Missouri Sunshine Request for Records Regarding Use of Secret Messaging Apps by Missouri Governor and His Staff
On December 8, 2017, Campaign for Accountability submitted a Missouri Sunshine Request regarding the usage of secret messaging apps by Missouri Governor Eric Greitens and his senior staff. The Kansas City Star reported Gov. Greitens and his senior staff use the phone-based app Confide, which deletes messages after they have been read and prevents recipients from saving them. The Star reported that several officials in the governor’s office have Confide accounts including the chief of staff and the deputy chief of staff, among others. The use of Confide by start officials raises serious questions about whether employees in the Office of the Governor are violating the Missouri Sunshine Law, which states that, in general, governmental records should be made available for public inspection.