Grisamore's Answer As To Why He Sold Out Abused Women

Grisamore's Answer As To Why He Sold Out Abused Women


This is from the Kansas City Star. Grisamore's reason for abandoning this cause was that he needed to remain in good stead with the Republican caucus.

After the news conference ended, some of the advocates said they were especially disappointed in Rep. Jeff Grisamore. The Lee's Summit Republican often speaks up on behalf of disabled and vulnerable children, but he allowed the cuts in the child care subsides to progress out of committee by voting "present" instead of "no."

I asked Grisamore about that after the vote a couple of weeks ago and he said he thought the cuts would have been imposed regardless of what the committee voted, and he needed to remain in good stead with the Republican caucus.

"I had to weigh the fallout," Grisamore explained in an e-mail exchange that we had. I have been talking to the next likely Speaker of the House about my interest in being appointed as the next Chairman of the Appropriations Committee for Health, Mental Health and Social Services, which would automatically also place me on the Budget Committee. He has indicated his interest in making that happen.

While I voted present on the mega-amendment proposing the above cuts in protest to them and the process, I voted to refer the recommendations for House Bills 10 & 11 back to the Budget Committee, even though I disagreed with many elements of those recommendations I have outlined above.

To hold up the process would have simply resulted in the Budget Committee considering them anyway and could have jeopardized my future appointment as Chairman, a position through which I can do a lot more good for our most vulnerable citizens in the future. To vote present and no on two simply symbolic votes could have jeopardized all of that.