For four years I covered the Missouri Legislature, a beat that means writing about almost everything under the sun. Examples of my work writing on politics and policy:
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PROFILE: Here I use a profile of a key House leader to get at a far broader story: the shift in political climate that has made state legislatures more polarized.
WRAPUP: One of the challenges of covering the Legislature is the last day of session. It’s frantic, you’re tired and yet you are expected to turn around instant news analysis on deadline. This story isn’t remarkable, but it was written under the pressure of having to be filed as breaking news.
JEHOVAH’S WITNESS: One of the pleasures of covering a state capital is stepping in on Supreme Court cases. This one, about a woman’s dispute over her deceased husband’s refusal to accept a blood transfusion, was one of the more memorable ones. She ultimately won her case.
GRAHAM: In covering a debate on stem cells in the Missouri Legislature, I stopped to profile a paraplegic state senator who was thrust in the middle of the issue.
STOWERS: A ballot initiative on stem cells had me chasing down the billionaire couple whose donations bankrolled the effort. They wouldn’t talk to me, but I came up with a good story on them and their support of a research institute.
LOAN AUTHORITY A massive proposed sale of Missouri student loan authority was a difficult topic to digest. I made some headway profiling the 92-year-old man who helped establish it decades ago.
matthew franck 