"They Don't Want Allen to go Anywhere"

Republican candidate for state auditor Allen Icet pointed to House leadership as a reason why he's not relinquishing his Budget Committee chairmanship during the 2010 legislative session.

"It's one of those why change horses in the middle of the stream kind of thought. And, if you were to talk to the House leadership, the Speaker of the House, the Majority Floor Leader, I would be fairly certain that they will tell you in no uncertain terms, 'They don't want Allen to go anywhere,'" Icet said in an interview last week.

*WATCH ICET & SCHWEICH ABOVE*

"They want Allen to stay right where he is because they need those four years of experience to get through the fifth year," Icet said.

ON THURSDAY: Icet's GOP primary opponent, Tom Schweich said the decision was one Icet needed to make. But after a back-and-forth, a day later, Schweich was encouraging Icet to abandon the chairmanship.

Schweich Thursday: "You'll have to talk to Allen about that. That's a personal decision he has to make . . . The question is will it create an appearance of impropriety . . . That's really not my decision at all."

Schweich Friday: "There is no way an appropriations or budget chair running for higher office can avoid the appearance of impropriety while accepting contributions from lobbyists and special interests who have business in the budget process . . . I encourage him to do the right thing and step down as budget chair while he pursues the office of state auditor."