DNR Chief Re-Issues Call for Nixon to Recuse Himself From Taum Sauk Case

Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers is talking to lawyers about taking legal action to fire Attorney General Jay Nixon in the Taum Sauk Reservoir collapse investigation. He says Nixon’s give-back to Ameren of almost $20,000 in campaign donations does not erase the stain on Nixon’s character caused by Nixon’s earlier acceptance of that money. Childers sees no reason to discuss the matter with Nixon. Childers says he does not trust Nixon to represent the Department in making sure Ameren pays for all of the damages caused by the collapse. A Nixon spokesman says paying back the money to Ameren should end the controversy. Not on your life, says Childers, who thinks this issue will haunt Nixon when he runs for Governor in 2008. Nixon says he will not recuse himself from the case – as DNR has asked.