Blog

Nixon Under Fire for Broken Promise in Branson

May 1, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY—Jay Nixon is under fire for his broken promise to immediately release $1 million in funds to promote Missouri’s tourism industry.

In March, Nixon said the release of funds would happen “right now,” but to date, only a small portion of that amount has been released.  Bob Smith, Interim Director of the Department of Tourism, believes Nixon had no intention of keeping his promise until the story became public.  He told the Springfield News-Leader that the full release of funds would now happen only “to keep from embarrassing the governor.”

“Jay Nixon only keeps his promises when it is politically expedient to do so.  He is more concerned about being embarrassed than he is doing what is right.” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.  “Nixon will say or do anything when the cameras are on, but he immediately breaks his promises when he thinks no one is looking.”

Nixon continues to contend that “right now” meant ‘within three months’ and claims the Tourism Commission did not need the money immediately, but this argument has been thoroughly debunked by Director Bob Smith and Tourism Commissioner Kelly Swanson.

Bob Smith told the News-Leader: “We told them I’ve got to have the money by April 15.”  He also said that an advertising campaign had to be scrapped due to lack of funds.

Swanson told KY3: “In order to successfully promote this upcoming tourism season, we had to have contracts signed in April and we could not sign those contracts without that money in hand.”