Nixon Targets Repeat DWI Offenders

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

Gov. Jay Nixon is getting tough on driving drunk, throwing his support behind a host of sweeping changes meant to target repeat offenders.

The legislative package boosts penalties for offenders with higher blood-alcohol levels and is designed crack down on repeat drunk drivers.

No legislation will bring Kim Kinnaird's son back. But her story is just one of many that could help change a flawed system.

Authorities believe a drunk driver plowed into 20-year-old Daniel Kinnaird on Highway 60 on November 3rd. The crash landed him in critical condition.

His mother held onto hope, but six days later, Kinnaird was dead.

"I tell people, when people ask me, I say it's like going to hell and back," said Kinnaird.

Continue reading at Ky3.com.

Nixon To Back Tougher DWI Laws Wednesday

MOORE: "NOT NECESSARILY A FAN" OF BREATHALYZER CRIME

STATEWIDE SOLUTION FOR ST. LOUIS PROBLEM?

"We need to not hit with a big fly swat"

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

Driving while intoxicated in Missouri could result in much swifter, harsher penalties as soon as next year.

On Wednesday, Governor Jay Nixon will join lawmakers at stops in Hannibal, Overland and Jackson to detail new legislation to crack down on offenders.

Following an investigation by the St. Louis Post Dispatch that showed a consistent pattern of repeat drunk drivers getting away with the crime, Nixon called the status quo unacceptable and convened a panel for ideas to improve the system.

That panel recommended possibly making it a crime to refuse to take a breathalyzer test and seizing the vehicles of drunk drivers.

The details of the legislation Nixon will back was unclear Tuesday night, but interested parties are already surveying what the potential changes could mean.

The most controversial potential idea could be the breathalyzer crackdown.

In at least three states -- Alaska, Minnesota and Nebraska -- a person can go to jail for refusing the test on the first offense. In others, there are a growing number of fines and civil penalties.

Safety groups support any measure seen as a deterrent.

"I think the harsher the consequences are to driving while intoxicated, the less likely someone will be to a commit the offense or repeat that offense," said Cheryl West of the Safety Council of the Ozarks.

But Greene County prosecutor Darrell Moore tells Ky3 News he's "not necessarily a fan" of that approach.

"We need to not hit with a big fly swat on something that happened in one area of the state," Moore said in an interview, referring to the problems in St. Louis. "Unlike the St. Louis metro area, most of us take care of these crimes."

Moore said he could support a provision that would allow police to automatically administer a blood test if a person were to refuse a breathalyzer. "It might have a minor deterrent effect, giving up a blood sample," he said. "But the most effective deterrent is a consistent application of the law," he added.

Defense attorneys are also raising constitutional concerns about a potential breathalyzer crackdown.

"I think there's definitely going to be some issues if they make it a crime to refuse to take the breath test because you have a right not to incriminate yourself," said defense attorney Ryan Cole.

Another potential piece of the legislative package: Seizing the vehicles of repeat drunk drivers, which raises another batch of questions.

"What if you and your wife own a car and your wife gets pulled over and arrested, or you get pulled over and arrested and it's not your car. And you're taking property from someone else," said Cole.

These details will begin to be hashed out early Wednesday morning, as the Governor tours the state.

Moore said he wasn't privy to what would be in the proposed legislation, but said he'd be surprised if there wasn't provisions included to try to improve record keeping.

"There are instances that if you were in St. Louis County and got a DWI, but it got reduced to a tail light problem, I may not know that. I hope it includes better record keeping. Not all records of convictions are being maintained," Moore said.

Report: Missouri Public Defender System "On The Brink"

A new report characterizes Missouri's criminal justice system as on the brink of collapse because of mounting caseloads that are overwhelming the state's public defender system.

The even bigger issue is that there seems to be no long-term solution in sight.

This is not a new problem. But the report poses a new sense of urgency, because little has improved since the last study in 2005. One stark statistic: Only Mississippi spends less on indigent defense than Missouri.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

Read a summary of the George Mason report HERE.

Read Nixon's veto of public defender reform Senate Bill 37 HERE.

Highway Patrol Gets $3.4 M in Stimulus

$3.4 million dollars in federal economic stimulus money is coming to the Missouri Highway Patrol to fight crime in rural areas.

The funds will support more than a dozen investigators dedicated to working cases in rural areas. The money will also pay for purchase of equipment and supplies.

Governor Jay Nixon says the added personnel will be able to help focus on cattle rustling and other farm-related crime.

More HERE

AP: FBI Investigating Missouri Housing Deals

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The director of Missouri's housing agency confirms he has been interviewed by the FBI as part of an investigation related to low-income housing projects.

Pete Ramsel is executive director of the Missouri Housing Development Commission, which uses tax credits and tax-free bonds to help finance affordable housing.

Ramsel told The Associated Press on Friday that he was interviewed by the FBI last year about housing development issues.

He says the questions related to activities that happened more than a year ago, but he declined to elaborate.

A spokesman for state Treasurer Clint Zweifel, who recently became chairman of the commission, says Ramsel informed Zweifel of the FBI investigation earlier this month.

After DWI Charge, 2 Aldermen Call For Mayor to Resign

Two Nixa Aldermen have called for Nixa Mayor Brian Hayes to step down after he was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Alderman Michael Durbin said he has asked Mayor Hayes to step down and to do so "as soon as possible."

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 5 REPORT HERE

"While he has not been convicted of this charge and I do not know specific details of the situation anymore than anyone else paying attention to the news, I do believe he has placed himself in a position where his leadership can be and is questioned," said Durbin.

Reached by phone, Alderman Kevin Elmer, now a candidate for the 141st House seat, agreed with Durbin. "I think it would be best if the mayor would voluntarily resign. We've been hearing from the community, and if he doesn't listen to the community and the board, it puts us in a difficult position, which says something about his leadership," Elmer said.

Alderman Charles McCorkle said he had no comment on the situation.

Hayes was cited for DWI early Sunday morning. The Christian County prosecutor charged Hayes with DWI Wednesday. He was also cited for failing to show proper insurance.

Nixon Halts Rockaway Beach Police Funding

Gov. Jay Nixon has directed Attorney General Chris Koster to cut off state funding for the Rockaway Beach Police Department.

Rockaway Beach was one of 12 law enforcement entities listed as "non-compliant" in the annual Missouri Vehicle Stop report issued on June 1st. Gov. Nixon has ordered that funding be stopped for all those who did not comply.

Rockaway Beach was the only Ozarks-area department that was non-compliant.

"Missouri has been at the forefront of collecting and reporting data about traffic stops, and these reports have served as the basis for constructive communications between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve," Gov. Nixon said in a statement. "The vast majority of law enforcement agencies in Missouri have complied with the reporting requirements of the law since it took effect. This is a law we take seriously, and the consequences for not complying are clear."

Missouri's racial profiling report began in 2000.

Read the 2008 report HERE.

Gov. Nixon: Don't Judge MIAC on A Few Lines

Gov. Jay Nixon said he hoped that a special committee looking into the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) would not base its evaluation of the intelligence program on a "few sentences" in a single report.
***
Nixon made the comments during a economic development bill signing at the Chamber of Commerce in Springfield Wednesday, in response to a question from KY3 Photojournalist "Country" Tom Schultheis.

"I only hope that the legislators that are looking into it, look at it from the beginning of the process to the end of the process and not focus on just a couple of statements that are in there," Nixon said, referring to the "Modern Militia" report that leaked to the public in February. "I'm hopeful that the legislature, in their review . . . will be thoughtful, calm and apolitical," he added.

Called the "sharing of intelligence," a vital part of law enforcement.

"It's my hope that another branch of government doesn't attempt to baffle or lessen the clear safety that can come from legitimate intelligence analysis," the Governor concluded.

A Case For & Against MIAC Reports

AGAINST

Speaking at the special committee hearing Wednesday, political activist Catherine Bleish called MIAC's centralization of intelligence "a very dangerous" threat to democracy.

"It seems to me from listening to testimony today that the MIAC center was created by a government that is fearful of its people in some way," said Bleish.

"This is a very big red flag. What business do we have walking that fine line of identifying people as potential terrorists?," she asked.

*WATCH HER MAKE HER CASE ABOVE*
ALSO: VID CHECK: About :59 seconds in, notice the MIAC director's reaction (while he's packing up), when Bleish mentions concern about coordination between law enforcement agencies.

FOR

Cole County Sheriff Greg White urged lawmakers to continue to allow MIAC to issue strategic reports because he said they help reduce potential acts of violence and keep Missourians safe.

"Being the poster child for Right to Life, I would tell you, I wasn't the least bit offended by the document published," Sheriff White testified, referring to the "Militia Movement" report.

"We need the strategic arm of MIAC restored . . . To think that we would not do strategic work within the fusion center is to say that it's ok to commit certain acts of violence," he added.

*WATCH HIM MAKE HIS CASE ABOVE*

Shorts

Quick Hits From Wednesday:

• Congressman Roy Blunt is quoted in the conservative publication Human Events saying that Republicans accept the climate is changing, but added, "There isn’t any real science to say we are altering the climate path of the earth." He also said Republicans would not offer a substitute to the Democrats cap and trade energy bill.
• Was President Obama confused about Robin Carnahan's status as a U.S. Senate candidate. In remarks released to the media this afternoon after his stop in Arnold, Obama is quoted saying this during introductions: "An outstanding Secretary of State and somebody who I think may turn out to be pretty good in Washington if she just so decides . . . Robin Carnahan." Huh? What's she still deciding? With her announcement in February, I think it's pretty clear she wants to go to Washington. Maybe the briefing book wasn't updated. Or maybe the transcript send out is wrong.
• Sen. Kit Bond agrees with the President -- on the New York City photo-op flyover. During a portion of his remarks on the Senate floor, Bond took the Obama administration to task for "the glamour shot." But spokesman Robert Gibbs didn't spin this one, calling it "as stupid a thing to do as one could dream up."
• Congressman Roy Blunt said he voted against a hate crimes bill Wednesday, calling it "unconstitutional. "This legislation endangers our most basic rights as Americans by threatening criminal investigations based on beliefs instead of actions. Regardless of motive, a crime is a crime," Blunt said. But the bill did pass 249-175, and it has the support of the White House. The legislation will broaden such laws by classifying as "hate crimes" those attacks based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity or mental or physical disability. President Bush previously vetoed the bill, arguing state laws were sufficient to address those crimes. President Obama has called it "an important civil rights issue."

Dixon Calls For Hearings on MIAC

Springfield State Rep. Bob Dixon is calling on the House to hold hearings on how the Missouri Information Analysis Center forms its security reports.

The call comes after a controversial security document targeting some conservative groups ignited a political firestorm in Jefferson City that lead to elimination of the report and the replacement of the MIAC director.

Dixon said the hearings, the majority which could occur this summer, would help ensure that future reports produced by MIAC are "properly and adequately supervised."

"I think we can all agree safeguards need to be in place so that no one fears or suspects profiling by political affiliation or protected speech," Dixon said in a media availability at Missouri State University Tuesday. "Frankly, what better way to clear the air and combat misinformation than public hearings."

***

DIXON SAID HE WANTS HEARINGS TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

• How did the process work?
• What are the sources that were used?
• How did they arrive at the "perceived threats?"
• What level of threat did this report merit?

*WATCH A CLIP OF DIXON ABOVE*

Due to time constraints in the legislature, Dixon said the ongoing committee could use the summer to study the issue and then make recommendations. "It might be a longer term study . . . because we've got a lot going on right now," Dixon said.

***

Asked to comment on the House's move to permit college students to carry concealed weapons on campus, Dixon told a KY3 photographer he "didn't have time" to answer the question.

Dixon is a 2010 candidate for Springfield's State Senate seat.

MIAC Director Demoted

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has named a new director of the Missouri Information Analysis Center, twelve days after the it scrapped a controversial report which inflamed conservatives.

***

Lt. David Hall will replace Van Godsey as the center's new director, the Patrol announced Monday. Van Godsey was reassigned to another division.

The report outraged conservatives for its references to anti-abortionists, anti-immigration advocates and supporters of third party candidates as potential terrorist threats.

"I am confident Lt. Hall has the experience and expertise necessary to oversee the functions of the Missouri Information Analysis Center," said Colonel James Keathley in a statement.

MIAC Report Researched Under Blunt, Written Under Nixon

A controversial state security report which targeted certain right-wing and third-party groups as terrorist threats was researched in 2008 and written in 2009, The Notebook learned Monday evening.

According to the State Highway Patrol, work began on the now defunct 8-page Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) "Modern Militia Movement" document back in July of 2008, during Gov. Matt Blunt's term.

But the report was completed during the first month of Governor Jay Nixon's administration.

"The MIAC employee began research on the report during the first week of July 2008," said Highway Patrol Captain Tim Hull. "They completed the written report during the last week of January 2009," Hull added.

February 20th is the date listed on the document.

The revelation of the report's evolution clears up the mystery over when the document was produced, but will likely not resolve the blame game between the Blunt and Nixon camps.

Nixon has noted that the agency and report was formed under the Blunt administration. Blunt said Monday that he had no knowledge of such a report during his term. The timeline detailed by the Highway Patrol revealed that work on this document was done under both administrations.

A spokesman for Blunt said Nixon's reaction to the report was more pertinent than the timing of when it began. "The drafting of a report by a bureaucrat is significantly different than its promulgation and defense by the governor and the department director," Chrismer said. "Governor Blunt has said that he was not aware of any report issued while he was governor that was similar to this offensive one and indicated what action he would have taken had there been one," he added.

Captain Hull's comments also shows that top levels of both administrations were -- and are not regularly immersed in the details of such reports.

For the amount of MIAC reports that are released, they couldn't and shouldn't be, explained another law enforcement official.

Officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about the MIAC controversy, said there are some days where he receives "two or three MIAC reports a day." He said the reports can range from covering events like a jail escapee to a crime in a particular region.

"We're not out to target Ron Paul supporters with bumper stickers. I'd resign today if I knew anyone was doing that," said the Patrolman.












Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Matt Blunt Fires Back Over MIAC

In a statement sent to The Notebook Monday, Governor Matt Blunt said while he did create the Missouri Information Analysis Center, he is not responsible for the "offensive report" it produced.
***
"I certainly do not plan on responding to every false charge or false news report," the former Governor began, "but recent assertions regarding the offensive MIAC report warrants a response."

"Let me be clear about the recent, offensive MIAC report that profiled Missourians that hold conservative political views," Blunt said, in a statement e-mailed by spokesperson Rich Chrismer. "While I did create the Missouri Information Analysis Center to act as a fusion center to gather and disseminate tactical intelligence about specific crimes, I did not create the MIAC to profile citizens based upon political views - liberal or conservative. To my knowledge MIAC never issued anything similar to the recent report while I was governor. If they had, I would not have defended it. I would have taken corrective action immediately and certainly held those responsible, accountable for their actions," Blunt added.

"The assertion that I am somehow responsible for an offensive report that was issued more than a month after I left office and that profiles conservatives is so absurd that one would not think it requires a response from me, but evidently it does," Blunt enclosed.

The 8-page MIAC report referred to anti-abortionists, anti-immigration advocates and supporters of certain third party candidates as potential terrorist threats.

After growing political pressure, the Nixon administration scrapped the report last week, and the Governor said his predecessor was responsible for MIAC. While the report is dated Feb. 20th, there are some signs the report was created while Barack Obama was still President-elect. It's not yet clear exactly when the specific report was compiled or who wrote it.

Nixon Blames Blunt for MIAC

Gov. Jay Nixon told reporters Thursday that no one in his administration, nor anyone he hired, reviewed the MIAC security report before it was distributed to police across the state.

***

Nixon said that a lack of oversight from Gov. Blunt's administration led to the distribution of the report on the modern militia movement, reports The News-Leader's Chad Livengood.

"Nixon noted the Missouri Information Analysis Center was "formed under my predecessor," writes Livengood.

But just last week, when Nixon was originally asked about the report, he defended the work of the MIAC. "It's something we do every day and we're going to continue to do," he said to KRCG.

STATE GOP SAYS NIXON HAD TO KNOW ABOUT MIAC PROCESSES:

Republican Party Chair David Cole notes that Nixon toured MIAC with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano just a few weeks ago.

"Are we now to believe that Nixon didn’t know anything about the processes and procedures that were in place at the Fusion Center understanding that he recently took the Homeland Security Secretary there???," reads the release sent out by GOP Executive Director Jared Craighead.

"Nixon’s ridiculous new defense is particularly troubling and disingenuous since he has stood by the controversial report encouraging political profiling even as members of his administration began to back away from it," added Cole.

Kinder Wants More Answers About MIAC Report

"AN OUTRAGE"
Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder said answers provided by the Highway Patrol about a leaked state security report are inadequate, and that the controversy deserves a more thorough explanation from top officials.

"It doesn't look back at all. It doesn't answer any of my concerns about how this report got out there and whether in fact, as you asked, there are other reports we need to know about. And how far back does this go,?" Kinder said in an interview with KY3 News at the Capitol Wednesday.

***WATCH FULL CLIPS***

Highway Patrol Scraps MIAC Report

DAY 3: FALLOUT

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT FROM JEFF CITY HERE

The head of the Missouri State Highway Patrol shut down a controversial report linking conservative groups with the modern militia movement, which opposes government laws and administrative rules. The report by the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) portrays militia members as commonly associated with fundamental Christian, anti-abortion and anti-immigration movements. It also says members are usually supporters of various third-party presidential candidates. The report even mentioned Ron Paul, a Republican congressman who ran for president.

In Jeff City Wednesday

The controversy over a state security report seeps into a third consecutive day as the Lieutenant Governor calls for a top official to be put on leave and the House considers a budget amendment to send a signal.

GET TWITTER UPDATES FROM THE CAPITOL HERE

Coverage Begins from Jefferson City on KY3 NEWS @ 5

Kinder: Put Britt on Leave

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder has called for Department of Public Safety Director John Britt to be put on administrative leave because of the MIAC security report.

***

The House is set to take up a budget amendment Wednesday afternoon that would prohibit the Department from using any state funds for "political profiling."

DEVELOPING . . .

FOR KY3 NEWS @ 5, 6 & 10

Lieutenant Governor to Weigh in on MIAC Uproar

ENTER, KINDER

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder will hold a morning news conference Wednesday that will call for action against the head of the Department of Public Safety because of his role in a controversial security report, the KY3 Political Notebook has learned.

Kinder is expected to make a significant announcement regarding alleged "political profiling" by Public Safety Director John Britt.

***

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

The announcement is in response to a political firestorm that has erupted over a MIAC security report that has many conservatives outraged and offended.

Britt has apologized for references to certain political candidates -- but is standing by language that refers to Anti-Abortionists, Tax Resistors, Christian Identity members and Anti-Immigration advocates as potential security threats to the state of Missouri. Conservatives believe the report paints potential threats with too broad a brush.