By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, June 07, 2007 at 10:35 AM
Following Missouri Attorney General (and likely Democratic nominee for Governor) Jay Nixon's decision not file criminal charges against Ameren for the Taum Sauk dam collapse, state Republicans are continuing their cries of conflict of interest. Labels: 2008, Crime, Governor's_Race
Nixon accepted $19,000 in campaign donations from sources connected to Ameren. Following GOP attacks and media reports across the state, Nixon says he has since returned the money.
In their latest attack, Republicans point to an Associated Press report that a 2,000-page report provided to Nixon by the Missouri Highway Patrol informed the Attorney General that "an unknown Ameren employee" removed probes designed to shut down the plant and prevent an overflow if water ever reached them immediately after the Taum Sauk disaster.
Republicans say Nixon made the decision not to file charges without identifying the Ameren employee, referred to as "Mr. X", who removed that critical evidence in the scene of the "worst man-made disaster in Missouri's history".
"The Attorney General, who is acting Reynolds County Prosecutor in the criminal investigation, can request subpoenas to force Ameren or Mr. X to come forward," charged a GOP press release.
"Missourians are owed an explanation as to why Jay Nixon, the criminal prosecutor in the Ameren Taum Sauk case, failed to identify Ameren's Mr. X," said Jared Craighead, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.
"Even though the Missouri Highway Patrol provided his office with a thorough, 2,000 page report, Nixon failed to follow up on a critical lead: the identity of the Ameren employee, and potential suspect, who removed critical evidence from the scene of a disaster. It is also unknown if Nixon requested a subpoena to learn the identity of Mr. X."
"Reasonable people are entitled to believe that a competent criminal prosecutor would have been interested in knowing the identity of Mr. X," Craighead said. "Nixon's incompetence in the Taum Sauk case is truly breathtaking," Craighead said.
In the meantime, the AP reports that state utility regulators are reopening their investigation into Taum Sauk after learning that Ameren readjusted crucial safety gauges at the facility and removed the gauges after the basin collapsed.
7 Comments:
How many republicans does it take to not get caught in a capitol vault doing something naughty?
6/07/2007 3:08 PM
The Republicans are firing off their volleys very early in the campaign. This gives Democrats who are serious about retaking the Governor's mansion an opportunity to rethink who they nominate, before it's too late. African Americans' relationship with Nixon have always been cool (and rightly so), a factor which should be enough by itself to make Democrats cautious about nominating Nixon. With Republicans digging up scandal after scandal about Nixon, Democrats should seriously consider whether those voters who don't automatically vote a straight Democratic ticket might be reluctant to support him. While Nixon has been the party's leading votegetter for several years, he hasn't faced a substantial Republican opponent since 1992, and he has never had to run in the context of these disclosures.
I'll have a more detailed analysis on my own blog sometime soon.
6/07/2007 4:44 PM
Quick self-correction: Nixon did face a substantial Republican opponent in 1998 when he challenged incumbent Sen. Kit Bond for the U.S. Sentate. And when he did, he lost. One of the factors contributing to that defeat (in a Democratic year) was Bond getting an estimated 25% of the African American vote.
6/07/2007 4:52 PM
i am glad to see you again Oracle. My good colleague from the south side and I are still trying to figure out who you are. we are placing bets. D-72
6/07/2007 11:32 PM
This will be a different election for Jay Nixon. Blacks supported Senator Kit Bond behind the leadership of former NAACP President Charles Mischeaux. This was a huge mistake, and Democrats immediately found out when Senator Kit Bond did not support Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White's nomination for the high court. Fool me once Republican so that somebody steals the Oval Office! Fool me twice, uh uh, don't even try that REPUBLICAN B*LLSH!T TWICE. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF REPUBLICANS!
St. Louis Oracle, you may know a lot of things, but you don't know what it is to be a black voter! Trust me, black people have had enough of that Replubican Governor Matt Blunt. I really don't think blacks will be supporting any Republicans again anytime soon.
However, this commentary gives you enough time to rethink what you are talking about when it comes to the black vote. Their is a new black young generation that is looking at the bottom line, and the bottom line is Jay Nixon for Governor in 2008. There will be a new young educated army out there for Jay Nixon on the ground (guerilla style)! The revolution will not be televised.
6/08/2007 12:55 AM
Yo, Anonymous D-72: If that's you, Maria, I'm the guy who approached you with a petition one Saturday outside the U City post office.
6/10/2007 12:43 AM
Agreed, Bond's betrayal on Ronnie White was a huge disappointment. But if you're going to do the "fool me once, fool me twice" bit on the Republicans, how many strikes are you going to give Nixon and the Democrats? Did you notice how quickly Nixon jumped in after this week's court decision to get execution dates set up to kill some people off before the court reverses the case again?
The sad fact is, there aren't any good choices.
6/10/2007 12:50 AM
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