Ashcroft asks Missouri auditor for help reviewing Hawley

(AP) The Missouri Attorney General’s Office is pushing back against allegations that Josh Hawley misused public resources to boost his successful U.S. Senate campaign.

First Assistant and Solicitor General John Sauer in a Monday letter called the complaint against Hawley “a frivolous act of political harassment.”

At issue are allegations by American Democracy Legal Fund. The liberal group complained that it was a misuse of taxpayer-funded resources for political consultants to direct attorney general staff to do work that could help Hawley’s Senate bid.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is investigating.

Sauer says Hawley’s Senate campaign wasn’t formed until after the consultants’ work. He called it “absurd” to argue that good work by public employees is illegal because it might indirectly benefit a future electoral campaign.

(Earlier story)

Missouri’s Republican secretary of state is asking the Democratic auditor for help investigating Sen.-elect Josh Hawley over allegations that he misused public resources to boost his campaign.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft on Monday asked Auditor Nicole Galloway to review claims against Hawley, who is currently serving as attorney general. The Republican unseated Sen. Claire McCaskill in November.

At issue are allegations by American Democracy Legal Fund. The liberal group complained that it was a misuse of taxpayer-funded resources for political consultants to direct attorney general staff to do work that would help Hawley’s Senate bid.

Attorney general spokeswoman Mary Compton didn’t immediately comment Monday. But she’s said before that the allegations are “totally meritless” and that no taxpayer resources were ever used for Hawley’s campaign.