions in her statement that she has been a "strong proponent" for this change, Carnahan didn’t bother to contact the governor about her concerns until May 4, two weeks before the legislature adjourned.
In spite of the secretary of state’s lackadaisical efforts to protect investors, Blunt built on his successful investor protection record by ordering the Department of Insurance to promulgate rules on the sale of variable annuities where none previously existed. The department also under Blunt’s direction has formed a working group to build a consensus on the issue among interested parties in advance of the next legislative session.
Her delayed interest in HB 846 seems to have been the only legislative priority the secretary of state had last session whereas Blunt led the successful efforts to rewrite the school funding formula delivering more money to classrooms, balance a wrecked state budget, and passing several bills that are helping to stimulate the state’s economy and create good, family supporting jobs.