Governor Matt Blunt wants Attorney General Jay Nixon to subpoena Myspace.com and other social networking sites for information about sex offenders that possibly used the website.
Gov. Blunt today said he is concerned that a spreadsheet of possible sex offenders from Missouri who may have used MySpace.com that was provided to the Missouri State Highway Patrol by Attorney General Jay Nixon may actually be a product of a contractor working for MySpace.com.
"Though this is potentially valuable, it does not do enough to protect our young people from sexual predators," read the release from Blunt's office.
Eight other states have sought similar information from Myspace.com about sex offenders using the site, according to Blunt's office. The Missouri Republican Party has issued a different release, blasting Nixon for "misleading statements about his role in pursuing online sex predators."
GOP spokesperson Paul Sloca claimed that Nixon lead people to believe he was part of the "multi-state group working to turn over information on sex offenders to law enforcement even though he was NOT."
Either way, Blunt is now asking Nixon for his assistance on the issue.
“This May 14th letter by your colleagues compelled MySpace.com to use the contractor for subsequent attorneys general inquiries like yours,” Blunt wrote in the letter to Nixon. “However, I strongly encourage you to consider using subpoena power directly on MySpace.com.”
Blunt is concerned that the information provided by a contractor working for MySpace.com may not be complete or provide the level of detail our law enforcement need to help protect our young people from sexual predators, according to the release.
EDIT 10:14 p.m. . . Scott Holste of the Attorney General's office left me a message while I was out on an unrelated crime story 2 hours away. He said the releases from the Governor and the G.O.P. on the Myspace issue are "demonstrably false."
"Frankly, it kind of ends up embarrassing you, with the inaccuracies in it," Holste said.
When I finally could get back to Holste, it was after 10 p.m. When I hear from him, or get a response, I'll post it here. Here's the release on the website regarding Myspace.
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