The rest of the story so to speak actually began on March 11, 2009, when Jay Nixon took Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on a tour of the “Fusion Center,” the arm of the Nixon Administration which created and distributed the controversial MIAC report. Are we now to believe that Nixon didn’t know anything about the processes and procedures that were in place at the Fusion Center understanding that he recently took the HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY there???  To see the press release detailing the visit click here:  http://www.dps.mo.gov/dps/NEWS/Releases09/HSSecNapolitano.htm

During Nixon’s tour of the center, which occurred after the release of the controversial report, Nixon praised the MIAC telling reporters the center was already paying dividends, resulting in arrests.

http://newstribune.com/articles/2009/03/12/news_state/294state05fusion.txt

“Nixon’s ridiculous new defense is particularly troubling and disingenuous since he has stood by the controversial report encouraging political profiling even as members of his administration began to back away from it,” said David Cole, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. “Missourians will hold Jay Nixon accountable for defending this report and for his administration’s creation of the report and will not believe the excuses he thought to make only after he defended the report and was criticized for defending it. Jay Nixon owes Missourians an immediate apology for his actions and now for his excuses.  One day Jay Nixon is bragging about the Center to a federal official. The next he is saying that he does not know anything about it. Either he was pretending then or he is pretending now.”"

On March 19, a week after he showed off his MIAC to the visiting Homeland Security Secretary, Jay Nixon was confronted by a reporter about the controversial report and defended it, stating at the time, “Getting information, especially public information, out of our fusion center out to local law enforcement agencies is what we do every day and we’re going to continue to do.”

Not surprisingly, after a week of intense pressure from grassroots activists, elected officials and others, Nixon is running out of excuses. First, he defended the report. Next he claimed he never saw it even though it appeared on his letterhead. Now he claims the February 20, 2009, report is his predecessor’s fault. Jay Nixon is no stranger to political expediency. Fortunately, Missourians are intelligent enough to see through his charade and can, will and should hold Nixon accountable for his defense of a report that never should have been written in the first place.

JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Republican Party today joined Lt. Governor Peter Kinder in calling for Director John Britt to be placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the political-profiling activities of the Department of Public Safety. The Missouri Republican Party is seeking a fervent and public apology from Jay Nixon to all Missourians, especially the conservatives his administration targeted in this report.

“The Missouri Republican Party joins Lt. Governor Peter Kinder in calling for an investigation into the Nixon Administration’s political profiling activities,” said David Cole, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. “Governor Nixon is ultimately responsible, and it is beyond time for him to apologize fervently and publicly, retract the report, and make public all information regarding the profiling of law-abiding Missourians.”

As reported by various news outlets across the state, the Department of Public Safety’s Missouri Information Analysis Center recently released a report that singles out pro-life, low-tax, and anti-illegal immigration advocates as threats to public safety.

A full and transparent investigation into this report will expose the extent of the Nixon Administration’s targeting of millions of Missourians in violation of their First Amendment right to free-speech.

“In his statements to the press, Nixon has promised to continue the practice of political profiling. His stalwart defense of this report suppresses political discourse, and it has implications for all Missourians, regardless of their partisan affiliations,” said Cole. “We encourage all elected officials to make it clear that no one who participates in the political process will live in fear of retribution from the government or law enforcement based on their beliefs.”

Missouri’s law enforcement officials are the finest in the country. The Missouri Republican Party supports their outstanding work and appreciates their service. It is unfortunate that bureaucrats exercised such poor judgment in providing them this information.

In a letter this afternoon, Public Safety Director John Britt retracted certain sections of the report that associated supporters of third-party groups and Republican Congressman Ron Paul of potentially posing a threat to public safety. As reported by KY3, he refused to publicly apologize for other elements of the report equating pro-life and small government views with domestic terrorism.

“A tepid apology from the Director of the Department of Public Safety does not go far enough in assuring Missourians that they will not be targeted by law enforcement for holding mainstream views,” said David Cole, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. “Gov. Nixon unequivocally defended this report after its release. It is time for him to offer a public apology and unconditional retraction.”

The Nixon Administration’s report, entitled “The Modern Militia Movement,” singles out those with pro-life, pro-lower taxes, anti-illegal immigration, and libertarian views. Millions of hardworking Missourians hold these beliefs but pose absolutely no threat to public safety, and it is the height of irresponsibility to compare them to some of the most extreme and dangerous elements of society.

“While we all strive to make our state and nation safer and more secure, it is the height of irresponsibility to target Missourians who have bumper stickers in support of a political candidate or cause,” said Cole. “Hopefully Governor Nixon is not using law enforcement to quash dissent and instill fear of persecution or prosecution for those who oppose his political agenda.”

On Friday, March 20, Nixon defended the report, saying: “Getting information, especially public information, out of our fusion center out to local law enforcement agencies is what we do every day and we’re going to continue to do. Any way they take that information and can analyze what the threat levels are is important to make sure the public stays safe.” Video of his statement to KRCG-TV is available here:

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/video.aspx?id=276049