Team Kinder Pedals Backwards

This afternoon, Governor Jay Nixon announced that funding would be released for the 2009 Tour of Missouri. Already, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's staff is working to convince the media and public public that the Tour has been operated in an open and transparent way to protect the taxpayers' investment. (Even though it obviously hasn't).

Exhibit A: Kinder's Communication Director Gary MyElyea tries to spin away questions about Tour of Missouri, Inc. transparency with KY3's Dave Catanese.

"It's not fair for the Governor to make the statement that the Tour is now willing to provide documents. Tour of Missouri Inc. has always said they're happy to provide any budget documents, and in many cases have provided them to the media," said [Gary] McElyea, responding to Nixon's statement [demanding transparency and accountability].

This is a pretty outrageous claim, considering how Gary McElyea told the Post-Dispatch's Tony Messenger that he wasn't even sure it was legal to disclose contract details on Friday. 

Recall:

McElyea, though, said the contracts haven't ever been requested, and he's not sure if they'd be provided since they are between private companies.

"We will cooperate in whatever way we can with the Department of Economic Development," McElyea said.

Maybe it's just me, but that doesn't sound like, "We'll provide any documents you want."

Exhibit B: Kinder COS and General Counsel Rich AuBuchon is now acknowledging that the state wouldn't have been on the hook for any lawsuits. And without a hint of irony, Chad Livengood reports that this limited liability for taxpayers has been one of the benefits of the current Tour of Missouri, Inc. corporate structure all along:

Having a seperate [sic] entity operate the Tour of Missouri outside of the state's direct control also shields the state from any legal liability issues that could arise during the 600-mile competition, AuBuchon said.

Yet in at least three almost-hysterical interview last week, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder pedaled hard to raise concerns with listeners and viewers about potential lawsuits for the state. Listen to them here. He even said, "It would devastate the credibility of the state of Missouri to welch on contracts." 

AuBuchon's new comments about shielding taxpayers from lawsuits sure are nice, now that people are asking questions about the structure and management of TOM Inc.-- but shouldn't Kinder be asked to explain what in the world he was talking about last week?  And, for that matter, shouldn't AuBuchon, who's supposed to be advising Kinder about relevant legal issues?