Governor Nixon Says He Will Not Comply With Subpoena

Governor Nixon Says He Will Not Comply With Subpoena
Missouri Digital News
Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday, April 25, that he will not comply with a subpoena to testify in a case involving the state illegally sharing the personal information of Missouri gun owners, although he added that he was turning the issue over to his lawyers.
The Stoddard County Circuit Court has issued a subpoena for Nixon to testify on May 3 as part of a case involving Missouri license offices sharing information about gun owners with the federal government and third-party companies. The plaintiff’s attorney in the case, Russell Oliver, has said he wants to question several high-ranking state officials in connection with the lawsuit against the state Department of Revenue and a local license office.
KMOX reporter Brett Blume asked the governor at an event in St. Charles on Thursday whether he plans to answer Oliver’s questions.
“Governor what about the subpoena? And are you going to appear at the May third hearing?” Blume asked.
In a jumbled answer, the governor first flatly rejected the idea that he would appear in Stoddard County. Then he quickly said he’d turn the matter over to his legal counsel.
“No,” Nixon said. “I, I, I’ve, people, by golly, guys, I’ve been in public service for 26 years, I’ve been, uh, huh, eh, I’ll leave that to the lawyers.”
Nixon’s lawyers can ask the court in Stoddard County to quash the subpoena, meaning the governor would not have to show up. But public records of the case’s filings show that no such motion had been filed as of Thursday afternoon. Oliver also said that he hadn’t received any notice of such a motion, which would require a court hearing to decide.