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Nixon changes story as criticism mounts over EcoDevo aid to company run by felon

December 21, 2010

Nixon’s new story contradicted by his own Dec. 8 press release

Under fire for flying to Southeast Missouri to award taxpayer dollars to a company led by a man with a criminal record, Gov Jay Nixon is now desperately changing his story—apparently willing to say anything, regardless of how outlandish, to keep Missourians from seeing just how inept he truly is.

Appearing on KCUR’s Up to Date with Steve Kraske this morning, Nixon threw water on his original announcement about the tax credits.  He now claims that he traveled to Cape Girardeau—not to award the funding—but because he was “just announcing an authorization for the local community development block grant.” (listen to audio)

But Nixon’s December 8 press release tells an entirely different story. Nothing in the release suggests that the announcement was just an “authorization;” instead, the release makes it clear that the full $2 million was awarded to the company.

According to the release, “Gov. Jay Nixon was in Cape Girardeau today to announce the award of more than $1.3 million in Missouri Quality Jobs and $750,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding…Nixon’s administration awarded the Hometown Innovation Team $1,352,895 in Missouri Quality Jobs incentives…The state’s incentive package also includes $750,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding”  The Nixon release even claimed that the project “was made possible through a strong incentive package from the state of Missouri.”

“Gov Nixon’s lack of checks-and-balances in the handling of taxpayer money is bad enough, but now he is desperately trying to rewrite history,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.  “But no matter how much Nixon attempts to pass the buck and change his story, he cannot undo the fact that he flew to Cape Girardeau and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with a felon as he awarded state funding to the man’s company.”

Also on KCUR today, Nixon made the head-scratching claim that the state waited until after he had awarded the tax dollars to the felon’s company to do any vetting whatsoever, saying that he did “due diligence after we announced the original authorization.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense for Nixon to vet recipients of state aid before—not after—he spends taxpayer money to fly across the state and announce the project to the local media?” asked Smith. “These comments make it clear that Jay Nixon is in damage control mode and willing to say anything, regardless of how outlandish, to keep Missourians from seeing exactly how inept his administration really is.”