The AP just moved a HUGE story on the federal investigation of the Blunt administration. [1]

The AP is reporting that the FBI is specifically asking about Garrett Lott, who according to recent filings with the Missouri Secretary of State's office, is the Secretary of Missourians for Matt Blunt, Inc. [2] Lott also has numerous official roles in Senator Jim Talent's political organization. [3]

Federal investigators have begun interviewing former state contractors about the way vehicle license offices have been managed under Gov. Matt Blunt's administration, The Associated Press has learned.

A former contract agent for one of the license offices said Friday that she has been contacted several times within the past 10 days by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Other former "fee office" contractors also have been interviewed by the FBI, said the former contract agent who requested anonymity because the interviews are ongoing.

The AP goes on to outline the scheme:

After learning he would receive the fee office but before he actually took over, Good said, [4] he was contacted by Jewell Patek, who had done campaign and fundraising work for Blunt and now is a Capitol lobbyist with a growing client list.

Good said Patek asked him whether he would like to hire a management firm to run the office and said a limited liability company called Highridge Services already had been set up to do so.

Patek did not immediately return a telephone call Friday. But he told the AP two weeks ago that he had not been contacted by federal investigators.

Records at the secretary of state's office show Highridge Services was organized Jan. 26, 2005, by Jamison Shipman, an attorney at the Kansas City law firm of Lathrop & Gage, who also created other management companies around the same time. Blunt's campaign also has used Lathrop & Gage for legal services.

Shipman also did not return a telephone call Friday.

Unsure of whether to take up Patek's offer, Good said, he called Blunt's director of boards and appointments, James Harris.

Though Good claims he did not hire the management company, he did make $1700 in contributions to an obscure political committee that pays consulting fees to two firms with ties to Harris. [5]

*High Ridge Services LLC gave at least [6] $1,700.00 [7] to the 158th Legislative District Committee in 2005. High Ridge Services LLC [8] belongs to Derrick Good of Hillsboro, who was awarded the High Ridge fee office [9].

The AP reported that Good changed the registrations of Highridge Services, LLC on May 18, 2005.  Apparently, making the required first payment to the 158th legislative district was an even higher priority.  Good made his first payment to that committee on May 16, 2005. [10]

The AP does not mention that Patek employs Harris' fiance, and that his fiance runs a lobbying firm out of the home she shares with him.