JEFFERSON CITY - Claire McCaskill?s attempt to criticize a compensation package
for the outgoing president of Southwest Missouri State University is
evidence that McCaskill failed to do her job as auditor by overseeing the
financial operations of the second largest public university in the state.

According to
press reports, the SMS Board of Governors in June approved the appointment
of outgoing president John Keiser to an emeritus post at full salary after
he retires in 2005. Keiser will be paid approximately $162,000 plus benefits
in a move that was made public several years ago yet is only now garnering
McCaskill?s attention.

"What?s troubling is that Claire McCaskill has chosen
to speak out now about the problem when it is politically popular to do so
but she was nowhere to be found when parents and students were shelling out
thousands of dollars to keep up with tuition increases," said Paul
Sloca, communications director of the Missouri Republican Party.
"Claire McCaskill has certainly failed Missouri
taxpayers by missing her chance to do something as auditor and is now trying
to cover her tracks and use the issue for partisan political purposes."

McCaskill
has never done a comprehensive audit of SMS but has done full audits of
Missouri Southern and Missouri Western.

Matt Blunt,
Republican candidate for governor, has proposed a plan to avoid abuses like
those found at SMS. Blunt?s Truth In Tuition Program would require
universities to let parents and students know up front how much a four-year
education would cost.

"Matt Blunt believes parents and students have a
right to know what they?ll pay for an education without fearing sudden and
burdensome tuition increases," Sloca said.
"Matt Blunt?s plan will prevent parents and students from being used as
financial pawns that pay increased tuition for compensation packages for top
officials."

For more
information about Matt Blunt?s plan to improve public education in Missouri,
visit www.MattBlunt.com.