(Leading up to today’s events: Nixon served with subpoena to appear for DOR deposition)
By Eli Yokley
— As the story regarding the Missouri Department of Revenue’s document scanning process continues to evolve, we thought we’d give you an update on the developments during the past week.
MONDAY
+ On Monday, Gov. Jay Nixon announced that Brian Long, director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, resigned. Long joined Nixon’s administration two days after his predecessor issued a letter announcing changes to the department’s procedures regarding issuance of driver and non-driver licenses.
Tuesday
+ On Tuesday, Nixon announced the DOR would no longer scan copies of Conceal Carry Weapon permits. Nixon’s office said Long’s resignation was voluntary — despite the curious timing — as lawmakers in both chambers were granted subpoena power to investigate the practice further.
+ Soon after his announcement, Nixon participated in a Medicaid rally on Tuesday that drew hundreds of Missourians to the Capitol’s rotunda. After the rally, reporters spent about five minutes questioning Nixon about the document-scanning subject. At one point, Nixon had enough of it, and interrupted a question to say: “What you’re seeing is a major kurfuffle to try to change not only the public’s focus of attention over something that is over in this corner, and to ignore what has happened right here [on Medicaid].”
+ Later in the day, Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, held a press conference to give reporters internal Highway Patrol emails that seemed to suggest that the agency was under the impression that not only the Social Security Administration had requested documents, but that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had requested and been given personal documents as well.
THURSDAY
+ The Senate passed legislation that would ban the Missouri Department of Revenue from scanning and retaining copies of source documents used to obtain drivers’ licenses.
FRIDAY
+ Schaefer visited Springfield where he and Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, heard testimony from Missourians concerned about the document scanning procedures.
