Parson selects Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, a critic, as Missouri’s next treasurer

A Republican lawmaker who regularly butted heads with Gov. Mike Parson is his pick to be Missouri’s next state treasurer.

Parson said during a press conference Wednesday that he will appoint Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick to the post.

Fitzpatrick, a 31-year-old Shell Knob Republican, chairs of one of the most powerful committees in the Missouri legislature, the House Budget Committee. He will replace treasurer Eric Schmitt, who Parson selected last month to replace Josh Hawley as Missouri’s Attorney General.

Parson praised Fitzpatrick as having “more experience and knowledge of the state budget than any other elected official,” and noted he will become one of the youngest statewide elected officials in modern times. It’s unclear when Fitzpatrick will transition into the new role.

“He’s certainly no stranger to effectively managing business and government budgets,” Parson said.

After Parson became governor earlier this year, he and Fitzpatrick clashed over Parson’s decision to veto funding for a program aimed at ensuring that critically ill patients suffering from trauma, stroke and heart attacks get to hospitals that can treat them most effectively.

Parson’s administration later appeared to backtrack, saying the state department of health and senior services would simply shift money from other portions of the budget to keep the Time Critical Diagnosis program alive.

At the time, Fitzpatrick said it would be unconstitutional for a state agency to simply reallocate money that the General Assembly designated for a specific purpose.

The House overrode Parson’s veto in September, but the Senate took no action.

And in August, Fitzpatrick showed interest in investigating several Greitens-era consulting contracts that the Parson administration defended.

Parson also appeared to make light of the past, when he started to say he and the incoming treasurer may not have always agreed.

“I’m not sure why they put that in there,” Parson said to laughter.

Fitzpatrick downplayed the idea of conflict when asked Wednesday.

“All I can say is that I’ve had a really good working relationship with this governor’s office,” Fitzpatrick said. “Everybody’s going to disagree from time to time.”

The Star’s Jason Hancock contributed to this report.

This story was originally published December 19, 2018 at 2:51 PM.