The latest development in State Auditor Susan Montee’s ongoing audit of MOHELA – the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority – is the filing of a lawsuit to obtain records of closed meetings of the agency.
Montee, who launched her audit in January, has been asking the MOHELA Board to turn over documents relating to closed meetings or executive sessions. But the Board has turned down those requests, which included a subpoena from Montee’s office. The suit filed in Cole County Circuit Court is in response to MOHELA’s refusal to comply with the subpoena.
Montee says the Auditor’s office routinely looks at records of closed meetings to guarantee the audit is thorough and accurate. Montee insists this is not a fishing expedition, merely an effort to learn if anything of consequence went on during meetings that were closed to the public. She says any information that should not be released to the public will be kept confidential by her office.
