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Council To Investigate Funkhouser Ethics Allegations

Former mayoral aide Joe Miller provoked controversy with allegations his job involved ethics violations.
Former mayoral aide Joe Miller provoked controversy with allegations his job involved ethics violations.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-804497.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Former Mark Funkhouser aide Joe Miller says he may have violated state ethics and open records laws while working in the mayor's office. On KCUR's Up to Date, Miller said the mayor held back an e-mail from a Freedom of Information Request, and that as a mayor's office employee he should not have been a campaign event organizer in the Light Rail campaign. As a result of these assignments and policies of the mayor, Miller says he felt "afwfu," as though he was "headed down the wrong path."

Miller also said the mayor did not consider nominations for city positions made by councilwoman Jan Marcasson because she disagreed with him... Marcason brought it up in the afternoon's council business session, prompting the mayor to deny the accusation and discredit former employee Miller.

Funkhouser characterized Miller, a journalist and author, as a "former employee who was not made chief of staff, and who is promoting a book he intends to write."

The council didn't take Miller's ethics accusations lightly, and voted to have an auditor investigate them. The vote was unanimous, and included the mayor, who said he welcomes the investigation.

The council also passed a long-awaited ordinance to eliminate overflow problems from the city's crumbling storm and sanitary sewer infrastructure.

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