Breaking News: Kinder Wasn't Honest About Tour Contracts

In Tony Messenger's analysis of the debate about Tour of Missouri funding and transparency, this paragraph really stood out.

And Kinder basked in the glory of the attention he's been craving. He went from phone conference to phone conference, talking about potential liability to the state over a canceled race even though he knew what Nixon knew all along: The Tour has no contracts with the state.

Emphasis mine. Exactly one week ago, the legal status of the Tour contracts was not at all clear to the public. Peter Kinder took to the airwaves to warn taxpayers of the lawsuits that would come from a reduction in state support. Many, including his own Southeast Missourian, were confused about the "uncertainty surrounding the race is the contractual status."

"We're going to be sued for breach of contract," he told KMBZ.

"It would devastate the credibility of the State of Missouri to welch on contracts," he told KFVS.

Listen for yourself: 

At best, Peter Kinder was just extremely vague in his comments, or honestly lost track of where his official responsibilities end and his private responsibilities begin.

But the far more likely explanation, I think, is this: Kinder knew exactly what he was doing (see above), and wanted the public to be concerned about state money being spent on lawsuits. If we'd be spending more money to clean up the mess than just proceed with the $1.5 million, the argument went, then it would be crazy to continue freezing the funds. A message posted by KMOX radio host Mark Reardon immediately after speaking with Kinder illustrates this concern for the taxpayers' bottom line: 

Where do you think Reardon got the crazy idea the state would be forking over money for contracts?

Devasted credibility, indeed.