JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A spokesman for the Missouri Highway Patrol said Monday the agency had completed an investigation of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch announced in October by Gov. Mike Parson.
Capt. John Hotz said the results were turned over to Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson.
“The investigation has been completed and turned over to the Cole County Prosecutor’s office,” Hotz told the Post-Dispatch on Monday.
Parson, a Republican, announced the investigation in October after a Post-Dispatch reporter alerted the state to a significant data issue that left the Social Security numbers of educators vulnerable to public disclosure.
According to records obtained by the newspaper through an open records request, Margie Vandeven, state education commissioner, initially planned on thanking the Post-Dispatch for uncovering the state’s data problem, but the state ultimately issued a press release labeling the reporter a “hacker.”
The next day, Parson said at a news conference: “Not only are we going to hold this individual accountable, but we will also be holding accountable all those who aided this individual and the media corporation that employs them.”
Thompson on Monday said he could not comment on the matter, adding, “I can’t send out the law enforcement report prior to an announcement on a decision.”
———
