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Once again: Another Nixon donor receives a fee office
July 9, 2009
Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party, issued the following statement regarding Gov. Nixon awarding the Liberty license office to a campaign contributor:
“On Tuesday, Jay Nixon rewarded yet another of his campaign contributors with a lucrative fee office. This time, Nixon overlooked five other bidders including the Liberty School District Foundation, awarding the Liberty fee office instead to longtime donor James Ryan Williams. Williams also reportedly runs the Lee’s Summit office with Democrat power-player James Montee, ex-husband of Auditor Susan Montee. Combined, the Liberty and Lee’s Summit offices generate revenue in excess of $1 million each year.
“Williams is the latest in a growing list of Democratic insiders and Nixon contributors who have benefited from Jay’s broken promise to end pay-to-play. His action is especially brazen considering the recent bipartisan outrage over the politics that continue to control the fee office bidding process. As a member of Nixon’s own party pointed out: ‘It’s all politics. Don’t let anybody fool you.’”
Talking Points
Gov Nixon & fee offices
Jay Nixon has bragged about changing the system for awarding license offices, but although the bidding process is different, the outcome is the same: Wealthy donors and political insiders continue to be rewarded with the state’s most lucrative with fee offices.Despite Nixon’s assurances that politics would be removed from the system, his method of awarding fee offices has been marred by controversial decisions, irregularities in the bidding process, a lawsuit, and a rumored FBI investigation.
Nixon’s actions are so egregious that Democrats and the media have taken notice. Even one of his fellow Democrats contends that Nixon misled voters, saying, “It's all politics. … Don't let anybody fool you.”
A judge issued a restraining order preventing Nixon’s handpicked organization from taking control of the Deer Creek license office after the current operator sued citing inconsistencies in the bidding process.
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