On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck talks about the recent special session and expectations for when lawmakers return in 2026.
Beck represents Missouri’s 1st Senate District, which takes in portions of unincorporated south St. Louis County and municipalities like Crestwood and Webster Groves. As Senate Minority Leader, he is the top Democrat in a chamber that Republicans dominate.
Beck said his caucus chose to work with Republicans during a June special session, especially since Democrats wanted to get more money to help rebuild parts of the city a tornado destroyed on May 16. But he said his caucus is still upset with how the regular session ended when Republicans used a procedural maneuver to pass measures aimed at upending voter-approved paid sick leave and abortion rights initiatives.
--------
42:36
Attorney General Andrew Bailey on representing the STL Police Department
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is undergoing a major transition after lawmakers and Gov. Mike Kehoe reinstated a gubernatorial board that oversees the agency.
But the changes for the police department go beyond the reimposition of the state board.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office will now be in charge of defending the St. Louis Police Department in certain civil litigation cases. That’s because Bailey’s office is in charge of defending state agencies against claims to the state’s legal defense fund.
“The legal expense fund is really the insurance policy for the state,” Bailey said in an interview on Wednesday. “So any claims enumerated in that statute that are in connection with the public officials duties are covered by [the fund] … the state's law firm, the Missouri Attorney General's Office, defends against them.”
--------
14:34
Marty Joe Murray
On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Rep. Marty Joe Murray talks with STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum about his first year in the Missouri General Assembly – and his thoughts on the recently completed special session.
Murray represents Missouri’s 78th House District, which takes in parts of Downtown St. Louis, Old North St. Louis, Lafayette Square, and neighborhoods that encompass the Cherokee Street business district. He was first elected to his seat in 2024.
--------
40:29
4TheVille Emergency Hub leaders plan to keep assisting tornado victims
It didn’t take long for Dara Eskridge and Aaron Williams to spring into action after a deadly tornado ripped through parts of north St. Louis.
Eskridge and Williams helped lead the 4TheVille Hub, which provided critical supplies and housing stabilization to people throughout north St. Louis. Both Eskridge and Williams have deep ties to the community: Eskridge is the CEO of InvestSTL, which helps financially support neighborhood development initiatives. And Williams is President of 4TheVille, a nonprofit group that aims to preserve and expand the cultural history of several north St. Louis neighborhoods.
The Hub shut down earlier this month, prompting both Eskridge and Williams to reflect during a St. Louis on the Air episode on the volunteer effort’s impact – and how they plan to keep the assistance coming to tornado victims. This is the longer version of that conversation.
--------
30:11
Why Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt backs Trump's mass deportation policies
On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum talks to U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt about protests over Donald Trump's immigration enforcement methods – and so called Big Beautiful Bill. Rosenbaum also talks with Democratic Sen. Steven Roberts and House Speaker Jon Patterson about the just concluded special session. And he also discussed with STLPR's Sarah Kellogg whether the bipartisan spirit of the extra time in Jefferson City can last.
--------
50:08
O Politically Speaking
Missouri's political news makers talk candidly with St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum, Rachel Lippmann, and Sarah Kellogg.
Polska