By Sarah Burson
Special from the SEMO TIMES
DEXTER, Mo. – On April 10, Gov. Jay Nixon told reporters in Springfield that a Stoddard County court had dismissed Eric Griffin’s case regarding the Misouri Department of Revenue’s controversial document scanning practice.
Now, he will be served with a subpoena to appear for a deposition on May 3 at the Stoddard County courthouse to give sworn testimony in the case.
“The governor could not have been more wrong when he told reporters the case was thrown out,” Russ Oliver, Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney who is representing Griffin in court, said. “It is just not the truth, and frankly that is becoming a recurring theme for the administration in this case.”
After turning down a restraining order that would have blocked the state from scanning personal documents for those seeking conceal carry permits, Circuit Judge Rob Mayer recused himself from the case. The case is now set to be heard before Judge Scott Thomsen of Bollinger County.
Shortly after the order was handed down, Director of the Department of Revenue Brian Long resigned, and the next day, Nixon announced the state would no longer require some documents be scanned in order to issue conceal and carry permits.
“This is just an aesthetic attempt to gloss over the real issues here. We just want to see DOR follow the law, and find out who is responsible for this scandal,” Oliver said.
For the first time, Griffin has spoken out about the case.
A resident of Advance, Mo., in northern Stoddard County who lives a quiet life shoeing horses, Griffin said, “I have never been in any kind of politics. I have never been inclined get in that mess.”
Griffin told the SEMO TIMES that he had never run for office, went to a political meeting or even allowed a political yard sign to be placed in his yard. He laughed out loud when asked if he had ever given money to a politician.
“I did this because it is wrong to try to take people’s guns, and the government has no business building lists of gun owners,” Griffin said.
When asked, he said he had supported Nixon in the past, but his support for Nixon may have ended.
“I supported Jay Nixon in the past, but let me tell you — when he is in cahoots with Obama helping his gun control agenda, that is where I draw the line,” he said.
Oliver concluded, “Eric Griffin is a perfect example of a Missourian who had enough government over reach and had the courage to stand up for himself and his friends and neighbors and right a wrong. I look forward to asking the governor under oath what he knew and when he knew it. It is likely the only way we ever get to the bottom of this scandal.”
