McMillan: Federal agency — but not FBI — requested financial records
McMillan
ST. LOUIS — Amid rampant speculation over a possibly widening probe into public corruption, city License Collector Mike McMillan confirmed today he has been contacted by a federal official seeking personal financial information from him.
But it wasn’t the FBI.
McMillan, a former alderman who became license collector in 2007, is currently in Ireland, as part of an Eisenhower Fellowship.
However, this afternoon, an aide from his office confirmed that McMillan was visited by a U.S. Treasury agent seeking records pertaining to his personal finances.
“He has not been contacted by the FBI. He said he was contacted by one representative from the Treasury Department that requested personal financial information over six months ago,” said McMillan’s director of communications, Charlotte Ottley. “He complied with the request and will comply with any future request, but there have been no additional requests.”
McMillan, a Democrat, could not provide more details surrounding the Treasury inquiry because, Ottley said, “one condition of the request was that not it be discussed publicly.”
The U.S. Treasury Department has a dozen bureaus, the largest of which is the IRS.
McMillan’s admission comes amid a frenzied atmosphere in state and local politics.
From City Hall to Jefferson City, officials have been waiting to see whether the recent convictions of former state lawmakers Jeff Smith and Steve Brown will be followed by inquiries into other public office holders.
Recently, John Gillies, the agent in charge of the FBI’s St. Louis office, reiterated recently that public corruption remains the office’s top local priority.
What was the reason for his office coming forward with this? Out of the blue? Of its own volition? It was asked by the Post? Why Post ask him now? “records pertaining to his personal finances” is like an IRS audit? People get audited all the time; that doesn’t meant they did anything wrong; tho this seems a little different, perhaps? If he were not to discuss it publicly as a condition of what? So they/he did anyhow when asked? He/it/they might have said that they couldn’t comment because such requests are usually accompanied by a request not to talk about it publicly, but he could say that he wasn’t contacted by FBI, but I’m not sure that wouldn’t have left more questions than it answered. The whole thing is so confusing, I get so confuseder!
Dave, people in the world of politics, will tell you this investigation is not out of the blue. People aren’t told that they can’t discuss an audit.
This is not confusing at all. You’ve been reading newpaper and believeing this bull too long. This is City’s Hall’s public realtions newletter. This isn’t an investigating piece of journalism.
You made me confusederer. Radio said Business Journal said he’s been out of the country at his seminar for several weeks. Do elected officials ever have to go to work?
David, How should I say this…..no.
I don’t see why the mayor would target McMillan for political retribution. Is it because McMillan helped convince Paul McKee to start buying up land in north city, and raked in thousands from McKee to the 19th ward Democratic organization the funneled to McMillan? If so, then I can’t complain. McMillan has wasted the time of many progressive Democrats and is all about raising money. What has he done? Get us into the McKee mess?