Blunt’s chief of staff wants probe of Ameren donations

ST. LOUIS — Gov. Matt Blunt’s chief of staff asked the state utility regulator Wednesday to investigate contributions to Attorney General Jay Nixon’s gubernatorial campaign that originated with Ameren Corp.

Ed Martin requested the investigation in a letter to Jeff Davis, chairman of the Missouri Public Service Commission. The PSC is considering Ameren’s request to raise rates.

Nixon is suing Ameren over the Taum Sauk reservoir collapse in December 2005. The mountaintop basin collapsed after broken equipment caused it to overflow.

Ameren donated more than $19,000 to four local Democratic campaign committees after Nixon launched his probe into the collapse. The committees then turned over most of the money to Nixon’s campaign.

Both Nixon and Ameren have denied that there was a scheme to funnel money from Ameren’s treasury to Nixon’s campaign.

Nixon’s campaign treasurer said the contributions were returned.

A PSC spokesman said Davis wasn’t in the office Wednesday.