Legislators Discover Yet Another Disturbing Fact in the Ongoing Dept of Revenue Scandal

This week provided another startling revelation in the ongoing scandal with the Missouri Department of Revenue. Despite the fact the governor has repeatedly said the scanning and sharing of the personal documents of concealed carry permit holders is not in any way related to attempts to implement the federal REAL ID Act, a Senate committee produced evidence this week that contradicts the governor’s statements.

The document in question is a letter sent to Governor Nixon from U.S. Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano that thanks Nixon for his efforts to comply with the federal law. The problem with the letter is not only that it contradicts what the governor has repeatedly told us, but also that it proves the governor has acted to violate the law passed in 2009 to prevent the state from complying with the federal Real ID Act. We now know that the executive branch has actively worked to violate the privacy of Missouri citizens.

A this week’s Senate hearing legislators also had the opportunity to hear from federal investigators who sought and obtained the list of concealed carry permit holders in Missouri. While the investigators ultimately did nothing with the lists they obtained, it does not diminish the fact that the governor’s administration acted on multiple occasions to share the private information of Missouri citizens with the federal government, which is something the governor has repeatedly denied.

To say all of these developments have been eye opening would be an understatement. This situation has become more twisted and concerning with each week that has gone by. I’m proud that my colleagues and I have passed several bills to make sure these kinds of privacy violations will not be allowed to happen in the future. I hope our governor will see the error of his ways and choose to abide by our laws and by the trust the people have placed in him as our chief executive.