Ruestman's New Tune

A few weeks ago, Rep. Marilyn Ruestman (R-Joplin) complained to her constituents about how Gov. Jay Nixon "irresponsibly used one-time stimulus funds to balance our budget despite our warnings." 

Confronted with the hypocrisy and inaccuracy of this argument, Ruestman has changed her tune. She is now telling her constituents that using the Recovery Act money in the state budget was the only responsible course of action.

Last year, when the Missouri House Majority heard we were receiving funds from the bailout we wanted to send it back.  We then learned that if we sent it back it would be sent to other states.  Knowing that this was Missouri tax dollars, we agreed to accept it, feeling it was better to spend our tax dollars here.  It was then determined that our constituents should get the money back in the form of a rebate.  However, we were told that doing so would be illegal because that is not how the bailout was intended to be spent.

Reustman's new timeline still glosses over some key facts, of course.  For instance, she fails to remember that Rep. Allen Icet's (R-Wildwood) Budget Committee had actually appropriated more than $2.2 billion in Recovery Act money the week before Speaker Ron Richard abruptly announced the tax cut idea.

Ruestman also overlooks the Speaker's incredibly embarrassing interview on Fox News when he lied about being told the tax cut plan would be illegal.