Thursday, March 15, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Chief Urges Ameren's Chief Financial Officer to Come Clean about Campaign Contributions to Nixon
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt's Chief of Staff Ed Martin is seeking answers from Warner Baxter, Ameren's Chief Financial Officer, after the company revealed today that it is a "common practice" to use ratepayer money to fund the campaigns of criminal prosecutors engaged in criminal investigations into the utility company.
"It is not 'a common practice' for a criminal prosecutor to seek contributions from a target of a criminal probe," Martin wrote in a letter to Baxter. "All I am seeking is the truth. Mr. Mark should tell the public who called Ameren, when they were called, and what instructions were given. Missourians deserve to know what is going on. Ratepayers should not cover the cost of inappropriate charges."
Martin's inquiry came after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today revealed new information that Attorney General Jay Nixon's campaign directed Ameren to funnel campaign funds into four Democrat committees that were instructed to dispense the money to Nixon. All of this occurred after Nixon launched his criminal investigation into Ameren over the Taum Sauk disaster.
Previously, Nixon said his campaign did not know how the money got from Ameren to his campaign according to a June 8, 2006, report by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. But Ameren Senior Vice President Richard Mark revealed today that Nixon's campaign staff approached Ameren's governmental affairs staff last spring directing them to funnel the money to Nixon. Mr. Mark said the request and transaction, which occurred after Nixon launched his criminal investigation, was "common practice."
"It is time for Ameren to come clean with the public," wrote Martin. "It is in Ameren's best interest and, more importantly, in Missourians' best interest."