Can Koster be Trusted?
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Can Koster be Trusted?

Date: November 13, 2008
By: Jack Cunningham
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: More details are emerging into the Missouri Ethics Committee's decision to stop the money-laundering investigation of Missouri's new Attorney General Chris Koster. 

Jack Cunningham has more from the State Capitol.

RunTime:0:37
OutCue: SOC

Missouri's new leader against crime received campaign contributions that warranted investigation.

Missouri Ethics Commission Interim Director Stacey Heislen says it needed 4 votes to pursue a hearing, but only got 3 votes to go forward.

2 commissioners did not vote.

Actuality:  HEISLEN2.WAV
Run Time: 00:13
Description: They felt they had a conflict in the case and they recused.  It definitely happens.  There's recusals that happen in cases.  If any of the commissioners feel they have a conflict they will recuse out of the case.

St. Louis County Republican Senator John Loudon says the commission failed to do its job.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Jack Cunningham.


Intro: Ethics commission's failure to pursue a hearing for the new attorney general has one outgoing Republican State Senator speaking up.

Jack Cunningham has more from the State Capitol.

RunTime:0:38
OutCue: SOC

The Missouri Ethics Commission ended its investigation of Attorney General elect Chris Koster.

3 votes were cast on the commission to keep the investigation going but that wasn't enough.

St. Louis County Republican Senator John Loudon says the commission could have done better.

 
Actuality:  LOUDON2.WAV
Run Time: 00:15
Description: I'm not that familiar with their rules, but it seemed to me if they're going to fail, in effect, to reach a decision one way or another, they should offer more public explanation as to why that is.

4 votes out of the 6 commissioners were needed for a hearing.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Jack Cunningham.