Nixon sues MOHELA Board for Sunshine law violations

[usregimechange]

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon on Tuesday sued to strike down a proposed loan sale by Missouri's college loan authority on claims it was crafted in violation of the state's open meetings law.

Nixon alleges 12 Sunshine Law violations in the lawsuit against the Board of Directors of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, claiming the members failed to give proper notice of meetings and held secret discussions that should have been public.

In a brief meeting with no public discussion, MOHELA's board voted Jan. 31 to back the sale of $2.4 billion in loan assets this year and the gradual sale of additional loans to generate $450 million for Gov. Matt Blunt's higher education initiatives.

"This is a significant public policy proposal that deserves to be seen in public, talked about in public -- not delivered as a cooked dish for dessert," Nixon said in an interview...

Blunt traveled the state Jan. 26 to announce his proposal to sell MOHELA outright to fund university construction projects and create endowments for student scholarships, professors and business recruitment to campuses.

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1139863.html