Auditor questions AG financial procedures

The state auditor's office today rated the Missouri attorney general's office as "fair" for some of its financial operations from July 1, 2011-June 30, 2014.

Deputy Auditor Harry Otto released the report that said the attorney general's office "lacks adequate" conflict of interest policies - including accepting donations from people or companies being investigated by the AG's office, fails to document some of its choices for hiring outside counsel, doesn't always endorse checks as sooon as they're received and sometimes doesn't pay the best rate for hotel rooms for employees traveling on state or court business.

The attorney general's office said it was improving its accounting procedures but rejected the auditors' conclusions on the hiring of outside counsel and medical experts.