Jay Nixon

Jay Nixon
55th Governor of Missouri
Incumbent
Assumed office January 12, 2009
Lieutenant	Peter Kinder
Preceded by	Matt Blunt
Succeeded by	Eric Greitens (elect)
40th Attorney General of Missouri
In office January 11, 1993 – January 12, 2009
Governor	Mel Carnahan Roger Wilson Bob Holden Matt Blunt
Preceded by	William Webster
Succeeded by	Chris Koster
Personal details
Born	Jeremiah Wilson Nixon (1956-02-13) February 13, 1956 De Soto, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Georganne Nixon
Children	Jeremiah Will
Residence	Governor's Mansion
Alma mater	University of Missouri, Columbia (BA, JD)
Website	Government website

Jeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon (born February 13, 1956) is an American politician who is the 55th and current Governor of Missouri. A member of the Democratic Party, Nixon was first elected Governor in 2008 and reelected in 2012. Prior to his governorship, he served the state's 40th Attorney General from 1993 to 2009.

Early life

Jay Nixon is a lifelong resident of De Soto, Missouri, where he was born. His mother, Betty Lea (née Willson), was a teacher and president of the local school board, and his father, Jeremiah "Jerry" Nixon, served as the city's mayor. One of his paternal thrice great-grandfathers, Abraham Jonas, was an early Jewish settler in Illinois and friend of Abraham Lincoln (one of Nixon's paternal great-grandmothers was Jewish, though Nixon is Methodist).^[1] His great-great-grandfather Charles Henry Jonas was the brother of Democratic U.S. Senator Benjamin F. Jonas of Louisiana and another, James Oscar Nixon, was a brother of U.S. Representative John Thompson Nixon of New Jersey. Another paternal ancestor, John Inskeep, had served as Mayor of Philadelphia (from 1800—1801 and 1805—1806).^[2]

Missouri State Senate (1987–1993)

In 1986, after a period of private practice in his hometown, Jay Nixon was elected to the Missouri Senate from a district in Jefferson County, serving for two terms from 1987 to 1993.^[3]

Missouri Attorney General (1993–2009)

Accomplishments

As the state's Attorney General, Nixon created the Environmental Protection Division to enforce Missouri's environmental laws. Attorneys in this division take legal action to stop the pollution of the state's air, water and soil and to look after Missouri's agricultural interests. Successful litigation by the division has resulted in the cleanup of polluted sites and millions of dollars awarded to the state. His aggressive actions in the Attorney General's Office earned him national recognition. Barrister magazine^[4] named him one of the 20 outstanding young lawyers in the nation, and the Missouri Jaycees selected him one of Ten Outstanding Young Missourians. Prior to becoming Attorney General, he was recognized by the Conservation Federation of Missouri^[5] for his environmental work as a state senator.

In 2013, he joined with nine mayors to establish July 15 as Social Media Giving Day, encouraging citizens to support charities via social media.^[6]

Controversies

Jay Nixon has overseen the state's involvement in the court settlements that ended mandatory urban busing in St. Louis and Kansas City's public schools.^[7]

The Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) issued a report titled "The Modern Militia Movement" on February 20, 2009, informing the Missouri State Highway Patrol of several groups of people who could possibly be linked to domestic militia groups. According to the report, these groups included white Christians, supporters of third-party presidential candidates Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin, as well as opponents of gun control, illegal immigration, abortion, the Federal Reserve System, and the Internal Revenue Service. Following a joint letter from Paul, Barr, and Baldwin condemning the report, Nixon and the MIAC issued an apology concerning the report and stated that it will no longer be displayed on any official state websites.^[8]

Governor of Missouri (2009–present)

Elections

Nixon in 2008

2008 election

Governor Matt Blunt announced on January 22, 2008 that he would not seek a second term. By the filing deadline on March 25, 2008, three Democratic and five Republican candidates had filed.^[9]

Tenure

Gov. Jay Nixon watches a Missouri Tigers volleyball game at the Hearnes Center in 2013.

Public Defender System funding crisis

On August 2, 2016, Michael Barrett, director of the Missouri State Public Defender System called on Nixon to act as a public defender in a criminal assault case. Nixon's communications director, Scott Holste, questioned the authority of Barrett to do so.^[10] The appointment followed a July 2016 legal action in which Barrett et al. challenge the constitutionality of restricting funds for indigent defense.^[11] In an open letter to Nixon, Barrett cites Missouri Revised Statues Section 600.042.5(1)^[12] as well as the 6th and 14th amendments to the United States Constitution as reason for the controversial action. Barrett blames Nixon for the underfunding and understaffing of the public defender system and chose to appoint him because he is "the one attorney in the state who not only created the problem, but is in a unique position to address it."^[13] According to Barrett, the funding for "resources that assist with delivering legal services" have increased between 5 and 6% since 2009, while costs over the same period have increased 18%. The case load has increased over 12% in the past year.^[14] According to a 2008 report by the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Missouri ranks 49th in per capita legal aid spending.^[15] Ruth Petsch, Jackson County Missouri’s chief public defender, cites the lack funding for inadequate defense and 9 to 12 month delays in adjudication for indigent persons who often remain in jail and are unable to maintain active employment during that time.^[16]

Shooting of Michael Brown and Ferguson unrest

Gov. Nixon first turned over control of the town to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and later declared a state of emergency and implemented nightly curfews, later calling in the National Guard to help restore peace and order.^[17][18] The unrest continued on November 24, 2014 after the police officer who shot Michael Brown was not indicted by a grand jury.^[19][20]

Electoral history

As Governor

As Attorney General

U.S. Senate elections

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jay Nixon.

• Governor Jay Nixon official Missouri government site
• Jay Nixon at DMOZ

Governors of Missouri
Territorial (1805–20)	Wilkinson Lewis Howard Clark
State (since 1820)	McNair Bates Williams Miller Dunklin Boggs Reynolds M. Marmaduke Edwards King Price Polk H. Jackson Stewart C. Jackson Gamble Hall Fletcher McClurg Brown Woodson Hardin Phelps Crittenden J. Marmaduke Morehouse Francis Stone Stephens Dockery Folk Hadley Major Gardner Hyde Baker Caulfield Park Stark Donnell Donnelly Smith Donnelly Blair Dalton Hearnes Bond Teasdale Bond Ashcroft Carnahan Wilson Holden Blunt Nixon Greitens (Elect)

Current statewide political officials of Missouri
U.S. Senators	Claire McCaskill Roy Blunt
State government	Jay Nixon, Governor Peter Kinder, Lieutenant Governor Jason Kander, Secretary of State Chris Koster, Attorney General Clint Zweifel, Treasurer Nicole Galloway, Auditor
Senate	Peter Kinder, President Tom Dempsey, President pro tempore Ron Richard, Majority Leader Joseph Keaveny, Minority Leader
House	John Diehl, Speaker Denny Hoskins, Speaker pro tempore Todd Richardson, Majority Leader Jacob Hummel, Minority Leader
Supreme Court	Laura Stith Vacant Mary Russell Patricia Breckenridge Zel Fischer George Draper Paul Wilson Chief Justice title rotated among the judges

Attorneys General of Missouri
Bates Easton Wells Napton Bay Stringfellow Robards Gardenhire E. Ewing Knott Welch Crittenden Wingate Johnson Baker H. Ewing Hockaday Smith McIntyre Boone Wood Walker Crow Hadley Major Barker McAllister Barrett Otto Gentry Shartel McKittrick Taylor Dalton Eagleton Anderson Danforth Ashcroft Webster Nixon Koster Hawley (Elect)