From an audit of former Attorney General Josh Hawley (r), released yesterday by State Auditor Nicole Galloway’s (D) Office:

…In a December 31, 2019, letter (Appendix I, page 435) in response to seeing a draft copy of this report, the AGO formally objected to the inclusion of interview transcripts in this report, and stated the inclusion of these transcripts would be a disclosure of audit working papers, and therefore, a felony violation of Chapter 29, RSMo. The SAO disagrees with this conclusion. Objections to the inclusion of interview transcripts and audit communications citing Chapter 29, RSMo, are without merit. The confidentiality provisions of Chapter 29 are intended to protect the SAO’s working papers from public disclosure. The interpretation that those confidentiality provisions are intended to keep the SAO from disclosing information obtained during the course of the audit is at odds with Chapter 29, RSMo, and Yellow Book requirements, which both require a report of information obtained during an audit be made public. In addition, the statement that the inclusion of working papers as appendices to a public report is unprecedented is not accurate. Including information obtained during an audit as appendices is very common and not unique to this administration. Appendices have been part of audit reports issued by the SAO for decades…

A portion of letter to the Attorney General’s Office from the State Auditor’s Office, the entire letter included in the released audit:

…Given the irreconcilable conflict created by your (1): taking a position against the authority of the State Auditor’s Office; (2) attempting to give legal advice and direct the audit of the Attorney General’s Office; and (3) communicating your position against the authority of this office to a third-party, the Attorney General’s Office cannot serve as attorney for this office in any case related to its core audit function…

From a personal social media account of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (r):

Eric Schmitt @Eric_Schmitt
As the Chief Legal Officer of the state of Missouri – the AG’s Office has repeatedly expressed serious concerns about the political nature of @AuditorGalloway’s audit of fmr AG @HawleyMO’s Office & the unprecedented release of transcripts likely in violation of state law. #moleg
4:51 PM · Feb 6, 2020

Wait, one would think that the Attorney General of Missouri would use an official channel of his office, like say, a social media account under his name as Attorney General, to express a valid point law about an audit concerning his office.

Nope, that would be this one:

So, the original Tweet on the personal account (and several following up) is, wait for it…political.

There is much hilarity in the responses to his short series of personal Tweets:

So the guy that ran the treasury is covering for the AG he replaced when the former AG went to the Senate after inappropriate use of campaign funds? I’d ask who’s running this shitshow, but it’s clearly the guy the current Senator just voted to acquit.

Maybe then-AG Hawley shouldn’t have committed ethics violations if he didn’t want a light shone on them.

She did her job. She follows the Sunshine law, unlike republicans who repeatedly use apps like Confide and taxpayer funds for political games.

Is it a violation or is it likely a violation? Because you started this tweet referring to yourself as the “Chief Legal Officer” of the state and you ended it seeming confused about the law.

With William Barr as the AG of the land, it becomes difficult to tell which AGs are trustworthy, and which ones aren’t.

I can’t tell if I should believe you or not, Eric Schmitt.

Nothing to say about the likely violation of state law by Hawley?

I’m sorry, but the entire GOP has forfeited any rights to moral outrage about other people *appearing* to break the law or behaving unthically. Under your party’s own rules as applied to Trump, she cannot be guilty of anything unless and until she fully confesses under oath.

So is subverting law enforcement to threaten political rivals just a thing all republicans do now?

You’re a joke

This is bull! So @AuditorGalloway could never send a forged check to a local prosecutor or include any meaningful factual detail in a final audit?? The law violation here is that the AGO’s office didn’t Mirandize these people before they were questioned about potential crimes

Bulllshit pal. Are u really trying to intimidate @nicolergalloway?! She’ll chew u up & spit u out. U know she’s a CPA? Those types are detailed oriented to a fault. I can assure u she did everything above board-including the audit which was requested by Ashcroft & req’d by law.

Hey as the “Chief Legal Officer” of the state who the fuck knows whether this was a violation of the law or not if it isn’t you?

This sounds like you slinging mud without having the fucking stones to charge her with a crime.

Put up or shut the fuck up.

In response to the previous comment:

Amen brother. Talk about playing politics and inappropriate public statements.

And, some of the subsequent responses to one of Eric Schmitt’s (r) additional Tweets on the subject:

Hawley covers for Greitens. Schmitt covers for Hawley. Republicans of a corrupt feather.

Ridiculous. @nicolergalloway has the highest level of integrity, and all you can whine about is confidentiality? This is the Show-Me State, buddy. Sounds like you’ve got a corruption problem, not a confidentiality problem.

Nah. Nicole has always gone after grift no matter where she finds it. Just so happens she found it in Joshy’s office.

Shocking, to find Republicans misbehaving. So out of character.

That last part was probably sarcasm.

Yea, so what are you going to do about it? Send a strongly worded letter and hope it doesn’t happen again? it’ easy to apologize if there are no consequences.

Nah, just fling crap against the wall from a personal social media account and hope (probably correctly) that old media will buy it. Suckers.

Government is not supposed to operate in secret. Ever heard of the Sunshine Law? You and your party are so afraid of sunshine, I’m beginning to think you are vampires. You share other traits of vampires too.

Eric we know you don’t give a crap if Hawley violated the law. Your phoney outrage is ridiculous. There are professional standards that CPA’s MUST follow and there have not been problems with her audits in the past. You are covering for Hawley Shame in you!

As a Missouri resident, if she broke the law, arrest her ass and throw it in the pokey!

Calling the bluff.

So basically you’re attempting to squash documents just like the sham impeachment trial?

We pay the bills in this state. I want to know who’s crooked and who’s not.

Even if it is the president’s ass kissing senator.

Not working buddy. You are dirty as hell and you should resign.

Harm because it exposed the frat boy? Typical republicans. Don’t do what’s right. Do what you can get away with. @HawleyMO @nicolergalloway

Good government? Really? You really went there after all the bizarre crap MO has been thru with the Republican Party! Your statement comes from a weak position! Now we got a report that @HawleyMO mis-used our govt for his political party?And you’re worried about hiding that fact?

There you go.

Previously:

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D): Former Attorney General Josh Hawley (r) and all of those campaign consultants… (February 6, 2020)