Auditor Candidate Says Veto Leaves the Door Open for Fraud and Cronyism

ST. LOUIS – Tom Schweich, Republican candidate for Missouri State Auditor, today questioned Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of House Bill 544 that would have brought legislative oversight with cooperation of the auditor to the way federal stimulus dollars are spent in Missouri. Schweich said Missouri is expected to receive more than $4 billion dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“I am disappointed that our governor would say no to accountability and transparency when it comes to the billions of dollars of Obama stimulus money coming into our state,” Schweich said. "As auditor, I would ensure those federal dollars where the auditor has oversight are properly spent. Plus, I would work with the legislature and governor to bring oversight to every stimulus dollar spent in our state.”

HB544 would have created the Joint Committee on Recovery Accountability and Transparency. The panel was charged with rooting out waste, fraud and abuse of any stimulus dollars spent in Missouri.

Schweich said even more surprising is that the governor vetoed the measure despite the fact that the federal government and other states have implemented similar oversight committees.

“Not only did many Missourians, including myself, not support the federal stimulus, but now they have no way to trust that the money is being spent properly,” he said.

The bill outlined coordination between the panel and the state auditor to review the federal dollars. Schweich said without the legislative oversight committee, the duty falls solely to the auditor.

“This is another example of why it is important now, more than ever, to have an independent, fair-minded, fiscal conservative as our auditor,” Schweich said. “I have the unmatched experience and impartiality to best protect taxpayers in this role.”

Another provision of the bill would have required the governor to make public daily on the Missouri Accountability Portal any budget cuts to departments and programs in the current fiscal year. The governor cited an amendment to the bill that would allow every lawmaker a key to the capitol dome as his reason for the veto.

Schweich is a former U.S. Ambassador, prosecutor, and international law enforcement official. At the state department he managed more than 4,000 people in 80 countries and a $2.5 billion budget. He is one of two announced Republicans vying for the office of auditor.