Former Missouri House clerk loses appeal in whistleblower lawuit

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Missouri appeals court on Tuesday rejected a former Missouri House clerk's claim that she was a whistleblower for misdeeds by the House speaker.

Judge Lisa White Hardwick with the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals wrote that Dana Miller did not sufficiently prove that former House Speaker Dean Plocher was her supervisor, or that he could retaliate against her. Miller filed the lawsuit last year, accusing Plocher of violating House regulations, mismanagement, waste of public funds, abuse of authority and other misdeeds.

Miller alleged that Plocher targeted her for retaliation after she reported his actions related to a state contract. The court noted that Plocher had no direct authority to fire Miller because only the full House could do so.

Miller's allegations against Plocher sparked a months-long investigation that did not issue a finding of wrongdoing against Plocher. Miller retired last year.

Tuesday's ruling upheld a Cole County judge's order dismissing the lawsuit.