Audit questions use of state vehicles, e-mail policy

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A state audit of the governor's office released Thursday indicates continued problems with political and personal use of state vehicles.

The audit from Democratic State Auditor Susan Montee recommends legislation be enacted to explicitly define when state-owned cars can be used by the governor for purposes other than official business.

As it stands, a 2005 law outlining the governor's use of Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers for security potentially contradicts a provision in the Missouri Constitution prohibiting the use of state resources for personal gain, Montee said.

In a written response to the audit, Blunt's office noted its opposition to Montee's recommendation regarding state vehicles, "given the clarity of the statute."

Montee also raised concerns about the absence of clearly defined policies in the employee manual for the governor's office regarding retention of public records, in particular e-mails.

Blunt since has ordered that all e-mails in his administration to be retained.

Montee said that her auditors did not specifically investigate Eckersley's charges because a special task force appointed by Nixon is already pursuing its own inquiry.

Speaking to a group of Missouri newspaper editors and publishers at a Capitol lunch Thursday, Blunt downplayed the audit findings.

"I don't think she had findings of any great significance," he said.

An October 2007 audit by Montee of Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's office cited a similar concern with his use of state vehicles for political purposes.

Kinder -- who said he was advised by the Office of Administration that he could use state vehicles as long he reimbursed the state -- discontinued the practice after reimbursing the state $7,030.

He also said at the time he would support legislative efforts to clarify laws on the use of state vehicles and other government resources for non-official purposes.

But Blunt said Thursday it would be impractical and time-consuming to separate the costs of state vehicles used by him and his family for purposes other than official business.

"It would be very difficult to break that all apart," he said.

The Missouri Republican Party slammed the audit in a news release as "nothing more than a taxpayer-financed media release for Jay Nixon's political campaign" and a "transparent political attempt" to shift attention away from Nixon's use of state vehicles.

Montee said her scrutiny of the governor's office was nonpartisan, noting that previous auditors and government watchdogs raised concerns about Democratic Gov. Joe Teasdale's use of state airplanes three decades ago.

"These issues have been out there for a long, long time," she said.

Montee said now is a good time to address the audit findings.

"Right now, when we have an open seat in the governor's office, is the time to clarify this," she said.

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On the Web: Missouri State Auditor's Office report: www.auditor.mo.gov/press/2008-09.htm