PUB DEF EXCLUSIVE

State Rep. John Bowman told PUB DEF today that under his leadership the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus (MLBC) will continue on the road to becoming an influential player in the State Capitol, despite several members leaving the organization and forming a new caucus last week.

He disputed reports that there are now more African-American House members in the newly formed spin-off organization than are left in the MLBC. “That’s inaccurate,” said Bowman.

PUB DEF was the first to report last week that what was expected to be a normal fight for caucus chairmanship between Bowman and State Rep. Rodney Hubbard ended in several House members accusing Bowman of cheating and using strong-arm tactics to silence his colleagues.

Within hours of Thursday’s meeting, a new organization called the Urban Progressive Caucus (UPC) was being formed, with at least nine state representatives defecting from the MLBC.

Bowman said the state’s three African-American senators (Maida Coleman, Rita Days and Yvonne Wilson) are still in the MLBC, as are the caucus’ “most effective legislators”.

Bowman said those state reps that are criticizing his leadership “never came to meetings” and “never put any work in” to build the organization.

Bowman said he did what he had to do to prevent the caucus from being led by those focused on a single issue — school vouchers. Hubbard and his close ally, State Rep. Ted Hoskins, have been vocal supporters of a form of vouchers (or “school choice”). Both are now members of the new UPC.

But State Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, also a defecting black caucus member, has been a vocal critic of vouchers, even helping to oust Hoskins from the chairmanship back in April in large part over his strong support of the issue.

In the past, she and Hubbard have been seen as bitter political enemies. But last week the two put their differences aside.

“For Rodney and I to come together would not have happened unless for these extraordinary conditions,” Nadal told PUB DEF.

“This has nothing to do with school vouchers. It has everything to do with [Bowman’s] failed leadership and ego,” she said.

When asked how Nadal’s involvement fits into his description of a single-issue agenda causing this fight, Bowman said, “I can’t explain what Maria does from minute-to-minute.”

“I refuse to even try to understand her anymore,” said Bowman.

Nadal points to herself and at least five other members of the new caucus that are anti-vouchers — State Reps. Jamilah Nasheed (St. Louis City), Connie Johnson (St. Louis City), Martin Rucker (St. Joseph), Michael Brown (Kansas City), and Leonard Hughes (Kansas City).

Hughes agreed that what happened had nothing to do with vouchers.

“It’s about a breath of fresh air in the new millennium,” said Hughes.

“I don’t think John Bowman is a bad leader. I just think it was a bad situation for everybody.”

UPDATE: Coleman has retained her leadership position.

Democrats in the state legislature are in Jefferson City today to meet and select their leaders. For some time it has been rumored that State Sen. Maida Coleman, the current minority floor leader, will be challenged for her post. Back in September, Coleman sat down with PUB DEF to discuss this challenge.

Sources tell PUB DEF that Coleman’s future might rest on the vote of her newest colleague, State Senator-elect Jeff Smith. A vote by Smith for Coleman would help insure his fellow St. Louis Democrat another term leading the Senate’s minority party.

But if Smith were to instead vote for Sen. Chuck Graham, who is challenging Coleman for the position, it would help place control of the Democrat’s House and Senate agenda squarely in Columbia, MO, which is where Graham and House Minority Leader Jeff Harris are both from.

The Democrats will meet to vote at noon.

And in the Legislative Black Caucus… there is word that State Rep. Rodney Hubbard (St. Louis City) will be challenging State Rep. John Bowman (St. Louis County) for the chairmanship.

Though the caucus’ rules have stated that the chairmanship should alternate between City, County and Kansas City legislators, Bowman (who is the current chairman) lobbied to have that rule changed.

Check back later for more…

UPDATE: Coleman has retained her leadership position.

UPDATE 2: From Sen. Coleman’s office:

After a two-seat pick up two days ago, Missouri Senate Democrats returned Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis) to her position as Minority Floor Leader during the first caucus meeting of the new Senate members.

“While Missouri didn’t make the dramatic gains of Democrats at the national level, picking up two Senate seats and five House seats is notable,” she said. “Missouri is a cautious state, but we laid the groundwork for 2008.”

Sen. Coleman said the Democrats look forward to working with the Republican majority, especially on key issues like restoring the Medical Assistance for the Working Disabled program. She added that she hopes the House can be convinced to pass the strong Medicaid provider fraud bill which passed the Senate last year.

Other leadership positions went to Sen. Chuck Graham of Columbia, Assistant Minority Floor Leader; newly re-elected Sen. Frank Barnitz of Lake Spring, Caucus Chairman; and Sen. Yvonne Wilson of Kansas City, Caucus Secretary.

Sen. Coleman emphasized that the Democratic caucus is strongly united and will be acting in the best interests of Missouri’s citizenry.

“Democrats will be outlining our legislative priorities more fully in the coming weeks,” she said. “I hope Republicans will take notice of the changing political air nationally and in Missouri and focus on solving problems.”

At a meeting of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus yesterday in Jefferson City, legislators debated over whether current chairman, State Rep. John Bowman, should be allowed to keep the post during the upcoming session.

According to the organization’s current by-laws, the chairmanship is to be passed to someone from one of three regions (St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and the Kansas City area) every two years. Bowman, who represents a part of St. Louis County, took over as chair after State Rep. Ted Hoskins, also from the County, was removed earlier this year. At issue is whether Bowman can continue serving as chair after Hoskins’ term has expired.

The next region in line for the chairmanship is St. Louis City. Some members have told PUB DEF to look for State Reps. Rodney Hubbard and Connie Johnson to seek the post — two members who, along with State Rep. Robin Wright Jones, are also mentioned as possible candidates to replace the term-limited State Sen. Maida Coleman in 2008.

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 36th Annual Legislative Conference ended last night with their annual Awards Dinner. More than 400 tables — at up to $750 per seat — filled the Washington Convention Center as members of the CBC honored and were honored by current and former members.

It seemed that every black player in national politics was in the room last night. But no one drew the crowds — or the opportunistic photo seekers (this reporter included) — like U.S. Senator Barack Obama.

PUB DEF bumped into St. Louis State Rep. Rodney Hubbard among the thousands of people at the dinner and we followed him as he worked the room. See some of our photos from the night at www.pubdef.net/photos/cbc_weekend/9-9-2006.html

Again, see more of our photos from the night at www.pubdef.net/photos/cbc_weekend/9-9-2006.html