Gov. Nixon calls off Medicaid talks after lawmakers change venue

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Intro:	Lawmakers say they will sit down and talk Medicaid with Gov. Jay Nixon next week, just as long as it is on their turf.
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Wrap: Earlier this month Gov. Nixon invited House and Senate lawmakers working over Medicaid to have a meeting next week ahead of legislative session.

But the Governor's office says he won't be attending that meeting anymore, after Republican Representative Jay Barnes announced he would rather have it in the state Capitol than the Governor's office building right down the street.

The Governor says it's lawmakers turning talks into a political game.

But Barnes says it's about putting lawmakers on a level playing field.

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Description: "He doesn't have more constituents than the General Assembly. We are a coequal branch of government, this committee represents the entire General Assembly."

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Alex Mallin. Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:	Lawmakers say they will sit and talk Medicaid with Gov. Jay Nixon next week, just as long as it is on their turf.
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Wrap: The breakdown in negotiations came over where to meet, the Governor's turf, or the legislature's turf?

In early November, the Governor invited House and Senate interim committees on Medicaid to sit down and work out differences ahead of session.

Now he says they have reneged on his offer, after Jefferson City Republican Representative Jay Barnes announced Tuesday lawmakers would meet with him, just not where the Governor wants to.

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Description: "I don't think people affected by this talk are going to be affected whether there is a meeting with the Governor or not."

Barnes says he scheduled the meeting to be in the Capitol to put legislators on an even playing field with the Governor.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Alex Mallin. Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:	Just one week before a scheduled talk on Medicaid, Gov. Jay Nixon's office says he is backing out after lawmakers announced a change in venue.
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Wrap: 50 days ahead of legislative session, the talk on Medicaid is now a turf war between the Governor and the House and Senate committees dealing with Medicaid.

The Governor invited lawmakers early this month to his office building just down the street from the state Capitol.

But Republican Representative Jay Barnes announced Tuesday that he and Republican Senator Gary Romine decided to change the location to the Capitol building.

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Description: "We are a coequal branch of government. We want to meet the Governor. We think we should do it in a different setting with the set of procedures that we operate by normally."

Nixon says it's attempt by lawmakers to turn the talks into a political game.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Alex Mallin. Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

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