THE PUBLIC MIND: REPRESENTATIVE: LICHTENEGGER WAS UNFAIRLY TREATED BY AUDITOR

To the Editor:

I'm writing this letter to tell everyone that John Lichtenegger was not only unfairly treated in an audit released by Margaret Kelly this week, but was outright defamed and slandered.

John Lichtenegger, four other lawyers, and two para-legals were asked to go to St. Louis to clean-up the scandal in Worker's Compensation exposed by the Post-Dispatch in June of 1992. He had 15 years of experience. Over the years, Lichtenegger's firm had defended many cases. Lichtenegger had the best record in the state in trying these cases winning them and successfully defending every case that went before the Court of Appeals.

Lichtenegger has always been part of the solution. In the fall of 1991, John testified before the joint House-Senate Committee on Worker's Compensation System and the Second Injury Fund. Several of his suggestions were written into law in last year's session.

Margaret Kelly apparently did not bother to learn these facts:

Lichtenegger's firm was requested to take over 4,000 files on an emergency basis.

His firm had nothing to do with office space or furniture owned or leased by state agencies.

Only when Lichtenegger arrived did the huge settlements and corruption in St. Louis end.

The firm charged for this monumental task just $35 per case during the six months they performed this service.

Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, a colleague of mine in the House of Representatives, said it best: Margaret Kelly's audit report "was a political drive-by-shooting of attorney John Lichtenegger".

Margaret Kelly did not call, contact, or provide an exit conference to Jay Nixon, Bill Webster, or Lichtenegger. This is standard practice in every audit but this one. Had she done so, she would have known the facts.

Her activity in this audit was reckless and without regard for the reputation and integrity of John Lichtenegger, his family, and his law firm.

I join many others in calling for Margaret Kelly to apologize to John Lichtenegger and his family. Lichtenegger's work under these emergency circumstances deserved a gold medal. All of us in the state owe a big thanks to John Lichtenegger and his firm.

Rep. David Schwab

Jackson