An engineer has filed a formal complaint against former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, alleging that he failed to properly disclose his ties to a company that was awarded a contract for reimbursable services during his tenure. The complaint was filed with the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission by engineer Bill Luther, who claims that Ashcroft violated state rules by not disclosing his involvement with the company, Monitor Quality Assurance.
According to Luther, Ashcroft did not disclose his ties to the company on a form that requires state officials to list any affiliations with companies that do business with the state. Ashcroft’s consulting firm was reportedly paid nearly $500,000 by Monitor Quality Assurance for work related to Missouri’s Medicaid program.
Luther alleges that Ashcroft’s failure to disclose these ties is a violation of state ethics rules, as well as a conflict of interest that could have influenced the awarding of the contract to Monitor Quality Assurance. He is calling for the contract to be rescinded and for Ashcroft to be held accountable for his actions.
Ashcroft’s attorney has denied the allegations, stating that Ashcroft did not have a financial interest in the company and therefore was not required to disclose his relationship with it. They intend to fight the complaint and defend Ashcroft’s actions.
The Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission will now review the complaint and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a hearing. If the Commission decides to move forward, Ashcroft could face penalties or sanctions if found guilty of violating state ethics rules. The outcome of this case could have implications for how former government officials disclose their ties to companies that do business with the state.
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