Missouri House speaker accused of 'unlawful' conduct

Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher is facing allegations that he engaged in "unlawful" conduct.

Plocher allegedly threatened to fire a nonpartisan legislative staffer over their resistance to a push to hire a private company for constituent information management, according to the Missouri Independent.

Dana Miller, chief clerk of the House, wrote in an email that Plocher made statements to her “connecting this contract with campaign activity” and that she had “growing concerns of unethical and perhaps unlawful conduct.”

Plocher, who is running for lieutenant governor next year, denied the claims.

Read more from the Missouri Independent.