Governor Mike Parson announced his pick for the new state Treasurer on Tuesday. Vivek Malek, a St. Louis immigration attorney, will be the first immigrant to hold a constitutional office in the state.
Malek says he plans to approach the office of Treasurer with a conservative viewpoint. He replaces Scott Fitzpatrick, who was elected state Auditor in November.
"Vivek's story is inspiring proof that the American Dream can and will live on for the next generation of Missourians," Parson said in a statement. "President Reagan once said immigrants are one of the greatest sources of American greatness, and both Vivek and I agree. Through our shared values, Vivek helps legal immigrants embrace our nation and achieve their American Dream too."
House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Democrat from Springfield, sent her congratulations to Malek in a statement, but had some criticisms for Parson as well.
"House Democrats congratulate Vivek Malek on his pending appointment as state treasurer. The caucus looks forward to building a relationship with his office that best serves the needs of Missourians," her statement read. "It is disappointing, of course, that it took the governor five tries to look beyond the usual suspects before picking the first non-white Missourian to hold a top statewide executive branch office. Missouri is a diverse state with a diverse pool of qualified candidates who merited more consideration than the governor had shown with his previous statewide appointments."
Copyright 2022 KMOX (Audacy). All Rights Reserved.
Follow KMOX | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Listen on the free Audacy app.
Tell your smart speaker to play K M O X.
