Missouri Republican Party calls allegations against former department heads "troubling"
From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Lobbyist Money Help  

Missouri Republican Party calls allegations against former department heads "troubling"

Date: November 5, 2013
By: Matt Kalish and Brendan Cullerton
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Missouri's top Republican lawmaker says it's time to look into allegations of a hostile workplace in Missouri's Agriculture Department
RunTime:  0:49
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: House Speaker Tim Jones appointed State Representative Casey Guernsey to head a committee investigating former director Jon Hagler, who stepped down in October.

Guernsey says he's heard even more allegations about Hagler than the current ones that employees have come forward with. Former employees from the labor department have also come forward with similar allegations.

Missouri GOP spokesman Matt Wills says the legislative oversight is good for Missourians.

Actuality:  WALLS1.WAV
Run Time:  00:12
Description: It's definitely and alarming trend certainly if the allegations are true certainly if the allegations are true coming from the administration. The buck does definitely stop with Governor Nixon try as he may to pass it on to whomever else."

In an email, a spokesman for Governor Jay Nixon did not address the allegations.

Guernsey says his investigation will cover the entire administration for workplace abuse.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Matt Kalish.

Intro: 
The Missouri legislature is launching an investigation into charges of workplace discrimination in the Nixon Administration.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: House Speaker Tim Jones announced in a press release on Tuesday that State Representative Casey Guernsey will head a committee looking into former agriculture department director Jon Hagler.

Heading up the committee alongside Guernsey will be State Representative Stanley Cox, who previously chaired the committee that investigated last year's Department of Revenue scandal.

Cox says the administration is wasting tax payer dollars by not operating state departments efficiently.

Actuality:  COX1.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "We certainly need to investigate and to understand and do what it takes to ensure these things don't occur in the future."

In an email, a spokesman for Governor Jay Nixon did not address the allegations.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Matt Kalish

Intro: 
The Missouri Legislature will launch an investigation of alleged workplace hostility in Governor Jay Nixon's administration.
RunTime:  0:45
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Speaker Tim Jones' announcement came after former Agriculture Department chair Jon Haggler said he resigned from the office because of a hostile work environment.

Multiple state workers have accused the administration of discriminating against older women.

Republican Representative Casey Guernsey will chair the committee.

He has worked with the Agriculture Department for over five years now, and says there have been many more allegations from those within the department that have not reached the public.

Actuality:  GUERNS2.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: I've heard a lot about what different individuals have experienced there. Different decisions that have been made."

Guernsey says the committee will investigate the entire administration for workplace abuse.

Reporting from the state Capitol, Brendan Cullerton, newsradio 1120, KMOX.