Republican candidate for governor Kenny Hulshof today proposed creating the position of Inspector General for the state and said that more contracts, specifically related to attorneys, need to be bid competitively.

Hulshof, a 9th District congressman, used his news conference on the steps of the Capitol to highlight what he said were a pattern of ethics abuses in the office of Attorney General Jay Nixon, the Democratic candidate for governor.

Most specifically, he hit on the theme of his most recent ad, which repeats criticisms that Nixon handed out sweetheart deals to trial lawyers who represented the state in grabbing billions of dollars in a national tobacco settlement.

Hulshof said the solution is for the governor, by executive order, to create the position of Inspector General, an independent investigator to look into government fraud, waste and abuse. Hulshof was short on details. He said that he realized for the IG to have any authority, there would need to be legislative approval. Asked by reporters if the Constitution would need to be changed to give the new position broad powers to investigate other statewide elected officials, Hulshof said he didn’t think that would be necessary.

Hulshof said the IG would be appointed by a board involving the Missouri Board of Prosecuting Attorneys, Missouri Police Chief’s Association, Missouri Sheriff’s Association, Missouri Judicial Conference and a retired Supreme Court judge. Asked how those groups would appoint the IG and whether the governor would have a say, Hulshof said, “We haven’t gotten to those decisions.”

Pressed about his plan to force the attorney general’s office to bid out any outside attorney contracts over $20,000, Hulshof changed his plan on the fly. According to his news release, the plan would apply only to the attorney general’s office. Asked why the plan shouldn’t apply to all of state government, Hulshof said he was unaware of any other instances in state government where such a plan would be needed.

When it was pointed out that Gov. Matt Blunt’s office has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on private attorneys to defend himself against allegations of violating the Sunshine Law and destroying state records, Hulshof said he would apply his plan “all the way across” state government.

UPDATE: Democratic Party spokesman Zac Wright weighs in on the post, suggesting that Hulshof’s record doesn’t back his push on ethics:

“Congressman Hulshof has yet to condemn Governor Blunt’s cover-ups and delayed action in the sexual harassment case of Fred Ferrell or his politically motivated firing of former deputy counsel Scott Eckersley,” said Wright in an e-mails statement. “Now, Congressman Hulshof wants Missourians to trust him to make state government more accountable. It’s ludicrous.”