JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A controversial comparison to slavery a St. Joseph lawmaker uttered a month ago is set to headline a closed legislative ethics committee meeting this morning.

The House of Representatives panel will consider a grievance from Minority Floor Leader Paul LeVota against Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf, a Republican, for his comments concerning a Democratic health care proposal.

“We don’t want anyone to think this is the view of the House of Representatives,” Mr. LeVota said. “It needs to be on record that we don’t believe health care equals slavery.”

Dr. Schaaf in late March publicly argued that a proposal to expand income requirements for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program would’ve enslaved taxpayers because they would be footing the bill for able-bodied adults.

Members of both the House Democratic and black caucuses found the remarks offensive and criticized Dr. Schaaf for likening the social program to slavery, which he has repeatedly denied.

Dr. Schaaf’s subsequent refusal to apologize prompted Mr. LeVota on April 16 to file the formal remonstrance, the Independence Democrat said.

“I think this is great. I think it shows the small-mindedness and willingness of the Democratic caucus to be political,” Dr. Schaaf said. “They’re torturing my words, trying to say I said something I didn’t say.”

Remonstrances typically are referred to a House rules committee and given a public hearing, but House legal counsel advised Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, to instead treat the document as an ethics complaint, said Kristen Blanchard, a spokeswoman for Mr. Richard.

But Mr. LeVota insisted, “Let me be clear, this is not an ethics complaint.”

Neither Dr. Schaaf nor Mr. LeVota was invited to the closed hearing set for 8:30 a.m. today in the Capitol. As an ex-officio member, Mr. LeVota said he planned to attend anyway.

Dr. Schaaf said he wasn’t aware of the remonstrance until Monday, when an individual he declined to name delivered it to him.

The one-page remonstrance admonishes Dr. Schaaf for his “intellectually bankrupt comments” and asks the House clerk to prepare a copy for Dr. Schaaf “so that he modifies his actions accordingly.”

Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Martin Rucker and Rep. Ed Wildberger, two St. Joseph Democrats, both signed the remonstrance toward a member of the local delegation.

“I wanted it to go away,” Mr. Rucker said. “It’s more of a caucus position, so to speak.”

All but eight House Democrats signed off on it, as well.

“I didn’t sign it just because Rob Schaaf said it,” Mr. Wildberger said. “It pained me a little to do, but we need to send a message to all members of the House to retain the decorum of the House, and perhaps it’s time to choose our words a little more carefully.”

Dr. Schaaf on Monday continued to stand by his statements, however.

Dr. Schaaf said if he ever receives an official copy of the remonstrance, or complaint, “I’m going to frame it and put it on the wall.”

The ethics committee can recommend that the speaker expel or punish a lawmaker, but it first must decide whether the allegations in the complaint have merit, under House rules.

The committee today could vote to dismiss the complaint against Dr. Schaaf or vote to proceed later to a public preliminary hearing. If the vote for a preliminary hearing is negative, the complaint is automatically dismissed.

Alyson E. Raletz can be reached at alysonraletz@npgco.com.