By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Special investigators appointed by a Cole County judge in an open records lawsuit are now seeking fines against Missouri Governor Matt Blunt.
In the revised suit, Republican attorney Louis Leonatti and former Democratic Lt. Governor Joseph Maxwell are accusing Blunt and former Chief of Staff Ed Martin of, quote, "knowingly and purposely" violating the state's Sunshine Law by denying access to emails.
The suit specifically alleges that access to emails was blocked by raising objections, failing to produce requested documents, and demanding "excessive" amounts of money for them.
In a written statement, a Blunt spokesperson described the revised lawsuit as an attempt to "develop any coherent case," and called the addition of Martin as a defendant, "an eleventh-hour effort," following the dismissal of three other Blunt staff members from the suit.
Leonatti and Maxwell are also seeking a deposition from the governor on December 11th.