Suit against Blunt by former aide set to include four Mo. courts

JEFFERSON CITY — A lawsuit against Gov. Matt Blunt is set to be moved to four state courts.

Former aide Scott Eckersley sued Blunt and others, claiming he was fired for suggesting that Blunt’s office was destroying e-mails. Eckersley also claims he was defamed when reporters received packets defending the firing.

A state judge ruled today that the portion of the lawsuit about his firing should be heard in the Capitol’s home of Cole County. But the judge said the defamation claims should be heard where The Associated Press, Kansas City Star, Springfield News-Leader and St. Louis Post-Dispatch read the packets.

The AP and Star read them in Cole County, the Post-Dispatch in St. Louis and the News-Leader in Ozark County. The judge allowed defamation claims in Jackson County because Blunt spoke to reporters there about the suit.