John Diehl

John J. Diehl Jr. (born August 28, 1965) is an American attorney and a Republican former member of the Missouri House of Representatives. Diehl was elected Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives in 2013 and took office in January 2015. Diehl resigned on May 14, 2015 after a scandal came to light regarding inappropriate messages exchanged with an intern. In 2025, Diehl pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges for defrauding the government in $379,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Early life and political career Diehl graduated from De Smet Jesuit High School in Creve Coeur in 1983.

Diehl was named Town and Country and Frontenac Chamber of Commerce's 2006 businessman of the year and was on the Town and Country and Frontenac Chamber of Commerce executive committee from 2004 to 2007. In September 2013, Rep. Diehl was elected Speaker-Designee, and became the Speaker of the Missouri House in 2015.

Committee assignments

2010 Special Standing Committee on Redistricting (chairman) House Elections Committee (Vice-chairman) Ethics (chairman) Joint Committee on Tax Policy Leadership for Missouri Issue Development Interim Committee on Election Procedures

2014 Ex officio member of all committees of the House Ethics (chairman) Joint Committee on Tax Policy Leadership for Missouri Issue Development Interim Committee on Election Procedures

2015 Ex officio member of all committees of the House Joint Committee on Tax Policy

Sexting controversy and resignation On April 24, 2015, The Kansas City Star contacted Diehl about exchanges of sexually suggestive text messages between himself and a female House intern, who was then a college freshman. The internship program had been abruptly canceled in April 2015 after Missouri Southern State University discovered an "unspecified incident" with a student, which analysts say was likely Diehl's affair. A few hours after the Star published a report of the exchanges on May 13, Diehl admitted responsibility, stating, "I will begin immediately working to restore the trust of those closest to me and getting back to the important work that is required in the final days of session." However, he resigned May 14. He was replaced by Todd Richardson of Poplar Bluff.

Campaign finance violations In 2023, a Missouri Ethics Commission audit found a bank account Diehl opened in 2015 and held unreported campaign contributions up to $52,000.

Electoral history