Audit Criticizes Nixon's Spending Practices

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Intro:	Governor Nixon's office is keeping quiet after an audit released today critices the governor's spending.
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Wrap: Three hundred and thirty four...that's how many days since taking office Nixon spent using the state plane.

That's according to an audit of his office released.

In that time, Nixon then charged 96 percent of the cost of those flights to other state agencies...at a cost of more than one-half million dollars.

That's something State Auditor Tom Schweich says is circumventing the budget process.

Actuality:	SCHWCH4.WAV
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Description: "I'm not going to pass judgement, it's a lot of, it sounds like a lot but I'm not going to second guess the governor's job. If he thinks he needs to be on the plane 334 days that's his decision, he just has to pay for it.

Nixon's office refused comment and instead directed us to their written statements in the audit.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Andrew Weil.

Intro:	Governor Nixon is in hot water again after a audit reveals he shifted $1.7 million in office costs.
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Wrap: The audit shows since taking office in 2009 Nixon had other state agencies pay for some of his own office costs totaling one-point-seven million dollars.

The audit also showed Nixon spent 334 days using the state plane...

He then charged 96% of those traveling costs to other agencies.

State Auditor Tom Schweich says Nixon has been mostly non-responsive to his findings.

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Description: "They're not saying we won't make these changes, they're not saying we will make these changes, they're making...we acknowledge the comments you made is basically what he says."

Nixon's office refused comment and instead directed us to their written statements in the audit.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Andrew Weil.

Intro:	An audit reveals Governor Nixon has shifted $1.7 million of his office, employee, and travel costs to other agencies.
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Wrap: The audit shows that since 2009, 14 state agencies have been paying the salaries of employees who were actually working for the Governor's office...

And the cost of these salaries...nearly eight-hundred-thousand dollars.

State Auditor Tom Schweich says this situation isn't unique to Nixon, but it seems to be escalating.

Schweich also says there needs to be more restrictions put on the Governor or he needs to change his practices.

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Description: "There are a variety of ways to resolve it, but simply ignoring the problem isn't the best way."

The audit also found Nixon spent 334 days using the state plane...and then charged almost all of that cost to other agencies.

Nixon's office refused comment and instead directed us to their written statements in the audit.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Andrew Weil.

Intro:	It's a numbers game down at the State Capitol as a new audit shows how other agencies have been taking a budget hit, so the Governor doesn't have to...
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OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The audit shows since 2009, Nixon shifted one-point-seven million dollars in office costs to other agencies.

The audit also showed he used the state plane on 334 days...and then charged nearly all of that cost, to other agencies...

Jared Craighead, campaign manager for Dave Spence, the Republican candidate for Governor says this shows Nixon has been a poor governor and a poor manager.

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Description: "We need a new governor that can appropriately manage his budget and focus on the priorities that Missourians have that's creating jobs and getting people back to work."

Nixon's office refused to answer any questions and instead directed us to their written statements in the audit.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Andrew Weil.