Steven Tilley
Steven Tilley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 72nd Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives | |
| In office January 5, 2011 – August 13, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Ron Richard |
| Succeeded by | Shane Schoeller |
| Majority leader of the Missouri House of Representatives | |
| In office January 9, 2008 – January 5, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Dempsey |
| Succeeded by | Tim Jones |
| Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 106th District | |
| In office January 5, 2005 – August 13, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Kevin P. Engler |
| Succeeded by | Chrissy Sommer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 11, 1971 Wiesbaden, West Germany |
| Political party | Republican |
| Children | Kourtney Tilley, Korrin Tilley |
| Residence | Perryville, Missouri |
| Alma mater | Southeast Missouri State University (B.S., 1994), University of Missouri–St. Louis (Doctorate of Optometry, 1998) |
| Occupation | Optometrist |
Steven Tilley (born June 11, 1971) is a former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives. He represented District 106 (Perry, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve Counties) in the Missouri House of Representatives. A Republican, Tilley was elected to the House in November 2004. He became the Majority leader in January 2008. On August 13, 2012 Tilley resigned from the Missouri House of Representatives.[1]
Tilley was elected Speaker on November 4, 2010 after the Republicans picked up 17 seats in the 2010 election.[2] On December 13, 2010, five weeks after being elected Speaker, Tilley altered his campaign committee in order to run for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in 2012.[3]
Background and education
Education
A 1989 graduate of Perryville High School in Perryville, Missouri, Tilley received a Bachelor of Science degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1994 and received his Doctorate of Optometry from the University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry in 1998.[4]
Marriage and Family Life
Tilley lives in Perryville. He has two children: Kourtney and Korrin.[4] Tilley and his wife Kellie filed for divorce on September 14, 2011 after 18 years of marriage.[5] The divorce was cited as a reason for him dropping out of the lieutenant governor race as well as resigning in August 2012 as speaker of the Missouri House five months before his term expired.[6]
Group Memberships
Tilley is a member of the Perryville Optimist Club, Missouri Right to Life, National Rifle Association, Missouri Optometric Association, American Optometric Association, N.F.I.B. and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. He is also a CHAMPS mentor and attends Immanuel Lutheran Church of Perryville.[7]
Political career
Tilley served in the Missouri House from 2005 to 2012.[4] During that time, Tilley has served as the Chairman of the House Special Committee on General Laws,[8] Chairman of the House Ethics Committee[9][10] and as Majority Floor Leader.[11]
Speaker of the Missouri House
Republicans in the Missouri House had their biggest majority in history (106-57). Among his most visible events was erecting a statue of Rush Limbaugh in the capitol in the Hall of Famous Missourians.[6]
As Speaker of the House, Tilley served as an ex-officio member of all committees of the House. Additionally, he was specifically assigned to the House Ethics and Administration and Accounts.[4]
Flooding Cairo controversy
In April 2011, Speaker Tilley received national media attention for controversial remarks he made about Cairo, Illinois, a poor town on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Due to heavy rainfall and high water levels on the river, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was considering a plan to destroy a levee on the Missouri side of the river in hopes of lowering the flood level and preventing severe flood damage to Cairo and other downstream areas. Destroying the levee would have flooded several hundred thousand acres of Missouri farmland. When reporters asked if he would rather see Missouri farmland flooded or the town of Cairo, Tilley responded "Cairo. I've been there. Trust me. Cairo." And further said "Have you been to Cairo? OK, then you known what I'm saying."[12] Tilley later issued an apology:
I was asked a question about blowing up a dam in Missouri and the negative consequences that happened to Missouri. As the Speaker of the House, (I believe) my first responsibility is to Missourians. And in my effort to defend them, I went on to say some pretty insensitive and inappropriate remarks about Cairo
When later interviewed by a Missouri television station, Tilley said the accusations that he was a racist are ridiculous and that when one does as many interviews as he does, one is bound to say something stupid.[13] The Corps of Engineers destroyed the levee on May 3, 2011, flooding 130,000 acres of Missouri farmland but saving the town of Cairo from flooding.[14]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steven Tilley | 8,394 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steven Tilley | 12,769 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steven Tilley | 9,265 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steven Tilley | 7,847 | 54.5 | ||
| Democratic | David Cramp | 6,562 | 45.5 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steven Tilley | 2,600 | 57.7 | ||
| Republican | Gary Romine | 1,904 | 42.3 | ||
References
- ^ Virginia Young. "Speaker Tilley resigns from Missouri House to be consultant". Stltoday. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20101105012719/http://kmox.cbslocal.com/2010/11/04/tilley-named-house-speaker-historical-election/. Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Tilley changes committee; sets sights on lieutenant governor seat". Stltoday. 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ^ a b c d Member Biography - Retrieved March 29, 2009 Archived May 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jake Wagman. (2011-10-11). "House Speaker Tilley tells colleagues he's getting a divorce". Stltoday. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ^ a b Virginia Young. "Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley resigns". Stltoday. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ^ Member Biography - Retrieved March 26, 2009 Archived February 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 2007 House Special Committee on General Laws Members - Retrieved March 29, 2009
- ^ 2008 House Ethics Committee Members - Retrieved March 29, 2009
- ^ 2009 House Ethics Committee Members - Retrieved March 29, 2009
- ^ 2009 House Leadership Directory - Retrieved March 26, 2009
- ^ "Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley: Flood Cairo, Illinois To Save Farmland". The Huffington Post. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
- ^ "House Speaker Tilley Apologizes". KOMU-TV. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
- ^ "Army Corps Breaks Missouri Levee to Save Cairo, Illinois - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. 2011-05-03. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ^ http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/raceresults.asp?eid=300&oid=67655&arc=
- ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009
- ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009
- ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009
- ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009