Story Published:
Jan 7, 2009 at 11:19 AM CST
Story Updated:
Jan 29, 2009 at 5:21 PM CST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The legal spat over Gov. Matt Blunt's office e-mail records and a fired staff attorney has cost taxpayers about $1.5
million.
Records provided under the Sunshine Law show the state has spent more than $900,000 to defend Blunt and several past and present administration officials against a lawsuit by former legal counsel Scott Eckersley.
Eckersley's suit alleges he was defamed and wrongly terminated after raising concerns about e-mail deletions in the governor's office. Blunt's office says he was fired for legitimate reasons, including being tardy for work and using state computers for personal business and pleasure.
Records show the state also has spent nearly $600,000 for an attorney general's investigation into e-mail practices of Blunt's office.
More than half of that is for Blunt's defense.
