JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson lashed out at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Thursday, two days after the newspaper informed the state of a data risk that left 100,000 Social Security numbers vulnerable to public disclosure.
The Republican governor said at a news conference that the Cole County prosecutor and the Missouri State Highway Patrol would investigate the matter. He said the news outlet that uncovered and reported the vulnerability would be held accountable, but didn’t mention action against the state officials who maintained a faulty system.
“We are coordinating state resources to respond and utilize all legal methods available,” Parson said. “My administration has notified the Cole County prosecutor of this matter. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s digital forensic unit will also be conducting an investigation of all of those involved.”
