Matt Blunt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Matt Blunt
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54th Governor of Missouri
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| In office January 10, 2005 – January 12, 2009 |
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| Lieutenant | Peter Kinder |
| Preceded by | Bob Holden |
| Succeeded by | Jay Nixon |
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| Born | November 20, 1970 Springfield, Missouri |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Melanie A. Blunt |
| Residence | Springfield, Missouri |
| Alma mater | United States Naval Academy |
| Profession | Navy Officer |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Battles/wars | Operation Support Democracy Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Awards | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4) |
Matthew Roy Blunt (born November 20, 1970) served as Governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2009. Elected Governor in 2004 at the age of 33, he became the second youngest person ever elected to that office after Kit Bond. He is a member of the Republican Party. Blunt was the youngest governor in the United States until Bobby Jindal was sworn in as Governor of Louisiana on January 14, 2008. Blunt did not seek a second term as governor.
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[edit] Early life
Blunt is the son of former House Minority Whip (previously Majority Whip and Interim Majority Leader) Roy Blunt and his first wife, Roseann Ray Blunt. After graduating from Jefferson City High School in Jefferson City, Missouri, Blunt was accepted into the United States Naval Academy where he received a bachelor's degree in history in 1993.
[edit] Military career
As an officer in the United States Navy, he went on to serve as an engineering officer aboard the USS Jack Williams and as the navigator and administrative officer on the USS Peterson.
His active duty service included participation in Operation Support Democracy, involving the United Nations blockade of Haiti, missions to interdict drug traffic off the South American coast, and on duties involved in the interdiction of Cuban migrants in 1994. During his Naval career, Blunt received numerous commendations, including four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Blunt was called into active military service. Blunt completed a six-month tour of duty in Great Britain during Operation Enduring Freedom, during which time he continued to work full-time as Missouri Secretary of State. He is a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserve. In accordance with Pentagon regulations and the Missouri Constitution, if Blunt was called for military duty while Governor, he would have been required to either transfer his gubernatorial powers to Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, or resign from the Naval Reserve. [1]
[edit] Political career
In 1998, Blunt was elected as a Republican to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent the 139th legislative district for a two-year term. In 2000, he was elected Missouri Secretary of State; although only a first-term state representative, Blunt defeated the Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives Steve Gaw. Blunt was the only Republican elected to statewide office in Missouri in 2000. On November 2, 2004, he defeated then-State Auditor (and current U.S. Senator) Claire McCaskill 50.8%-47.9% and was elected Governor of Missouri. Blunt carried 101 of the state's 114 counties.
[edit] Secretary of State
In the general election on November 7, 2000, Blunt defeated Democratic opponent Steve Gaw with 51.4% of the vote, to Gaw's 45.1%.[2] Blunt was 29 at the time he assumed office. His father had been elected to the same office at age 34.[3]
As Secretary of State, Blunt promoted a state election reform bill in 2002, which won support of the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic House. In 2004, Blunt required all electronic voting machines purchased by the state to produce a voter-verified paper ballot.[4]
Blunt was called into active military service for a six month tour of duty during Operation Enduring Freedom and served in the United Kingdom, where he continued to fulfill his duties to the state of Missouri.[3]
[edit] Term as Governor
When Blunt took office in January 2005, it was the first time in Missouri since 1921 that a Republican held the Governor's office with Republican majorities in both houses of the State Legislature. Blunt and his allies in the Missouri General Assembly moved quickly to enact legislation that they said would create a positive business climate in the state and result in job growth.[5] Among the legislation passed were tort reform measures that overhauled the state's legal system,[6] and changes in the state's workers compensation laws. Handling the states financial crisis by reducing spending was Governor Blunt's first task in office.[7] Along with the Republican leadership in the General Assembly, Blunt trimmed state spending in order to keep the budget balanced without raising taxes. Particularly controversial were provisions eliminating parts of the state's social entitlement programs. The cuts were criticized by editorials in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.[8][9][10] After some minor changes to the Governor's original requests the final version was passed.[11] Many Missourians who had previously depended on Medicaid were no longer eligible for benefits. Approximately 177,000 Missourians had their health benefits cut off due to these legislative actions.[12] Two years later, with an election almost a year away, Governor Blunt implemented the MO HealthNet Initiative, Senate Bill SB577.[13] Missourians were able to leave the Medicaid system or have coverage restored for the new coverage which was intended to offer them more choices and more rewards for healthy behavior.[14]
Abortion and stem cell research have also been contentious issues during Blunt's term. Blunt opposes abortion, but has also opposed efforts to ban research procedures such as somatic cell nuclear transfer. There were efforts to pass such a ban in the Missouri General Assembly during the 2005 session. Disagreements among Republicans over the stem cell issue held up efforts to pass restrictions on abortion, such as a 24-hour waiting period, and a restriction on helping minors cross state lines to avoid Missouri's parental consent requirement. In September 2005, Blunt called a special session of the General Assembly specifically to address abortion. The General Assembly passed the above-noted restrictions, and Blunt signed them into law.[15]
In October 2005, Blunt announced his support for an initiative petition, prominently supported by former Senator John Danforth, that would amend Missouri's Constitution to prohibit a ban on somatic cell nuclear transfer. Because constitutional amendments can only be approved by the voters, this would effectively remove the issue from the Legislature.[16] Due to his position on this initiative, Missouri Right to Life announced that it no longer considers Blunt a pro-life politician.[17]
Criticism from both the left and the right made Blunt's first year in office difficult. In February 2006, a poll conducted by SurveyUSA showed him with a 33% job approval rating, the fifth lowest of any governor in the nation.[18] His approval among Republicans polled was 62%, but his rating among Democrats was only 12%.[19] This was one of the greatest partisan divides of any governor.
In the 2006 legislative session, Blunt's stated priorities included enacting a version of "Jessica's Law" requiring a minimum 25 year sentences for child sex offenders one of his legislative priorities.[20] In the area of education, Blunt proposed selling Missouri's student loan agency, known as MOHELA, and using the proceeds to pay for endowments and new construction for the state's public universities.[21] In the area of elementary and secondary education, Blunt has proposed that school districts be required to spend at least 65% of their budgets on student instruction. After the proposal was criticized, Blunt suggested that the 65% threshold should be a goal, rather than a mandate.[22] Blunt has also offered his support for measures that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception, in contrast to Illinois, which recently enacted legislation requiring pharmacies to fill such prescriptions.[23]
As of July 24, 2007, Blunt had a 48% approval rating.[24]
In October 2006, Governor Blunt earned the highest score of any US governor from the libertarian Cato Institute. Blunt received a grade of 'A' – the only governor to do so – by reducing Missouri's budget, limiting Medicaid spending, and making the state government smaller.[25]
[edit] Environmental record
Blunt has promoted Missouri as a potential hotspot for bioscience, although he has been criticized for restricting science funding for controversial research such as that involving stem cells—a decision seen as discouraging the science community at large from working in the state.[26][27] In 2006, Blunt signed legislation requiring gasoline sold in Missouri to contain 10% ethanol.[28] Despite these advances, Missouri’s per capita carbon dioxide emissions have increased 15% since 1990, a development largely due to lack of incentives for reducing dependence on coal. Missouri’s per-person CO2 emissions have increased faster during this period than have those of all but four other U.S. states.[29]
[edit] Supporting Biotechnology
As Monsanto's home state, Missouri has vast numbers of programs supporting the development of genetically modified food crops and the science that helps create the fee based seeds driving the industry. In 2005 Governor Blunt created the Missouri Life Sciences Trust Fund to take monies from the Tobacco Settlement fund and apply them to biotech efforts. In January 2006 Gov. Blunt created the Lewis and Clark Discovery Inatative (LCDI) designed to spread biotechnology across the State. The LCDI takes funds from the Missouri higher education learning assistance fund (MOHELA).
Among the many efforts are Executive Orders[30] and programs created by Blunt delivering University cooperation, tax relief, research funds and seed capital for "life science" start up firms and an innovative program to reward Insurance Companies and other large institutional investors for putting their money in funds that hold biotech stocks.[31]
[edit] Email Controversy
In September 2007, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon questioned the governor's office regarding the storage and deletion of emails. According to the state's sunshine laws, any documents that are sent through the governor's office are public records and must be accessible. Former staff lawyer Scott Eckersley claimed publicly that he was fired from the governor's office for criticizing the office's handling of emails, though the Blunt administration says his employment was terminated for disciplinary infractions.[32] In response, the office pursued legal action against Eckersley for breaching confidential information, and distributed information claiming Eckersley used his state computer for private work, had registered for a "group sex Internet site", and had been questioned about illegal drug use.[33] Eckersley filed a defamation lawsuit against his former employers on January 9, 2008.[33]
The resultant controversy was followed by Governor Blunt's announcement on January 22, 2008 that he would not seek re-election in the 2008 Missouri Governor's Race.[34][35]
On May 22, 2009, the Missouri Attorney General's office announced that Eckersley's lawsuit against Blunt and others had been settled for $500,000, and had cost the state's legal defense fund $1.3 million in the sixteen months since the lawsuit was filed. [36][37][38]
[edit] Life after the Governor's Office
On January 22, 2008, Blunt announced he would not run for re-election.[39] He was succeeded on January 12, 2009 by Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon.
Since leaving office, Blunt has taken jobs as member of the board of Copart, an auto salvage company in Fairfield, California; an advisor for Solamere Capital, a suburban Boston private equity firm started by Tagg Romney; and a consultant for Cassidy & Associates, a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm.[40]
[edit] Personal life
Blunt is a member of the State Historical Society of Missouri, the American Legion, and the Missouri Farm Bureau. As Governor, he was a member of the National Governors Association, Southern Governors' Association, and the Republican Governors Association. Blunt and his wife, Melanie, were married in May 1997. Their son, William Branch Blunt was born on March 9, 2005. In June, 2009, Blunt announced that his wife is pregnant with another child.[41]
[edit] Electoral history
| Missouri Gubernatorial Election 2004 | |||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Matt Blunt | 1,382,419 | 50.8 | ||
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 1,301,442 | 47.9 | ||
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Statewide Races". www.sos.missouri.gov. Office of Secretary of State, Missouri. 2000-12-04. http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/statewideresults.asp?arc=1&eid=14. Retrieved on 2008-10-09.
- ^ a b Missouri Governor's Race: Matt Blunt, Online NewsHour, September 24, 2004.
- ^ Blunt Announces Security Requirement for Electronic Voting Machines in Missouri, sos.mo.gov, February 26, 2004.
- ^ Powers, Marc (January 2, 2005). "GOP positioned to press agenda in 2005 session". Southeast Missourian. http://www.semissourian.com/story/153457.html. Retrieved on June 8, 2009. "Out of the gate, the legislature is expected to move quickly on a pro-business agenda."
- ^ Bliss, Mark (March 29, 2005). "Gov. Matt Blunt touts tort reform legislation at ceremony in Cape". Southeast Missourian. http://www.semissourian.com/story/159366.html. Retrieved on June 8, 2009.
- ^ http://www.columbiatribune.com/2007/Sep/20070909Feat002.asp
- ^ http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/7176AF3596E9E680862570180078EEC8?OpenDocument&highlight=2%2C%22Blunt%22
- ^ http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/CA197BF85ED3030D862570180079B496?OpenDocument&highlight=2%2C%22Blunt%22
- ^ http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/6075D53ADC754A7B862570180077E420?OpenDocument&highlight=2%2C%22Blunt%22
- ^ http://www.semissourian.com/story/1138362.html
- ^ http://www.joplinindependent.com/display_article.php/akilova1174332651
- ^ http://www.senate.mo.gov/07info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=r&BillID=28834
- ^ http://www.khqa.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=47965
- ^ http://www.semissourian.com/story/1118392.html
- ^ http://www.semissourian.com/story/1121727.html
- ^ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=47513
- ^ http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/50StateGovernor060214Approval.htm
- ^ http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=55e70e63-e0a4-44aa-bcf4-158c2122f498
- ^ http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060113/NEWS01/601130357
- ^ http://www.semissourian.com/story/1137078.html
- ^ http://www.semissourian.com/story/1138094.html
- ^ http://www.semissourian.com/story/1135328.html
- ^ http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=7a649772-be8f-402c-84a5-c7a2aef76e13
- ^ http://www.cato.org/new/pressrelease.php?id=62
- ^ “Missouri’s Two-Faced Stance on Science,” ‘’Kansas City Star’’ 21 May 2007
- ^ “Shameful hostility toward science in Missouri” ‘’Kansas City Star’’ 17 May 2007
- ^ Official Press Release
- ^ “Missouri Sees Rise in Carbon Dioxide,” ‘’Columbia Tribune’’ 3 June 2007
- ^ http://www.gov.mo.gov/eo/2006/eo06_007.htm
- ^ http://bio.org/local/battelle2006/Missouri.pdf
- ^ http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/C7AB0283A688732B86257395002540E1?OpenDocument
- ^ a b Associated Press (January 10, 2008). "Former staff attorney files suit against Blunt". archive.columbiatribune.com (Columbia Tribune). http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/jan/20080110news021.asp. Retrieved on June 1, 2009.
- ^ "Missouri’s GOP governor won’t seek re-election". MSNBC. 2008-01-22. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22792501. Retrieved on 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Governor Matt Blunt Will Not Seek Re-election". KSMU. 2008-01-22. http://ksmu.org/content/view/1771/71/. Retrieved on 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Lawsuit against ex-governor is settled for $500000". Kansas City Star. 2009-05-22. http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/story/1212479.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-24.
- ^ "State settles lawsuit by former Blunt lawyer for $500,000". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2009-05-22. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/5D339DBE59A5C591862575BF000DCAFB?OpenDocument. Retrieved on 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Ex-state worker's fight began in '07". Springfield News-Leader. 2009-05-23. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090523/NEWS01/905230346/-1/RSS. Retrieved on 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Gov. Matt Blunt won't run for re-election". Columbia Missourian. January 22, 2008. http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/01/22/gov-matt-blunt-wont-run-re-election/. Retrieved on 4 February 2009.
- ^ "Blunt working at Cassidy & Associates". St. Louis Business Journal (American Business Journals). February 3, 2009. http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2009/02/02/daily43.html. Retrieved on 4 February 2009.
- ^ "Blunt family is expecting baby" (Springfield News-Leader article)
[edit] External links
Definitions from Wiktionary
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews
Learning resources from Wikiversity- Governor Matt Blunt official campaign site
- Biography at the National Governors Association
- Campaign contributions at Follow the Money
- Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- Collected news and commentary at The Washington Post
- Legislation sponsored by Representative Matt Blunt
| Missouri House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by Phillip Wannenmacher |
State Representative for the 139th District of Missouri 1998–2001 |
Succeeded by Brad Roark |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Bekki Cook |
Missouri Secretary of State 2001–2005 |
Succeeded by Robin Carnahan |
| Preceded by Bob Holden |
Governor of Missouri 2005 - 2009 |
Succeeded by Jay Nixon |
