Blunt's New Chief of Staff
ACC columnist, Ed Martin.
Blunt Names Ed Martin New Chief of Staff
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today announced that he has selected Edward R. Martin, Jr. to serve as his new Chief of Staff.
“I am pleased to welcome Ed Martin to our team and look forward to his contributions to our ongoing efforts to help move Missouri forward as chief of staff,” Blunt said. “Ed brings an exceptional legal, professional and personal background to this job and has shown the ability to bring diverse groups of people together to get results, a skill that will serve him well in our state capitol.”
Martin, 36 of St. Louis, currently serves as chairman of the St. Louis City Board of Election Commissioners. Martin is a founding partner of the law firm of Martin & Simmonds, a general practice law firm in St. Louis. Martin holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts, a juris doctorate with health law certificate and masters of applied ethics in health care from Saint Louis University.
Martin brings a wide range of experience and civic dedication to the governor’s office. He is fluent in Bahasa Indonesian, Bahasa Malay and Italian and has lived in Italy and North Sumatera, Indonesia. He serves on the Missouri Chamber of Commerce Leadership Missouri Board. Martin has founded and co-hosted radio talk shows in the St. Louis area, serves on the St. Louis Review editorial board and writes a regularly featured column in The Arch City Chronicle. He has been involved with Boy Scouts of America, Cardinal Carberry Senior Living Center Board of Directors, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, among many others.
Martin is the Father McGivney Fellow for Rights of Conscience with Americans United for Life and is an active member in the Catholic Church. He was appointed by Archbishop Justin Rigali in 1998 as director of the Human Rights Office for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Martin served as chairman of the Papal Visit Committee for Social Concerns for Pope John Paul II’s visit to St. Louis, and hosted Mrs. Rosa Parks for a private audience with the Pope.
Martin will begin his new duties on Sept. 1, 2006 and will be available for media interviews when he begins in his official capacity. Martin, with his wife and daughter, plans to move to the Jefferson City area.
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For Republicans, this is the best news to come from the Blunt administration since January 2005. Ed is a top-notch pick who will bring unimpeachable integrity and character to Jefferson City.
Posted by John Combest on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 11:35 AMInspector Clouseau ici: Why was he not more "juste" regarding the school board issues? It seems to moi (me) he took a partisan position.
Let's hope he is more objective in his new position.
Posted by The Pink Panther on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 11:51 AMCongrats, Ed; you have been a valued asset to us here in this area and our party. You will be missed. Thank you for the things that you have done and the things that you will do.
Posted by Leslie Farr on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 11:51 AMI agree with John. Expect change.
Posted by publiceye on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 12:08 PMDamn. I was hoping they'd find another incompetent.
Posted by ArchPundit on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 12:17 PMCongrats, to Ed, one of the nicest people I have ever met. He will be missed in St. Louis.
Posted by worried citizen on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 1:09 PMI have known Ed for several years. He is a man of his word and is an extremely hard worker. He will be a tremendous asset to the Blunt administration and to the citizens of MO. I wish him all the best.
Posted by Patrick on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 1:21 PMBut what will happen to "Getting It Right?"
Posted by Brian on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 2:41 PMArch Pundit, Inspector Clouiseau ici: Vous avez raison. You are right in this case. He has done nothing exceptional for la ville de St. Louis!
Posted by The Pink Panther on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 2:50 PMLet me add to the chorus about Ed. What a terrific choice for this Governor to make!
He and I approach our individual politics from different hemispheres, but my respect for him is only strengthened by the respect which he shows others of differing views.
He is a man of keen intelligence, unquestioned probity, and great dignity. He cut his teeth in the old school, which says you may disagree without being disagreeable. Its hard for me to embrace his political views, but it is impossible for me not to like the guy.
For all of my hard core political friends, I think we should just be thankful that Ed wasn't the COS from the beginning, because if he had been, we would not have had some much fun on the blogosphere for the last year and a half.
Good Sailing Ed. Its nice to (finally) have a Saint Louis booster at the Capitol.
Posted by Lou Hamilton on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 5:18 PMFinally, the Governor has made a move to help his re-election.
I have faith, not religious faith, that Martin will take the Governor toward the Republican base issues which will solidify them. But Mr. Governor, you could hire a Christian miracle healer and you will still lose in '08.
Governor, great hire \, and enjoy your last two years in Jeff City.
Posted by jim ross on Thu., Aug 3, 2006 at 10:48 PMHas Blunt read the slanderous comments Martin has written on behalf of Slay? I suspect he will go to Jefferson City and get run out of time as he has no people skills.
Posted by Lucy on Sat., Aug 5, 2006 at 12:12 AM
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