The reasoning a Missouri lawmaker gave for introducing a bill that would permit legislators to practice law in the state was almost as confusing as the proposal itself. But the backstory of his true motives might be stranger still, if a hypothesis reported out by the Riverfront Times is right.
Riverfront Times’ speculations about why Republican Rep. Robert Ross proposed the bill — which was immediately mocked — were inspired by a theory on a St. Louis reddit thread. His legislation would have allowed any legislator who served in the general assembly for two years to be qualified to practice law in Missouri and even eligible for serve as an associate or circuit court judge.
According to the theory, Ross’ bill was retribution for legislation introduced by one of Ross’ Republican colleagues state Rep. Joe McGaugh, himself an attorney. McGaugh had proposed a bill that would let that would let lawyers do some of the tasks currently designated to land surveyors — such as the preparation of real estate maps — and coincidentally (or not) Ross is a self-employed land surveyor.
Ross did not respond Riverfront Times’ questions about why he introduced his law-licenses-for-legislators bill. Instead he issued a puzzling statement Thursday evening saying the purpose of the bill was to “highlight an issue and subsequently prompt a conversation relative to the importance of education and experience necessary to operate as a professional.”
The statement also referred to an incident at a hearing for the committee of professional registration and licensing where Ross said “an attorney recounted all of the functions that they could undertake (many of which would otherwise require years of specialized education and training), as a result of passing the Bar exam and becoming licensed as an attorney; nearly limitless professional functions (his words).”
McGaugh meanwhile had refused to weigh in directly when Riverfront Times first asked him what whether he was the reason Ross introduced the bill. But McGaugh did stress the relationship between attorneys and surveyors and said, “It should be a mutually beneficial relationship.”
“I have no angst against any surveyor whatsoever. I like surveyors. I enjoy when I can work with them,” McGaugh said.
The Riverfront Times followed up with McGaugh again after Ross released his statement and asked him if he was the attorney Ross referring to. McGaugh’s bill had been considered by the committee of professional registration and licensing, of which Ross is a member.
McGaugh didn’t answer the paper’s question directly, but referred the outlet to a tweet he had sent with Ross’ statement. In the tweet, McGaugh said simply, “This cuts deep.”
This cuts deep. #moleg pic.twitter.com/CwHOPfjAlO
— Joe Don McGaugh (@JoeDonMcGaugh) February 26, 2016
