Mo. Governor Criticizes Health Foundation

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, is criticizing the Missouri Foundation of Health for refusing to help the state pay for health programs, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Mr. Blunt issued a release accusing the foundation of being controlled by Jay Nixon, the state’s attorney general, and alleging that the group has “declined” to partner with the state.

Mr. Nixon, a Democrat, is expected to be the party’s nominee to replace Mr. Blunt, who is not running for a second term.

The foundation’s president, James Kimmey, said that last year the group’s board did refuse Mr. Blunt’s request for aid. Mr. Kimmey said the governor wanted the foundation to provide 80 percent of its budget for programs that are run by the state for the next 10 years.

“It was an unusual request,” Mr. Kimmey said. “I dare say unprecedented. … A lot of this, I think, has to do with the gubernatorial campaign.”

Mr. Kimmey noted that the foundation has not declined all requests to aid state programs.