Mo. Senator calls on Governor to answer pending questions on Revenue Department
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Mo. Senator calls on Governor to answer pending questions on Revenue Department

Date: April 15, 2013
By: Christine Roto
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
The Missouri Senate took a break from normal business to blast the governor for not answering questions about the scandal that's plagued the Revenue Department.
RunTime:  0:43
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Republican Senator Brian Nieves called on Governor Jay Nixon to break his silence on the department storing private information about residents and sending it on to the feds. 

Actuality:  SCFF8.WAV
Run Time:  00:12
Description: "Why, governor, do you not publicly tell the Department of Revenue to cease and assist what they're doing to calm this whole thing down and fix it."

Earlier in the day, revenue director, Brian Long, announced his resignation.

Highway Patrol Superintendent Ron Replogle has also been caught up in the scandal, but he said he would not step down unless asked to do so by the governor.

Nixon's office dismissed the notion of asking for either of their resignations.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Christine Roto.

Intro: 
In the midst of conflicting stories over the Revenue Department's use of Missourians private information, Missouri lawmakers demanded on the Senate floor answers from the relatively silent Nixon administration.
RunTime:  0:46
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap:  Earlier on Monday, Revenue Director Brian Long abruptly announced he was resigning from his position.

A handful of Republican senators, including Brian Nieves, called the move a way for the governor to take the heat off his own office. 

Actuality:  SCFF9.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "Former director Long has literally been thrown under the bus. He's the sacrificial lamb, he's the one that they can raise up on a scarecrow poll, thinking that they can say 'see we took care of the problem'...but the problem still exists."

But the governor's spokesperson, Scott Holste, said Nixon neither asked for, nor encouraged Long to resign.

The senators later called on the governor to use his authority to put an end to the department's new policy of storing the information of concealed carry permit holders.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Christine Roto.