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Steven Tilley

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Steven Tilley
72nd Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives
In office
January 5, 2011 – August 13, 2012
Preceded byRon Richard
Succeeded byShane Schoeller
Majority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives
In office
January 9, 2008 – January 5, 2011
Preceded byTom Dempsey
Succeeded byTim Jones
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 106th district
In office
January 5, 2005 – August 13, 2012
Preceded byKevin P. Engler
Succeeded byChrissy Sommer
Personal details
Born (1971-06-11) June 11, 1971 (age 53)
Wiesbaden, West Germany
Political partyRepublican
ChildrenKourtney Tilley, Korrin Tilley
ResidencePerryville, Missouri
Alma materSoutheast Missouri State University (B.S., 1994), University of Missouri–St. Louis (Doctorate of Optometry, 1998)
OccupationOptometrist

Steven Tilley (born June 11, 1971) is a lobbyist and former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives. He represented District 106 (Perry, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve Counties) in the Missouri House of Representatives. A Republican, Tilley was elected to the House in November 2004. He became the Majority leader in January 2008. On August 13, 2012 Tilley resigned from the Missouri House of Representatives.[1]

Tilley was elected Speaker on November 4, 2010 after the Republicans picked up 17 seats in the 2010 election.[2] On December 13, 2010, five weeks after being elected Speaker, Tilley altered his campaign committee in order to run for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in 2012.[3]

Background and education

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Education

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A 1989 graduate of Perryville High School in Perryville, Missouri, Tilley received a Bachelor of Science degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1994 and received his Doctorate of Optometry from the University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry in 1998.[4]

Marriage and Family Life

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Tilley lives in Perryville. He has two children: Kourtney and Korrin.[4] Tilley and his wife Kellie filed for divorce on September 14, 2011 after 18 years of marriage.[5] The divorce was cited as a reason for him dropping out of the lieutenant governor race as well as resigning in August 2012 as speaker of the Missouri House five months before his term expired.[6]

Group Memberships

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Tilley is a member of the Perryville Optimist Club, Missouri Right to Life, National Rifle Association, Missouri Optometric Association, American Optometric Association, N.F.I.B. and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. He is also a CHAMPS mentor and attends Immanuel Lutheran Church of Perryville.[7]

Political career

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Tilley served in the Missouri House from 2005 to 2012.[4] During that time, Tilley has served as the Chairman of the House Special Committee on General Laws,[8] Chairman of the House Ethics Committee[9][10] and as Majority Floor Leader.[11]

Speaker of the Missouri House

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Republicans in the Missouri House had their biggest majority in history (106-57). Among his most visible events was erecting a statue of Rush Limbaugh in the capitol in the Hall of Famous Missourians.[6]

As Speaker of the House, Tilley served as an ex-officio member of all committees of the House. Additionally, he was specifically assigned to the House Ethics and Administration and Accounts.[4]

Flooding Cairo controversy

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In April 2011, Speaker Tilley received national media attention for controversial remarks he made about Cairo, Illinois, a poor town on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Due to heavy rainfall and high water levels on the river, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was considering a plan to destroy a levee on the Missouri side of the river in hopes of lowering the flood level and preventing severe flood damage to Cairo and other downstream areas. Destroying the levee would have flooded several hundred thousand acres of Missouri farmland. When reporters asked if he would rather see Missouri farmland flooded or the town of Cairo, Tilley responded "Cairo. I've been there. Trust me. Cairo." And further said "Have you been to Cairo? OK, then you known what I'm saying."[12] Tilley later issued an apology:

I was asked a question about blowing up a dam in Missouri and the negative consequences that happened to Missouri. As the Speaker of the House, (I believe) my first responsibility is to Missourians. And in my effort to defend them, I went on to say some pretty insensitive and inappropriate remarks about Cairo

When later interviewed by a Missouri television station, Tilley said the accusations that he was a racist are ridiculous and that when one does as many interviews as he does, one is bound to say something stupid.[13] The Corps of Engineers destroyed the levee on May 3, 2011, flooding 130,000 acres of Missouri farmland but saving the town of Cairo from flooding.[14]

Lobbyist

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Tilley formed the lobbyist firm Strategic Capitol Consulting shortly after his term as Speaker ended.[15] Clients have included Conte Enterprise Holdings, and Jefferson County, Missouri.[16][17]

Tilley's role as lobbyist for the University of Missouri System became a point of contention in 2021 following conflict of interest concerns from senior university curator David Steelman, who was later asked to resign by governor Mike Parson.[18]

Tilley is a lobbyist for Torch Electronics, which owns and operates video machines at gas stations and convenience stores, and Warrenton Oil, which operates convenience stores. The legality of the machines are in question due to gray areas in state gambling regulations. Torch spent $657,648 in political donations between 2018-2023, primarily through PACs managed by Tilley.[19] In 2023, attorney general Andrew Bailey withdrew from a lawsuit between both companies and Missouri State Highway Patrol after receiving donations from five of Tilley's PACs.[20] In 2024, state treasurer Vivek Malek told legislators that he chose to place advertisements on Torch machines following a meeting arranged by Tilley in Torch owner Steve Miltenberger's private hanger in Chesterfield.[21]

In 2024, Tilley's clients Torch Electronics and New Day Healthcare donated a total of $120,000 to Lincoln Hough's lieutenant governor campaign by way of six PACs managed by Tilley.[22]

Electoral history

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2010 Election for Missouri’s 106th District House of Representatives[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steven Tilley 8,394 100
2008 Election for Missouri’s 106th District House of Representatives[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steven Tilley 12,769 100
2006 Election for Missouri’s 106th District House of Representatives[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steven Tilley 9,265 100
2004 Election for Missouri’s 106th District House of Representatives[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steven Tilley 7,847 54.5
Democratic David Cramp 6,562 45.5
2004 Primary Election for Missouri’s 106th District House of Representatives[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steven Tilley 2,600 57.7
Republican Gary Romine 1,904 42.3

References

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  1. ^ Virginia Young (13 August 2012). "Speaker Tilley resigns from Missouri House to be consultant". Stltoday. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  2. ^ "Tilley named house speaker; historical election". Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  3. ^ "Tilley changes committee; sets sights on lieutenant governor seat". Stltoday. 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  4. ^ a b c d Member Biography - Retrieved March 29, 2009 Archived May 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Jake Wagman. (2011-10-11). "House Speaker Tilley tells colleagues he's getting a divorce". Stltoday. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  6. ^ a b Virginia Young. (14 August 2012). "Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley resigns". Stltoday. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  7. ^ Member Biography - Retrieved March 26, 2009 Archived February 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ 2007 House Special Committee on General Laws Members - Retrieved March 29, 2009
  9. ^ 2008 House Ethics Committee Members - Retrieved March 29, 2009
  10. ^ 2009 House Ethics Committee Members - Retrieved March 29, 2009
  11. ^ 2009 House Leadership Directory - Retrieved March 26, 2009
  12. ^ "Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley: Flood Cairo, Illinois To Save Farmland". The Huffington Post. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
  13. ^ "House Speaker Tilley Apologizes". KOMU-TV. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
  14. ^ "Army Corps Breaks Missouri Levee to Save Cairo, Illinois - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. 2011-05-03. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  15. ^ McDermott, Kevin (2016-06-05). "Four years later, an ex-politician is still benefiting from his campaign fund". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  16. ^ Rivas, Rebecca (2023-12-18). "Company behind Missouri marijuana recall poses legal challenge to state's regulations • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  17. ^ Bess, Gordon (2018-02-14). "County hires lobbyist; somehow we managed to go two centuries without having one". Leader Publications. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  18. ^ Keller, Rudi (2021-03-31). "UM curator worried he'd lose his seat if he didn't 'play ball' with controversial lobbyist". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  19. ^ Keller, Rudi (2023-03-11). "Missouri lawsuit accuses Torch Electronics of violating racketeering law • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  20. ^ Hancock, Jason. "Missouri AG faces criticism for dropping out of gambling lawsuit against highway patrol". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  21. ^ Keller, Rudi (2024-02-27). "Missouri state treasurer removes ads on unregulated slot machines after grilling by lawmakers • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  22. ^ Hancock, Jason (2024-06-24). "PACs connected to Missouri lobbyist take in $530K from pair of companies". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  23. ^ "Specify a Race - State Representative - District 106 - Summary". State of Missouri. 2010-11-30. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05.
  24. ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009
  25. ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009
  26. ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009
  27. ^ Missouri Secretary of State Election Archives - Retrieved March 29, 2009
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Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives
2011–2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Majority Floor Leader of Missouri House of Representatives
2008 –2011 		Succeeded by
Missouri House of Representatives
Preceded by 106th District Representative to Missouri House of Representatives
2005 – 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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