Report No. 2009-67
June 2009
Complete Audit Report

The following report is our audit of the Office of the Governor.

On January 10, 2005, Matt Blunt was inaugurated as the state's fifty-fourth governor. His term expired on January 12, 2009. On that date, Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon was inaugurated as the state's fifty-fifth governor.

A payment, totaling over $13,800, for flights taken on the state aircraft in April 2008 was not made until August 2008, in the next fiscal year. Additionally, documentation supporting the method/criteria for selecting legal counsel for the Governor relating to an open records matter was not prepared and retained. Invoices, totaling over $401,000, included attorney rates ranging from $110 to $300 per hour, legal counsel travel costs, and late charges. According to the Chief of Staff, the selection of this legal counsel was at the discretion of the Governor. Also, some legal expenses were not paid in a timely manner and were not made in the proper fiscal year. Late payment charges totaled over $1,000.

The report also includes the auditor's follow-up on the action taken by the Office of Governor on our prior audit report findings.

Complete Audit Report
Missouri State Auditor's Office
moaudit@auditor.mo.gov