Attorney General defends his office's action to lawmakers after New York Times allegations of wrongdoing
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Attorney General defends his office's action to lawmakers after New York Times allegations of wrongdoing

Date: December 8, 2014
By: Steven Anthony
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Missouri's Attorney General appeared in front of state lawmakers for the first time since allegations of wrongdoing in a New York Times article in October.
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Wrap: Appearing in front of a special legislative investigative committee, Attorney General Chris Koster accused the New York Times of falsely implying his office engaged in a strategy that benefited a major pharmaceutical company.

Actuality:  KOSETH3.WAV
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Description: "The Times falsely implied that Missouri intentionally pursued a separate legal strategy with the purpose of financially benefiting Pfizer. The implication is ludicrous."

Koster, however, admitted his office missed the deadline to join the multi-state lawsuit against Pfizer for the marketing of the drug Lyrica.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Steven Anthony, NewsRadio 1120 KMOX.   

Intro: 
Missouri's Attorney General told lawmakers they need to clean up their own act relating to special interest funding while in front of an investigative committee
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Wrap: Koster appeared in front of a special House investigative committee and defended his actions in lawsuits involving Five Hour Energy, AT&T, and Pfizer.

He also used the opportunity to call on the legislature to restrict special interest money to elected officials.

Actuality:  KOSETH2.WAV
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Description: "First, we should lower the 48-hour reporting requirement from five thousand dollars to two thousand five hundred dollars. Second, we should ban lobbyist gifts to public officials, a pledge I myself have now taken."

Some Republican officials, including the Senate majority leader, have already filed ethics bills for consideration in the next legislative session.  

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Steven Anthony, NewsRadio 1120 KMOX.