Missouri county officials: FBI questions consulting contract

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- FBI agents are asking questions about a $75,000 contract awarded to a Missouri consultant, county officials said.

Two Jackson County local legislators said agents questioned them about the contract for health-care consulting by Brittany Burke, according to reports this week by the Kansas City Star and St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Burke and former Republican House speaker John Diehl confirmed they had an affair last year when Burke worked as an aide to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

Burke told The Kansas City Star she was awarded the contract based on merit and authorities said her firm is not the target of an investigation. Burke declined to comment to The Associated Press on Wednesday about questions from the FBI.

Diehl did not return calls from the AP or the two newspapers.

The intent of the calls from the bureau is unclear. County legislator Dan Tarwater and former legislator Theresa Garza Ruiz said agents asked about how Burke received the contract.

County legislators unanimously agreed to hire Burke in November. Burke's was the lowest of two bids.

Garza Ruiz said she spoke with the FBI about a month ago and told the bureau the contract was awarded based on merit and not because of Burke's relationship with Diehl.

Both legislators told the Post-Dispatch they were not aware that Burke had an affair with Diehl, which was first reported by the newspaper last week.

Garza Ruiz said a member of the county executive's office who is a former Democratic lawmaker first recommended Burke for the job.

A spokesman for County Executive Mike Sanders said Sanders had no contact with Diehl during the legislative session.