Jetton Under Fire From Christian Conservatives for "Anti-Creationism" Legislation

According to Capital sources, GOP House Speaker Rod Jetton is coming under fire from some Christian conservatives for "anti-creationism" legislation he passed in 2004.

State House observers may recall that Jetton (along with co-defendant sponsor Jason Crowell) passed legislation that year making the Hypsibema missouriensis the "official dinosaur of Missouri".

Hypsibema missouriense was a "duck billed" dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period (89 to 65 million years ago).  A herbivore, it had evolved specialized teeth to handle the tough, fibrous vegetation of the time. 

As an Official State Symbol, pictures of the "duck billed" dinosaur, along with a description of its "evolved" teeth, are now being sent to over 100,000 Missouri school children every year.  Some Christians conservatives view Jetton's legislation as a major setback in their campaign to ban the teaching of evolution in Missouri classrooms.

With Jetton's clout weakened by scandal, watch for religious conservatives in the Missouri House to attempt to repeal Jetton's "anti-creationism" handiwork.