Nicole Galloway

Nicole Galloway (born June 13, 1982)[1] is an American politician, who has served as State Auditor of Missouri since 2015, and is a candidate for governor of Missouri in the 2020 election.[2] Galloway, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected to a full term as State Auditor of Missouri in the 2018 election on November 6, 2018, winning by 135,571 votes, or nearly 6 percent, with 50.4% of the vote to her Republican opponent Sandra McDowell's 44.6%.[3] Galloway was appointed as State Auditor of Missouri by Governor Jay Nixon on April 14, 2015, following the resignation of John Watson.[4] John Watson was appointed as State Auditor following the death of Tom Schweich in February 2015, before Galloway's appointment as State Auditor nearly two months later.[5] Following the defeat of U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill in the 2018 U.S. Senate election, Galloway became the only female state officeholder and the only Democratic statewide elected official in Missouri.[6]

Nicole Galloway
38th Auditor of Missouri
Assumed office
April 27, 2015
GovernorJay Nixon
Eric Greitens
Mike Parson
Preceded byJon Watson
Personal details
Born
Nicole Marie Rogge

(1982-06-13) June 13, 1982
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Jon Galloway
Children3
EducationMissouri University of Science and Technology (BS)
University of Missouri (MBA)
WebsiteGovernment website

On August 12, 2019, Galloway announced that she was entering the Democratic primary in the 2020 Missouri gubernatorial election. If elected, Galloway would become the first female governor of Missouri.[7]

Boone County Treasurer

Galloway served as Treasurer of Boone County, Missouri from April 2011 until her appointment as State Auditor four years later. As County Treasurer, she managed a $100 million investment portfolio and issued all general obligation and revenue bonds for the county. Galloway developed a debt issuance policy in 2012 that provided increased transparency. In 2011, Boone County became the first Missouri county to maintain an online search and claim system for unclaimed property. Galloway's office distributed about $20,000 in unclaimed property in 2014.[8]

During her service as County Treasurer, Galloway served on the Missouri Technology Corporation and Missouri County Employees’ Retirement Fund.[9] As a board member for retirement fund board she was the leader for expanding benefits to members’ same-sex spouses.[10]

Following Galloway's resignation as Boone County Treasurer on April 27, 2015, Kay Murray was appointed as interim County Treasurer.[11]

Missouri State Auditor

Galloway has said her goals as State Auditor of Missouri are to hold her office and others to the highest professional standards and being accountable to Missourians.[12]

Upon taking the oath of office in 2015, Galloway said one of her first priorities as State Auditor of Missouri would be cybersecurity by making protection of Missourians' private data part of audit procedures for the State Auditor's Office.[13]

As State Auditor of Missouri, Galloway manages about 115 employees. The State Auditor's staff is made up of CPAs, with about 65 percent of all audit staff having at least one professional license, certification or advanced degree. Employment as an auditor with the State Auditor's Office qualifies as mandatory experience required for licensure by the Missouri State Board of Accountancy as a certified public accountant.[14]

Additional responsibilities of the State Auditor's Office include serving as the independent, professional watchdog for government. The State Auditor's Office works to ensure the proper use of public funds and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Missouri government by performing audits of state agencies, boards and commissions, the circuit court system, the counties in Missouri that do not have a county auditor, and other political subdivisions upon petition by the voters. These audits examine financial accountability, waste, opportunities for fraud, and whether government organizations and programs are achieving their purposes and operating economically and efficiently.[14]

Calloway County

On September 24, 2018, Auditor Galloway released an audit showing $300,000 missing from the Callaway County Collector’s Office from January 2016 to March 2018. The former collector pleaded guilty in federal court to embezzling the funds.[15]

On March 4, 2019, former Callaway County Collector Pamela Oestreich was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison without parole for embezzling more than $300,000 from taxpayers in Callaway County.[16]

Putnam County Hospital

In 2017, Auditor Galloway released an audit that uncovered a billing scheme in which Putnam County Memorial Hospital billed insurance companies for lab services conducted across the country. The questionable activity began in September 2016, after the Putnam County Hospital Board hired David Byrns and his company, Hospital Partners Inc., to take over day-to-day management of the hospital. Her report uncovered $90 million in inappropriate lab billings. The findings of the audit were covered by national news outlets and resulted in calls for a federal investigation into hospital billing schemes.[17]

Following the audit, dozens of major insurers banded together to file lawsuits against affiliated hospitals in Missouri and other states, demanding hundreds of millions in restitution. The lawsuits describe the lab-billing operation as a "widespread fraudulent scheme".[18]

Audit of City of Viburnum

On June 21, 2017, Auditor Galloway released an audit showing that the city clerk of Viburnum, Missouri stole $100,000.[19] Dana Mayberry served as the Viburnum City Clerk for 14 years. The city identified inconsistencies in accounts she oversaw after she lost her reelection bid in April 2016. At that time, most of the city and municipal division records disappeared in the Iron County town of less than 1,000 residents. Mayberry admitted to stealing city funds, after which the mayor notified the State Auditor’s Office. An audit began in August 2016 after the Viburnum Board of Aldermen authorized one. The examination began to uncover a scheme in which the former clerk adjusted customer utility accounts and then destroyed records and other evidence. The former city Clerk was charged with receiving stolen property, a Class B Felony as a result of the audit.[20] On August 15, 2018, the former city Clerk was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay the City of Viburnum $100,000.[21]

Missouri Alliance for Freedom v. Galloway

In May 2017, the 501(c)(4) non-profit Missouri Alliance for Freedom submitted multiple open-records requests to the Office of State Auditor. The requests sought a wide variety of communications, including those specifically concerning the auditor’s scrutiny of the Missouri Department of Revenue.[22] The Auditor's office responded that non-substantial messages that relate to the office's business are not required to be produced in sunshine law requests.[23] The State Auditor's Office produced approximately 47,000 pages at no charge to Missouri Alliance for Freedom, including 254 screenshots of text messages to and from the State Auditor.[24]

In July 2017, Missouri Alliance for Freedom sued the State Auditor's Office. The legal team working for Missouri Alliance for Freedom was Graves Garrett.[25]

In November 2017 the Missouri Alliance for Freedom filed a formal complaint with Republican Missouri attorney general Josh Hawley alleging that Galloway "unlawfully withheld public records from her State-provided cell phone."[23] In February 2018, attorney general Hawley issued a report that found Galloway complied with the Missouri Sunshine Law.[26]

After the Attorney General's report on February 7, 2018, the judge dismissed the majority of the claims against the State Auditor's Office, and ordered Missouri Alliance for Freedom re-plead its claims.[27]

The Missouri Alliance for Freedom alleged that Galloway had her cell phone automatically delete text messages after 30 days. Because Galloway’s office had taken more than 30 days to respond to previous sunshine requests, it was unclear if Galloway’s office knowingly violated or subverted the Missouri sunshine law.[23]

Circuit Judge Jon Beetem ruled against Missouri Alliance for Freedom on January 28, 2019, ending the suit in favor of Galloway. The judgement stated, "The Court finds in favor of Defendant State Auditor Nicole Galloway on all claims..."[28]

2018 election
Main article: 2018 Missouri State Auditor election

Galloway, who was appointed to the post of Missouri State Auditor by then-Governor Jay Nixon following a vacancy in the office in 2015, won election to a full term as Missouri State Auditor on November 6, 2018. Her term will expire in January 2023.

Missouri State Auditor election, 2018[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nicole Galloway 1,199,346 50.3%
Republican Sandra McDowell 1,063,775 44.6%
Libertarian Sean O'Toole 51,652 2.2%
Constitution Jacob Luetkemeyer 48,534 2.0%

Gubernatorial campaign

In August 2019, Galloway announced that she was seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2020 Missouri gubernatorial election and officially won the primary on August 4th, 2020[30]. Galloway faces incumbent Republican governor Mike Parson in what is anticipated to be a close race.

Parson, a former lieutenant governor who assumed the post following the resignation of Eric Greitens in 2018, announced in September 2019 that he would seek a full term as Governor.[31] In her announcement video, Galloway emphasized her record in exposing public corruption, pledged to reduce the influence of special interest groups on the Missouri legislature, and attacked the Parson administration for its efforts to curb the effects of a government transparency initiative that was passed by statewide ballot in 2018.[32] Galloway is currently the only Democratic politician holding statewide office in Missouri,[33] as well as the only female officeholder.[34]

Personal life

Galloway holds a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics and economics from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Missouri. She is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner.[35] A native of Fenton, Missouri, she lives in Columbia, Missouri with her husband, Jon Galloway, and their three sons.[36] Jon served as press secretary to then-State Treasurer Clint Zweifel.[37] Galloway is Roman Catholic, and graduated high school from Ursuline Academy in Oakland, Missouri.[38] In August 2016, she announced that she was pregnant with her third child, due in January 2017, and was the first statewide officeholder in Missouri history to become pregnant while in office.[39] Her son Joseph Nickels Galloway was born on January 6, 2017.[40]

References
  1. "State Auditors Historical Listing | Nicole Galloway, CPA". Auditor.mo.gov. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  2. "Galloway plays up 'watchdog' role in video announcing run for Missouri governor". Kansas City Star. August 12, 2019.
  3. Erickson, Kurt. "Democrat Galloway fends off GOP challenger in race for Missouri auditor". stltoday.com. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  4. "State Auditors Historical Listing". The Office of Missouri State Auditor. The Office of Missouri State Auditor. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  5. "Nixon picks Boone County treasurer for state auditor job". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  6. Erickson, Kurt. "Democrat Galloway fends off GOP challenger in race for Missouri auditor". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  7. "Democrat Galloway launches Missouri gubernatorial campaign". AP NEWS. August 12, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  8. "Galloway plans to bring innovation, energy to auditor role". Columbia Daily Tribune. April 26, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  9. "20 Under 40: Nicole Galloway". Columbia Business Times. December 23, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  10. "Pension system for most county employees will recognize gay marriages". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 9, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  11. Schmitt, William (April 23, 2015). "Boone County ready to name Kay Murray interim treasurer while awaiting governor's appointment". The Columbia Missourian.
  12. "Nixon taps Boone County official to be new state auditor". KRCU 90.9. April 15, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  13. "Galloway sworn in as state auditor". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 27, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "Ex-Callaway County Collector admits to embezzlement". 93.9 The Eagle. September 25, 2018.
  16. "Former Callaway County collector sentenced for embezzling almost $300,000". Columbia Missourian. March 4, 2019.
  17. "Auditor issues report on Putnam hospital". Fulton Sun. July 12, 2018.
  18. "The collapse of a hospital empire — and the small towns left in the wreckage". St. Louis Post Dispatch. August 25, 2019.
  19. "Small town Missouri city clerk accused of stealing $100,000". Missourinet. June 21, 207.
  20. "Audit shows improvement for city of Viburnum after former clerk charged for stealing". KFVS TV. June 19, 2017.
  21. "Former Viburnum City Clerk Sentenced for Felony". KREI Radio. August 15, 2018.
  22. "GOP-leaning group files open records lawsuit against Missouri auditor, senator". Stltoday.com. July 19, 2017.
  23. Schmitt, Will. "Did Missouri auditor allow her text messages about government business to be deleted?". Springfield News-Leader.
  24. "FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW and JUDGMENT" (PDF). Case.net. January 28, 2019.
  25. "Arguments made in lawsuit alleging Missouri Auditor Galloway violated Sunshine Law". Missourinet. August 29, 2018.
  26. "FINAL REPORT: AGO INQUIRY INTO SUNSHINE LAW COMPLAINT FILED BY MISSOURI ALLIANCE FOR FREEDOM" (PDF). Missouri Attorney General's Office. February 1, 2018.
  27. "Missouri Alliance for Freedom v Galloway order". State Auditor's Office. February 7, 2018.
  28. "Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Judgement" (PDF). Case.net. January 28, 2019.
  29. "State of Missouri General Election Unofficial Results". Missouri Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  30. "Galloway, Parson win nominations for Missouri governor's race". ksdk.com. Associated Press. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  31. Jack Suntrup. "Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a cattle-farming former sheriff, announces bid for 4-year term". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  32. "Democrat Galloway launches Missouri gubernatorial campaign". AP NEWS. August 12, 2019.
  33. Fenske, Sarah. "Nicole Galloway Wins Missouri Auditor Race, a Lone Democrat in a Red State". RiverFront Times. RiverFront Times. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  34. Fenske, Sarah. "Missouri Women Are Totally Underrepresented in Politics". Riverfront Times. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  35. "Biography | Missouri State Auditor". Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  36. "Meet Nicole | Nicole Galloway". Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  37. "Missouri Replaces State Auditor Who Committed Suicide". Governing. April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  38. "Notable Alumnae - Ursuline Academy | Girls Catholic High School Kirkwood". Ursuline Academy | Girls Catholic High School Kirkwood. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  39. Holleman, Joe (August 12, 2016). "Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway making state history". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  40. "Statement from Auditor Galloway on the birth of her son | Missouri State Auditor". Retrieved July 20, 2020.
Political offices
Preceded by
John Watson
Acting		 Auditor of Missouri
2015–present		 Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Chris Koster		 Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri
2020		 Most recent
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