Gov. Matt Blunt today nominated James (Jim) R. Tweedy (D) from Bloomfield in the 8th Congressional District to serve on the Missouri Ethics Commission.

"I am pleased that Jim Tweedy has agreed to serve the citizens of Missouri as the newest member of the Missouri Ethics Commission," Gov. Blunt said.

Mr. Tweedy, 43 of Bloomfield, is a self employed attorney. He holds a bachelor's degree in agriculture economics and juris doctorate from the University of Missouri. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on March 15, 2012.

Unlike other state boards and commissions state law prescribes a complex process for filling vacancies on the state ethics commission. Major political party congressional organizations must be consulted and given time to submit names of individuals they would like to serve on the commission. In the absence of those recommendations the governor may nominate individuals based on the vacancies that exist within Missouri's nine congressional districts.

The law requires nominees to submit financial disclosure statements and four year histories of campaign contributions in order to be eligible for consideration. Upon receipt of the required filings, the Governor's Office will make an appointment to fill the final vacancy on the commission.

The ethics commission receives and reviews complaints alleging violations of the conflict of interest and lobbying statutes and the campaign finance disclosure statute. They also review and audit reports required by the campaign finance disclosure law, the financial interest disclosure laws and the lobbying registration and reporting laws and provide information and assistance to lobbyists, elected and appointed officials and the general public.

In 2006, Blunt became the first governor in Missouri history to ban gifts from lobbyists to any employee of the governor's office. In his State of the State address this year, Gov. Blunt urged the legislature to apply this ban on lobbyists' gifts to the entire executive branch.