Stealth Ceremony for Rush Limbaugh — and His Bust
May 14, 2012 2:17 PM
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMOX) - It’s official and it’s a done deal: Conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh is now officially inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians. People might have wondered why he wasn’t doing his radio show today — it’s because he was in Jefferson City.
Just before 1:00 p.m. the mad scramble in the halls of the state capitol began, barriers started going up and additional Capitol police and the Highway Patrol started drifting in. The word leaked out that today was the day for Limbaugh to take his place in Missouri history.
Apparently the only people aware of what was going on were members of GOP majority and the Missouri Highway Patrol. The public was not invited to the ceremony.
Republican Missouri House Speaker Steven Tilley selected Limbaugh, a native of Cape Girardeau, for the honor — but he kept the timing of the ceremony more secret than the raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Pakistan. The public apparently didn’t have a clue as to what was going on.
Tilley possibly was thinking about the public’s safety by attempting to avoid a spectacle for the event after some women’s groups and numerous Democrats called for Limbaugh’s head on a platter for calling a female law student and women’s rights activist, Sandra Fluke, a “slut” over her outspoken support of President Obama’s policy on contraception coverage. Limbaugh eventually apologized, but that only happened according to public reports after sponsors of his radio show started pulling out.
The Democratic minority in Jefferson City is fuming. In a statement released to the media, House Minority Leader Mike Talboy said “House Speaker Steve Tilley today purported to induct misogynistic talk show host Rush Limbaugh III into the Hall of Famous Missourians. Instead of being open to the public as is tradition, the ceremony was conducted in secret in a locked House chamber with only Republican officials and other select people allowed in. The secrecy and exclusion of the public demonstrates that even Republicans are embarrassed at honoring someone who recently called a female college student with whom he disagreed a ‘slut’ and a ‘prostitute.’
“After the first four inductees to the Hall of Famous Missourians were selected by a group of legislative spouses, House speakers assumed the role and have chosen all subsequent inductees. Until now, no one as controversial and unworthy as Mr. Limbaugh has been put forth for inclusion.
“But the Hall is an entirely unofficial honor and Speaker Tilley has no legal authority to order that the bronze bust of Mr. Limbaugh be granted space in the Capitol Rotunda alongside the busts of previous inductees. House Democrats have asked the Office of Administration, which controls all public areas of the Capitol, to refuse to display the Limbaugh bust, and we are confident that it will not be placed in the Hall of Famous Missourians.”
KMOX Capitol Bureau Chief Phil Brooks says Democrats are upset the Highway Patrol was used for the occasion, and they are reportedly pressing Governor Jay Nixon not to allow Limbaugh’s bust to be displayed in the capitol rotunda.
According to Brooks, Limbaugh spoke to a crowd of Republican lawmakers gathered in chambers during the ceremony. His remarks were described as “grateful” and “without controversy.” Afterwards, Limbaugh and his supporters withdrew to a closed-door, Republican-only meeting.
As a member of the Hall of Famous Missourians, Limbaugh will have a bronze bust displayed in the Capitol alongside the likes of President Harry Truman, Mark Twain, Walt Disney, George Washington Carver and Stan Musial.