Whistleblower files suit against Missouri House leaders claiming retaliation

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) – On Friday, attorneys for Dana Miller, clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives, filed a lawsuit against Speaker of the House Rep. Dean Plocher, his chief of staff, and former speaker Rod Jetton, and the House of Representatives.

The suit stems from alleged retaliation to which Miller was subjected following her opposition to Plocher’s plan to award a state contract for new constituent management services.

“Exactly a year ago yesterday, I found myself facing the biggest challenge of my career when I refused to support awarding a contract for constituent management services for a number of legal and ethical reasons,” Miller said. “I also became aware of wrongdoing that was occurring within the highest levels of House leadership. I then did my duty as Clerk of the House to report the matters.”

Miller alleged other instances of concerning behavior from Plocher, including an instance where he repeatedly referred to “stupid Republican women” as “an invasive species.”

The suit claims Miller put her concerns aside, believing that the House Ethics Committee was the appropriate venue for such matter to be addressed.

After months of investigation by the House Ethics Committee, the panel ultimately voted to dismiss Miller’s complaint, despite strong objection from Republican Ethics Committee chair Hannah Kelley, R-Mountain Grove.

“What I have discovered is that the very mechanism that is designed to find the truth has failed,” Miller said. “You have heard the chair and vice chair speak of obstruction that limited their ability to complete a full and thorough investigation.”

After the complaint was dismissed on April 29, Plocher, flanked by dozens of House Republicans, claimed victory.

“From the outset of this investigation, I’ve maintained my innocence,” Plocher told reporters after the hearing. “The Ethics Committee has finally reached the very same conclusion that I offered everybody back in November, and they vindicated me.”

Miller claims what Plocher called “vindication” was actually an abandonment of a system of accountability based on “good faith.”

Miller also claimed that a toxic environment remains in the House even after the end of the legislative session.

“Where House of Representatives staff live in fear of retaliation, whether that be administrative staff, caucus staff, or those who cooperated with the House Ethics Committee for simply doing their duty of reporting wrongdoing, testifying truthfully and seeking to ensure that our government is run with the honesty and integrity with which it was designed We are better than this.”

Plocher’s office did not immediately respond to the bureau’s request for comment. Plocher is currently running for Secretary of State.

The Missouri House of Representatives Communications Office said, per policy, it doesn’t provide a comment related to ongoing litigation.

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