A Costly Opinion Piece

Sounds like the good folks in the Missouri state legislature may need a few days off to gain a little perspective.

CongressDaily reports that Kris Kobach, a University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor, wrote an April 20 opinion piece in the Kansas City Star criticizing the legislative drafting skills in state legislatures.

Professor Kobach had in mind state lawmakers nationwide, but apparently legislators in Jefferson City decided he was talking about them - and they didn't like it. "To the sound of cheering in the chamber," the state House stripped $2.6 million from the university's capital budget that was to be used for renovating the animal-research laboratory and a chemical-storage building. Instead the money was directed towards "legislative research" for the state House and Senate.

The measure's sponsor denied he was exacting retribution for the newspaper's op-ed. But the Star reports that he also urged legislators in neighboring Kansas to cut off funding to the city of Overland Park, where Kobach serves on the city council. Kansas lawmakers didn't take up the suggestion.

Perhaps after a good rest, Show-Me State representatives might figure out that they have inadvertently proved the good professor's point.