ATTORNEY GENERAL KEEPS OFFICE IN CAPE COUNTY

New Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon plans to keep a satellite office in Jackson, a spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

"The office will remain open," said Bill Chiang, an aide to Nixon. "There are plans to hire at least one assistant attorney general for the office at this time."

Alan Moss, who served as the attorney in the office since April 1991, was terminated by Nixon, effective with his inauguration on Jan. 11.

"My term expired when the (Bill) Webster administration ended," said Moss, who said his firing came as no surprise. "I expected it. Very early on in the campaign I had talked with David Steelman and he had made assurances to me and made a commitment that he would keep this office open and expand it. That, coupled with his crime package and position on abortion, is what prompted me to support David early on."

Steelman won the Republican nomination for attorney general, but lost to Nixon in the general election.

"I felt very strongly that he (Steelman) was the best person for the job. I took a stand consistent with my convictions and don't regret it," said Moss. "He (Nixon) is certainly entitled to have his own people in there running the office as he sees fit, consistent with the needs of the public."

Former Attorney General Webster established the office in Cape Girardeau County in 1987.

Chiang also said that as far he knows, there are no plans by the attorney general to move the office from the county courthouse.

That is fine with Cape County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep, who said he will be contacting members of Nixon's staff to encourage them to keep the office in Jackson.

"With the transition, we have not had an opportunity to talk with Mr. Nixon, but I would like to follow up and arrange some kind of meeting," said Huckstep.

In working to get the office here the first time, Huckstep said he had hoped having a presence by the attorney general here would help reduce some of the workload in the county prosecutor's office.

The office was opened to serve all of Southeast Missouri.

The attorney general's office in the basement of the courthouse was once used by the public defender's office. Huckstep noted that the space currently being rented is large enough for three attorneys. He said the state pays about $4,500 a year for rent and utilities.

"The space is fixed up nice and we hope they use it," said Huckstep. "Except for salaries for staff, it wouldn't cost them any more to expand the office. They are getting a lot of space for the buck."

Chiang said he did not know whether more attorneys would be placed in Cape County.

He was also unsure of what the timetable would be to fill the position held by Moss. The office secretary has been advised that she will remain on the job.

While Moss anticipated he would be replaced, he does feel some disappointment that there is no one in the office to handle its caseload right now and that there will be no transition period between him and the next attorney.

"I was prepared to stay on a few weeks to help in the transition process, but that apparently was not necessary," said Moss.

Moss said he is proud of his tenure as an assistant attorney general and believes the office has been an asset to Southeast Missouri. "During my tenure we handled our first criminal consumer fraud cases," explained Moss. "Previously we had nothing but civil actions filed here. From my past experience as a prosecutor, I was able to bring some of that background to the office."

Moss was successful getting convictions on Jerry Clark, for selling fraudulent advertising space, and on Todd Rowland, for selling motorcycles without proper titles.

Cases pending include an investigation of Hal Aviation in Malden and an odometer rollback case involving Moss Auto Sales in Dutchtown.

There are about 100 inmate cases pending in the office for the Potosi and Farmington prisons, as well as other consumer fraud cases and other investigations.

"I had an excellent relationship with law enforcement people in this area that continued from my time as a prosecutor," said Moss. "I enjoyed that relationship a great deal."

The 31-year old native of Cairo, Ill., spent about a year as assistant to Cape County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle and worked three years as assistant city attorney and prosecutor for Cape Girardeau.

He hopes to open a private law practice by next week, in the Sunset Towers Complex at 1021 Kingsway Drive in Cape Girardeau.

Moss hopes to return to public service in the future.

At some point, Moss said he would like to run for prosecuting attorney of Cape County, and maybe someday seek a judicial post.

"I don't think this is the last you will hear of me in public life," said Moss. "My first priority now is to establish a good private practice; it is a real challenge and something new.

"I had a tremendous amount of trial experience in government service and learned a lot. Everyone I worked with from prison employees to local police officers have just been excellent. The staff in the attorney general's office was super to work with."