Michael Butler
Michael Butler, a Democrat, represents District 079, in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2012.
In 2022 - chair of Missouri Democratic Party.
Background
Prior to his legislative duties, Rep. Butler served as a permanent substitute teacher in the St. Louis Public School System. He also gained experience in the legislative process while serving as a legislative aide in the office of State Senator Robin Wright-Jones and as the legislative assistant to State Rep. Mary Still. In addition, Rep. Butler gained e private sector experience while employed as a manager at the home office of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Active in his community, Rep. Butler volunteers his time with a number of area nonprofits including: When We Dream Together , Infinite Scholars, and the National Black College Student Government Association, where he serves as a board member. He is a member of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Rep. Butler holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from Alabama A&M University, where he also served as Student Government President and as a Board of Trustee member. While working with the legislature, he also obtained a master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Rep. Butler’s childhood home is near the corner of Shaw Boulevard and South Spring Avenue. His father owned Pelican Printing in Midtown, and his grandfather taught for 20 year at Vashon High School, both in the 79th district. [1]
Defending Pecinovsky
The head of the Democratic Party in St. Louis is reacting to news that a Communist is running as a Democrat for the city's board of aldermen.
The chairman of the Democratic Central Committee, Michael Butler, was asked about Tony Pecinovsky, of the Communist Party USA, running as a Democrat for aldermen in south St. Louis.
"I think the Democratic Party parted ways with the Red Scare a long time ago," Butler told KMOX's Kevin Killeen. "And (we) have not sought to out those alleged of Communism or being a part of Communism for some time now."
Despite Pecinovsky's reputation, Butler says Pecinovky's ideas line up with the Democratic party.[2]
Communist campaign manager
Missouri Communist Party USA member Glenn Burleigh has worked on numerous election campaigns, including the successful senate run by Robin Wright-Jones in 2008 and state Rep. Michael Butler in 2012.[3]