K.C. Star: Blunt’s Staff Pressured Highway Patrol to Criticize Nixon
A report by the The Kansas City Star uncovered that aides to Governor Matt Blunt urged the Missouri Highway Patrol to publicly criticize Attorney General Jay Nixon, a potential Democratic challenger in the 2008 election.
In e-mails obtained by the Star, sent from Blunt’s office to the Highway Patrol, reveal that the Governor’s office was instrumental in putting together a June 7 Highway Patrol statement that critized Nixon over how he handled the 2005 Taum Sauk reservoir collapse.
“The e-mails show the governor used the Highway Patrol not as a law enforcement agency but as a political arm of his administration,” said Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for the Missouri Democratic Party.
Blunt’s office says they were not trying to use the Highway Patrol for political gain. Instead, they say they were helping members of the department voice their frustrations with the Attorney General for not filing criminal charges in the Taum Sauk case.
But as The Star points out, the Governor’s staff did not send any e-mails urging the Highway Patrol to attack Nixon until after two Patrol spokesmen agreed with Nixon’s statement.
The Republican Party was already critical of Nixon’s involvement in the case, citing a campaign donation by Ameren as reason for bias. Nixon has since returned the contribution.
The Attorney General’s office is now pursuing a civil case against Ameren. The Environmental Protection Agency is also looking into the case.
About This Author: Antonio D. French is a writer, political consultant, and newly-elected Democratic Committeeman living in north St. Louis, Missouri. Have your own opinion about this story? Go ahead and leave a comment. But be respectful to others and show you own a pair by actually using your real name. Anonymity is cowardice. And don't forget to subscribe to our feed and get PubDef stories delivered right to your feed reader or email inbox.
What do you expect from a Republican administration, honesty???