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.[1] He has been chairman of the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners, chairman of the Town and Country Police Commission, chairman of Town and Country Conservation Commission, a member of the Town and Country Architectural Review Board, chairman of the Town and Country Longview House Renovation Committee, on the Governor's Advisory Council on DWI, Town and Country ombudsman to the West County EMS and Fire Protection District, and a member of the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers Election Center.[1] He was also a member of the Town and Country Board of Aldermen from the first ward.[1] He was in that position from 2003 to 2005 and he served as president of the board from 2004 to 2005.[1]
He was chairman of the powerful Rules Committee and Special Standing Committee on Redistricting and served as House Majority Floor Leader in 2013.[6] 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)[7]
Ex officio member of all committees of the House[8]
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[9]
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[10]
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.[11] 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.[12][13][14] 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."[11][15] However, he resigned May 14.[3][16] He was replaced by Todd Richardson of Poplar Bluff.[17]
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.[18]
Electoral history
2012 General Election for Missouri's 87th District House of Representatives