Dems Fear Ecoli Inquiry Is Becoming "Investigation"

SHOW ABOUT NOTHING?

A Senate committee looking into the Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) handling of E.coli test results made little progress during their second public hearing Friday, with Democratic members questioning the scope of the inquiry and Republicans expressing frustration with the agency's cooperation.

Democratic Sen. Joan Bray dominated much of the hour long hearing, asking Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & Environment Chair Brad Lager about the goal of the inquiry and suggesting it has become a full-blown investigation.

"I think we've really gone off the deep end in terms of making this look like an investigation," Sen. Bray said. "This has all the markings of a criminal investigation and I want to hear the justifications for that," she went on, noting that no laws have been broken.

Lager repeatedly stressed that an investigation is "not what this committee is here for."

A major sticking point is the committee's efforts to interview DNR staffers. The department has blocked interviews by the committee thus far because of a dispute over whether workers can have attorneys present.

Senator Tim Green, another Democrat, strongly suggested that Lager call a public hearing so that elected Senators could do the questioning, rather than committee staffers. But he also said the committee is heading towards a "fishing expedition," and has made little progress towards its goal of a "policy review."

"It's starting to drag on a little too long," Green said.

To which Lager replied, "I want to do it right, not do it fast."

Sen. Matt Bartle, a Jackson County Republican, suggested that DNR is making the inquiry more like an investigation, taking it to "def con 4" by "insisting lawyers be present."

Bartle urged committee members to work together and show unity towards their effort, rather than Republicans trying to investigate Gov. Jay Nixon and Democrats attempting to protect him.

"I think this needs to be bi-partisan -- let's get to the bottom of this and see if we need policy changes," Sen. Bartle said.

The committee said it was in the middle of reviewing 200,000 pages of documents obtained from DNR, including agency protocols, testing procedures, press releases and e-mails. A Senate staffer said he could not estimate how long it would take to go through the material.

The committee is expected to meet again in mid-September.

Will Texting Ban Survive in Crime Bill?

Senator Ryan McKenna (D-Crystal City) has added an amendment to the omnibus crime bill that would ban young people from text messaging on Missouri roads except in certain circumstances.

House Bill 62 must be worked out in a conference committee to survive. The Senate blog has more on the slew of provisions in the bill HERE.

WATCH Sen. McKenna and Sen. Matt Bartle debate the texting provision in the clip above.

"There's an epidemic going on in this country," said Sen. McKenna.

"There are lots of activities that lead to inattentive driving . . . and eating is one of them," countered Sen. Bartle.

Rep. Shane Schoeller tells The Notebook a ban on texting for those 21 years and younger is still alive in the crime bill's conference report.

A COMPROMISE?: How about just banning Twittering while driving?

AP: Montee Will Run For Re-Election

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Democratic State Auditor Susan Montee says she plans to seek re-election in 2010.

Montee said Thursday that she recently had discussions with President Barack Obama's administration about going to work as a federal auditor.

But Montee says she has decided to remain as state auditor and to seek a second term.

Montee was elected auditor in 2006 to succeed Democrat Claire McCaskill, who won election to the U.S. Senate that year. Montee previously served as Buchanan County Auditor.

The only Republican to have set up a fundraising committee for the 2010 auditor's race is state Sen. Matt Bartle, of Lee's Summit. But Bartle has not announced his candidacy.

You Can Finally Call Her Director

Linda Martinez's nomination to become the Director of Economic Development was confirmed by the State Senate just before 11 a.m. today by a voice vote.

The vote came after an impassioned floor speech by Sen. Scott Rupp, who opposed Martinez's nomination and compared Governor Jay Nixon to the impeached Rod Blagojevich. "You might think you can intimidate me because you're the governor, but you are wrong," Rupp said. Rupp felt Nixon's team had threatened political repercussions if he didn't end his filibuster -- a delay that was sparked by concerns about illegal immigration.

There was no roll call vote.

By listening to the voice vote, it appeared that several Senators voted against Martinez.

Just before Sen. Robin Wright-Jones renewed her motion to confirm, Sen. Matt Bartle said "there are none of" Nixon's nominees that he plans to vote against right now. But Bartle also praised Rupp for bringing the concerns to light.