Matt Blunt
Encyclopedia
Matthew Roy Blunt served as the 54th Governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2009. Before his election as governor, Blunt served ten years in the United States Navy, was elected to serve in the Missouri General Assembly in 1998 and as Missouri's Secretary of State in 2000.
A Republican
, Blunt was elected governor on November 2, 2004, carrying 101 of Missouri's 114 counties. At age 33, he became the second youngest person ever elected to that office after Kit Bond
. 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, announcing his decision in an address to Missourians on January 22, 2008. He was selected to serve as the president of the American Automotive Policy Council in 2011.
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.
, Blunt 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 Cuba
n 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 was 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.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Missouri National Guard, Governor Blunt visited Missouri National guard troops serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, and on the Mexican Border.
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.
with 51.4% of the vote, to Gaw's 45.1%. Blunt was 29 on election day, 30 at the time he assumed office, making him the youngest ever to win statewide office in Missouri. His father had been elected to the same office at age 34.
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.
Shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, 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.
moved quickly to enact legislation that they said would create a positive business climate in the state and result in job growth.
Aided by a Republican-led legislature, Blunt enacted almost all of his policy proposals. Among the legislation passed were tort reform
measures that overhauled the state's legal system, and changes in the state's workers compensation laws. In September 2009, a report was issued showing malpractice claims in Missouri at a 30 year low, a direct result of Blunt's enactment of tort reform in 2005.
leader, David Cameron
, called Blunt's MAP "a powerful tool to control public spending."
. Under Blunt, Missouri saw a 70,000 net increase in jobs over 4 years.
. As governor, he advocated for and signed bills improving Missouri's right-to-carry law, allowing citizens to better defend their homes from intruders, safe-guarding shooting ranges from frivolous lawsuits, and protecting vital wildlife habitat and hunting lands from over-development. Blunt signed legislation prohibiting the seizure of firearms during declared states of emergency
at the NRA's annual meeting, held in St. Louis in 2007.
. 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.
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. Due to his position on this initiative, Missouri National Right to Life Committee
announced that it no longer considers Blunt a pro-life
politician. However, Blunt continued proposing, passing and signing restrictions on abortion. He proposed and signed legislation providing income tax credits for contributions to qualified pregnancy resource centers, removing taxpayer funding for abortion providers, banning Planned Parenthood from Missouri classrooms, requiring medical standards for abortion clinics, and funding for the alternatives to abortion program. 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 enacted legislation requiring pharmacies to fill such prescriptions.
. 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. In 2008, Blunt joined with Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD) to strengthen Missouri's law requiring ignition interlocks for drunk drivers who commit two or more drunk driving offenses. He signed legislation to lower the legal intoxication limit for boaters from .10 to .08 percent. Blunt changed the system that had required many victims of sexual assault or rape to pay for their own forensic examinations, commonly known as rape kits. He secured $2.8 million in the state budget to pay for the rape kits. Blunt also secured funding which led to the creation of the new Springfield Crime Lab.
; allowing cancellation of state contracts for contractors that hire illegal immigrants; requiring public agencies to verify the legal status of applicants before providing welfare benefits; criminalizing the transportation of illegal immigrants for exploitative purposes; and enacting provisions to punish employers that willfully hire illegal immigrants.
. 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, however Blunt was not governor for 14 of the 17 years covered by the study. Blunt often discussed his efforts to reduce pollution from energy production, and was a supporter of biomass
, biofuels, wind power
and solar energy.
In his 2008 State of the State address, Blunt proposed a Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday to create a one-week state sales tax exemption on Energy Star
certified new appliances. Missouri became just the fourth state in the nation to enact such a tax break. Also in 2008, Blunt and Arkansas
Democratic Governor Mike Beebe signed an historic bi-state water quality agreement to protect watersheds and aquifers that cross state lines.
, 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.
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 Initiative (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 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.
showed him with a 33% job approval rating, the fifth lowest of any governor in the nation. His approval among Republicans polled was 62%, but his rating among Democrats was only 12%. This was one of the greatest partisan divides of any governor.
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.
On July 24, 2007, Blunt had a 48% approval rating. A February–March 2008, poll by the Republican polling firm American Viewpoint showed Blunt with an approval rating of 57%.
appointed a team of investigators to look into the governor's following of office policy, 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 Deputy General Counsel, Scott Eckersley claimed publicly that he was fired from the governor's office for bringing to attention the office's mishandling of emails, though the Blunt administration says his employment was terminated for disciplinary infractions. In unprecedented response, the governor's office distributed large packets of emails and documents from Eckersley's computer to four major newspapers around the state of Missouri, without request, in effort to support their claims that Eckersley used his state computer for private work without permission, had registered for a "group sex Internet site", and had been questioned about illegal drug use.
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. The settlement included no admission of wrongdoing by the Blunt administration.
Eckersley later switched parties and ran for Congress as a Democrat using $100,000 he received from the settlement to help fund his campaign. Eckersley lost the election for Missouri's 7th congressional district
to Billy Long by 33 percent of the vote. Eckersley said he would not concede until the Department of Justice finalizes an investigation into a bogus e-mail sent to the media announcing he was dropping out of the campaign.
.
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, and a partner with the Ashcroft Group, the Washington, D.C. and St. Louis-based consulting firm founded by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
. Blunt has continued to advocate for greater transparency in government spending, state and national lawsuit reform and improving public education. Blunt has been critical of cuts to education funding arguing that they will erode Missouri’s future. Blunt wrote, “States will either be welfare states that protect welfare programs, or they will be education states that prepare for the future.” He has also questioned the proposal to cut state scholarship funding for private colleges, writing in an op-ed, “I have been surprised to see those private schools and their students become a scapegoat as the state cuts education funding and scholarships.”
In February 2011, Matt Blunt was appointed president of the American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC). The AAPC, is a policy association created by Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Company
and General Motors Company . The AAPC is a bipartisan 501(c)6 based in Washington DC and its mission is to promote the unique and significant economic contribution of the U.S. based auto companies to the American economy. Blunt’s leadership at one of the United State’s top automobile and component producing states is a major reason he was chosen to lead the policy initiatives of Chrysler Group, Ford Motors and General Motors Company.
, 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. The couple has two sons, William Branch Blunt who was born on March 9, 2005, and Brooks Anderson Blunt, who was born on January 1, 2010.
A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Blunt was elected governor on November 2, 2004, carrying 101 of Missouri's 114 counties. At age 33, he became the second youngest person ever elected to that office after Kit Bond
Kit Bond
Christopher Samuel "Kit" Bond is a former United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he defeated Democrat Harriett Woods by a margin of 53%-47%. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004...
. Blunt was the youngest governor in the United States until Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
was sworn in as Governor of Louisiana on January 14, 2008. Blunt did not seek a second term as governor, announcing his decision in an address to Missourians on January 22, 2008. He was selected to serve as the president of the American Automotive Policy Council in 2011.
Early life
Born in Strafford, Missouri, He is the son of U.S. Senator Roy BluntRoy Blunt
Roy D. Blunt is the junior United States Senator from Missouri. He is a member of the Republican Party. His Senate seat was previously held by Republican Kit Bond, until his retirement....
and his first wife, Roseann Ray Blunt. After graduating from Jefferson City High School
Jefferson City High School
Jefferson City High School, also known as JCHS, is a public secondary school in Jefferson City, Missouri. JCHS is one of five public high schools in Cole County and only one in Jefferson City.-Academics:...
in Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
, Blunt was accepted into the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
where he received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in history in 1993.
Military career
As an officer in the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Blunt went on to serve as an engineering officer aboard the USS Jack Williams
USS Jack Williams (FFG-24)
USS Jack Williams , sixteenth ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided-missile frigates, was named for Pharmacist's Mate Second Class Jack Williams, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Battle of Iwo Jima.Ordered from Bath Iron Works on 28 February 1977 as...
and as the navigator and administrative officer on the USS Peterson
USS Peterson (DD-969)
USS Peterson , named for Lieutenant Commander Carl Jerrold Peterson , was a laid down by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. She commissioned on July 9, 1977 and decommissioned on October 4, 2002.- Ship's history :1979 - Persian Gulf deployment...
.
His active duty service included participation in Operation Support Democracy, involving the United Nations blockade of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, missions to interdict drug traffic off the South American coast, and on duties involved in the interdiction of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n 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
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, 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 was a Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in the Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
. 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
Peter Kinder
Peter D. Kinder is an American politician from the U.S. state of Missouri. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in 2004 as Matt Blunt was elected Governor. Kinder was reelected in 2008 at the same time Jay Nixon was elected Governor. Kinder is a member of the Republican Party...
, or resign from the Naval Reserve.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Missouri National Guard, Governor Blunt visited Missouri National guard troops serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, and on the Mexican Border.
Political career
In 1998, Blunt was elected as a Republican to the Missouri House of RepresentativesMissouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
to represent the 139th legislative district for a two-year term. In 2000, he was elected Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
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
Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own...
50.8% – 47.9% and was elected Governor of Missouri. Blunt carried 101 of the state's 114 counties.
Secretary of State
In the general election on November 7, 2000, Blunt defeated Democratic opponent Steve GawSteve Gaw
Steve Gaw is Democratic Party politician who served as Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives.Gaw grew up in Moberly, Missouri where he graduated high school in 1974. He received a bachelors from Truman State University in 1978 where he majored in physics...
with 51.4% of the vote, to Gaw's 45.1%. Blunt was 29 on election day, 30 at the time he assumed office, making him the youngest ever to win statewide office in Missouri. His father had been elected to the same office at age 34.
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.
Shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, 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.
Governor
When Blunt took office on January 10, 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 AssemblyMissouri General Assembly
The Missouri General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bicameral General Assembly is composed of a 34-member Senate, and a 163-member House of Representatives. Members of both houses of the General Assembly are subject to term limits...
moved quickly to enact legislation that they said would create a positive business climate in the state and result in job growth.
Aided by a Republican-led legislature, Blunt enacted almost all of his policy proposals. Among the legislation passed were tort reform
Tort reform
Tort reform refers to proposed changes in common law civil justice systems that would reduce tort litigation or damages. Tort actions are civil common law claims first created in the English commonwealth system as a non-legislative means for compensating wrongs and harm done by one party to...
measures that overhauled the state's legal system, and changes in the state's workers compensation laws. In September 2009, a report was issued showing malpractice claims in Missouri at a 30 year low, a direct result of Blunt's enactment of tort reform in 2005.
Budget
Handling the state's financial crisis by reducing spending was Governor Blunt's first task in office. 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. After some minor changes to the Governor's original requests the final version was passed. Many Missourians previously enrolled with Medicaid were no longer eligible for benefits. Approximately 90,000 Missourians had their health benefits cut off due to these legislative actions. Two years later, with an election almost a year away, Governor Blunt implemented the MO HealthNet Initiative, Senate Bill SB577. 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.Government spending and transparency
In July 2007, Blunt signed an executive order launching the Missouri Accountability Portal (MAP) which provides Missourians with free, immediate, online information about how the state spends taxpayer money. MAP was one of the nation's first comprehensive and searchable databases of financial records based on real-time data. Blunt's initiative has become a model for other states and nations seeking to improve government transparency. British Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
leader, David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, called Blunt's MAP "a powerful tool to control public spending."
Education
Blunt repeatedly stated that education was his highest budget and public policy priority. As governor, he provided annual increases for K-12 education, signed legislation authorizing $335 million for college construction, expanded college scholarships and enacted a new school funding method. 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. 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.Job creation
Prior to assuming office Missouri had been losing jobs at an astonishing rate. Blunt and the Missouri General Assembly passed several job creation initiatives including tax cuts, tort reform and workers' compensation reform. Blunt also created the Quality Jobs program, an initiative that continues to be expanded by his successor, Governor Jay NixonJay Nixon
Jeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon, Sr. is the 55th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Missouri. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Missouri's Attorney General before his election in 2008.-Political career:...
. Under Blunt, Missouri saw a 70,000 net increase in jobs over 4 years.
2nd amendment
Blunt is an avid outdoorsman and hunter, and a member of the National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
. As governor, he advocated for and signed bills improving Missouri's right-to-carry law, allowing citizens to better defend their homes from intruders, safe-guarding shooting ranges from frivolous lawsuits, and protecting vital wildlife habitat and hunting lands from over-development. Blunt signed legislation prohibiting the seizure of firearms during declared states of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
at the NRA's annual meeting, held in St. Louis in 2007.
Abortion and stem cell research
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 transferSomatic cell nuclear transfer
In genetics and developmental biology, somatic-cell nuclear transfer is a laboratory technique for creating a clonal embryo, using an ovum with a donor nucleus . It can be used in embryonic stem cell research, or, potentially, in regenerative medicine where it is sometimes referred to as...
. 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
Parental consent
Parental consent laws in some countries require that one or more parents consent to or be notified before their minor child can legally engage in certain activities....
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.
In October 2005, Blunt announced his support for an initiative petition, prominently supported by former Senator John Danforth
John Danforth
John Claggett "Jack" Danforth is a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former Republican United States Senator from Missouri. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Danforth is married to Sally D. Danforth and has five adult children.-Education and early career:Danforth was born...
, that would amend Missouri's Constitution
Missouri Constitution
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution. The fourth and current Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945...
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. Due to his position on this initiative, Missouri National Right to Life Committee
Right to life
Right to life is a phrase that describes the belief that a human being has an essential right to live, particularly that a human being has the right not to be killed by another human being...
announced that it no longer considers Blunt a pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
politician. However, Blunt continued proposing, passing and signing restrictions on abortion. He proposed and signed legislation providing income tax credits for contributions to qualified pregnancy resource centers, removing taxpayer funding for abortion providers, banning Planned Parenthood from Missouri classrooms, requiring medical standards for abortion clinics, and funding for the alternatives to abortion program. Blunt has also offered his support for measures that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception
Emergency contraception
Emergency contraception , or emergency postcoital contraception, refers to birth control measures that, if taken after sexual intercourse, may prevent pregnancy.Forms of EC include:...
, in contrast to Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, which enacted legislation requiring pharmacies to fill such prescriptions.
Criminal justice
In 2005, Blunt signed legislation to limit sales of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products, the key ingredients needed to make methamphetamineMethamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
. In the 2006 legislative session, Blunt's stated priorities included enacting a version of "Jessica's Law
Jessica's Law
Jessica's Law is the informal name given to a 2005 Florida law, as well as laws in several other states, designed to punish sex offenders and reduce their ability to re-offend...
" requiring a minimum 25 year sentences for child sex offenders one of his legislative priorities. In 2008, Blunt joined with Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy...
(MADD) to strengthen Missouri's law requiring ignition interlocks for drunk drivers who commit two or more drunk driving offenses. He signed legislation to lower the legal intoxication limit for boaters from .10 to .08 percent. Blunt changed the system that had required many victims of sexual assault or rape to pay for their own forensic examinations, commonly known as rape kits. He secured $2.8 million in the state budget to pay for the rape kits. Blunt also secured funding which led to the creation of the new Springfield Crime Lab.
Immigration reform
Blunt signed a wide-ranging immigration reform plan prohibiting sanctuary cities in Missouri; requiring verification of legal employment status for public employees through E-verifyE-Verify
E-Verify is an Internet-based, free program run by the United States government that compares information from an employee's Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 to data from U.S. government records. If the information matches, that employee is eligible to work in the United States...
; allowing cancellation of state contracts for contractors that hire illegal immigrants; requiring public agencies to verify the legal status of applicants before providing welfare benefits; criminalizing the transportation of illegal immigrants for exploitative purposes; and enacting provisions to punish employers that willfully hire illegal immigrants.
Environment
In 2006, Blunt signed legislation requiring gasoline sold in Missouri to contain 10% ethanolEthanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
. Despite these advances, Missouri’s per capita carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions
Exhaust gas
Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline/petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust pipe, flue gas stack or propelling nozzle.It often disperses...
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, however Blunt was not governor for 14 of the 17 years covered by the study. Blunt often discussed his efforts to reduce pollution from energy production, and was a supporter of biomass
Biomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
, biofuels, wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
and solar energy.
In his 2008 State of the State address, Blunt proposed a Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday to create a one-week state sales tax exemption on Energy Star
Energy Star
Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products originated in the United States of America. It was first created as a United States government program during the early 1990s, but Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted...
certified new appliances. Missouri became just the fourth state in the nation to enact such a tax break. Also in 2008, Blunt and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
Democratic Governor Mike Beebe signed an historic bi-state water quality agreement to protect watersheds and aquifers that cross state lines.
Biotechnology
Blunt has promoted Missouri as a potential hotspot for bioscienceBioScience
BioScience is a peer-reviewed monthly sometimes daily scientific journal that is published by the American Institute of Biological Sciences . The content is written and edited for accessibility to researchers, educators, and students alike...
, 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.
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 Initiative (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 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.
Public opinion
Criticism from both the left and the right made Blunt's first year in office difficult. In February 2006, a poll conducted by SurveyUSASurveyUSA
SurveyUSA is a polling firm in the United States. It conducts market research for corporations and interest groups, but is best known for conducting opinion polls for various political offices and questions...
showed him with a 33% job approval rating, the fifth lowest of any governor in the nation. His approval among Republicans polled was 62%, but his rating among Democrats was only 12%. This was one of the greatest partisan divides of any governor.
In October 2006, Governor Blunt earned the highest score of any US governor from the libertarian Cato Institute
Cato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
. 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.
On July 24, 2007, Blunt had a 48% approval rating. A February–March 2008, poll by the Republican polling firm American Viewpoint showed Blunt with an approval rating of 57%.
Email Controversy
In September 2007, Missouri Attorney General Jay NixonJay Nixon
Jeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon, Sr. is the 55th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Missouri. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Missouri's Attorney General before his election in 2008.-Political career:...
appointed a team of investigators to look into the governor's following of office policy, regarding the storage and deletion of emails. According to the state's sunshine laws
Freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation comprises laws that guarantee access to data held by the state. They establish a "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions...
, any documents that are sent through the governor's office are public records and must be accessible. Former Deputy General Counsel, Scott Eckersley claimed publicly that he was fired from the governor's office for bringing to attention the office's mishandling of emails, though the Blunt administration says his employment was terminated for disciplinary infractions. In unprecedented response, the governor's office distributed large packets of emails and documents from Eckersley's computer to four major newspapers around the state of Missouri, without request, in effort to support their claims that Eckersley used his state computer for private work without permission, had registered for a "group sex Internet site", and had been questioned about illegal drug use.
On May 22, 2009, the Missouri Attorney General
Missouri Attorney General
The Office of the Missouri Attorney General was created in 1806 when Missouri was part of the Louisiana Territory. Missouri's first Constitution in 1820 provided for an appointed Attorney General, but since the 1865 Constitution, the Attorney General has been elected...
'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. The settlement included no admission of wrongdoing by the Blunt administration.
Eckersley later switched parties and ran for Congress as a Democrat using $100,000 he received from the settlement to help fund his campaign. Eckersley lost the election for Missouri's 7th congressional district
Missouri's 7th congressional district
Missouri's 7th congressional district consists of Southwest Missouri. The district includes Springfield, the home of Missouri State University , and the popular tourist destination city of Branson...
to Billy Long by 33 percent of the vote. Eckersley said he would not concede until the Department of Justice finalizes an investigation into a bogus e-mail sent to the media announcing he was dropping out of the campaign.
Life after the Governor's Office
On January 22, 2008, Blunt announced he would not run for re-election. He was succeeded on January 12, 2009 by Attorney General of Missouri Jay NixonJay Nixon
Jeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon, Sr. is the 55th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Missouri. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Missouri's Attorney General before his election in 2008.-Political career:...
.
Since leaving office, Blunt has taken jobs as member of the board of Copart, an auto salvage company in Fairfield, California
Fairfield, California
Fairfield is a city located in Solano County in Northern California, USA. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately from the city center of both cities, approximately from the city center of Oakland, less than from Napa Valley, 18...
; an advisor for Solamere Capital, a suburban Boston private equity firm started by Tagg Romney; and a consultant for Cassidy & Associates
Cassidy & Associates
Cassidy & Associates is a government-relations firm based in Washington, D.C., known for pioneering the use of congressional earmarks as a method of obtaining grants for university clients. It was founded in 1975 as Schlossberg-Cassidy Associates by Gerald Cassidy and Kenneth Schlossberg, both...
, a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm, and a partner with the Ashcroft Group, the Washington, D.C. and St. Louis-based consulting firm founded by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
John Ashcroft
John David Ashcroft is a United States politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General, from 2001 until 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush. Ashcroft previously served as the 50th Governor of Missouri and a U.S...
. Blunt has continued to advocate for greater transparency in government spending, state and national lawsuit reform and improving public education. Blunt has been critical of cuts to education funding arguing that they will erode Missouri’s future. Blunt wrote, “States will either be welfare states that protect welfare programs, or they will be education states that prepare for the future.” He has also questioned the proposal to cut state scholarship funding for private colleges, writing in an op-ed, “I have been surprised to see those private schools and their students become a scapegoat as the state cuts education funding and scholarships.”
In February 2011, Matt Blunt was appointed president of the American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC). The AAPC, is a policy association created by Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and General Motors Company . The AAPC is a bipartisan 501(c)6 based in Washington DC and its mission is to promote the unique and significant economic contribution of the U.S. based auto companies to the American economy. Blunt’s leadership at one of the United State’s top automobile and component producing states is a major reason he was chosen to lead the policy initiatives of Chrysler Group, Ford Motors and General Motors Company.
Personal life
Blunt is a member of the State Historical Society of Missouri, the American LegionAmerican Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, and the Missouri Farm Bureau. As Governor, he was a member of the National Governors Association
National Governors Association
The National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
, Southern Governors' Association, and the Republican Governors Association
Republican Governors Association
The Republican Governors Association is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1963, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Republican Party.Its Democratic Party counterpart is the Democratic Governors Association...
. Blunt and his wife, Melanie, were married in May 1997. The couple has two sons, William Branch Blunt who was born on March 9, 2005, and Brooks Anderson Blunt, who was born on January 1, 2010.
Electoral history
External links
- Governor Matt Blunt official campaign site
- Legislation sponsored by Representative Matt Blunt
- MAP Missouri Accountability Portal