© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

McCaskill Responds to FOIA Request

By Frank Morris

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-654078.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Senator Claire McCaskill says she'll comply with a freedom of information act request from the Missouri Republican Party, but says she views the request as being purely political. KCUR's Frank Morris reports.

- - - - -

Faced with a request for e-mails earlier this fall, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt's office said it had no obligation to save them, it fired a staffer who claims to have told them otherwise, and then reversed itself, launching a statewide e-mail retention policy. Blunt's chief of staff lost his job.

This month, the state GOP requested three years worth of emails from 19 Democratic office holders and those from the last two months of Senator Claire McCaskill's term as state auditor. McCaskill says state Republicans will get the documents, but calls the request retaliation.

Senator Clare McCaskill: "Everybody gets what they're doing, it's no secret, and frankly, I think it makes them look stupid."

Missouri Republican Party Spokesman Paul Sloca says McCaskill has so far not complied with the request, and called her remarks about the party "crass."

KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.