Checks remain outstanding in Blunt firing settlement

JEFFERSON CITY — Troubles have arisen with a settlement payment to a staffer who sued former Gov. Matt Blunt after being fired from his office.

Well over a month has passed since the state cut two checks totaling about $480,000 to resolve Scott Eckersley's claim that he was wrongly fired after raising concerns about e-mail deletions.

The treasurer's office said those checks still have not been cashed.

Eckersley, now a student in California, said he flew Thursday to Missouri to make sure the settlement is taken care of properly. He did not elaborate.

A spokeswoman for Attorney General Chris Koster, whose office brokered the settlement, referred questions to Eckersley's attorneys. But Eckersley attorney Steve Garner declined to comment about why the checks haven't been cashed.