By Mike Kaszuba
State Auditor Rebecca Otto said Wednesday that Republicans were making "burdensome" data requests -- at a high cost to taxpayers -- to try to unearth negative information about her during her re-election campaign.
Otto, a DFLer, said there had been five formal data requests so far, including one asking for "copies of all calendar items and contacts; and phone log for [her] and appointed staff over the last four years." Another request, she said, asked for all expense reimbursements, travel expenses and mileage reimbursements for her and her staff during the past four years.
"I have a nationally respected record, and they want to chisel away at that," she said. "Either they are fishing for a tiny bit of data they might be able to take out of context and spin in some press release or negative campaign ad, [or] they are just trying to bog the office down to keep us from getting our important oversight work done."
Otto is being opposed by, among others, former State Auditor Pat Anderson, a Republican.
Republicans were critical Wednesday of Otto's statement, calling it "nothing more than an attempt to deflect attention from the fact that she has accomplished very little as state auditor."
Said State Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton: "These requests are a pretty standard part of holding elected officials accountable. If she bristles at being held accountable, how can she hold others accountable?"
