Governor Matt Blunt has put one of his appointees on unpaid leave after the Democrat Paty claimed she has a criminal record in Illinois. The appointee is Randa Hayes, who heads the Missouri Business Development and Trade Division. Police records in Illinois indicate she was charged with felony theft and forgery and misdemeanor theft, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor, was put on probation and was ordered to pay more than $36,000 in restitution. She finished her probation five years ago. But the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says a judge ordered her file be sealed at the end of May – about two months after Hayes was appointed by Blunt. Hayes raised more than $50,000 for Blunt during his campaign last year.
;
