Blunt's former deputy counsel Scott Eckersley filed the suit Wednesday. Blunt fired Eckersley last September after he repeatedly told Blunt's aides that the governor's office was deleting e-mails in violation of state law.

The suit alleges that Blunt's aides repeatedly told general counsels to destroy e-mails so they could not be turned over to the media and the public.

The suit says "All emails should be deleted to ensure they did not have to provide such damaging evidence to the news media or the public in the future". It says Eckersley informed Blunt's aides that "E-mails were stored for a period of several years after deletion by the individual user and were available even if deleted by that user."

The suit then claims that Blunt and his aides "Ordered that all these back-up e-mail computer tapes be destroyed". Finally, it says an aide falsely alleged Eckersley was fired for "poor work performance, routine tardiness, insubordination, and threatening a supervisor".

When asked about the case at a press conference today, the governor ducked out on the questions.

"We follow the sunshine law and, again, retain and release more emails than any other elected official in the state of Missouri. Thank you all very much," Blunt said as he walked away from the press conference.

"So the reporters who asked for the emails got the emails," a reporter asked Blunt as he was walking away. "Governor, that's only two questions on this topic."

The governor only answered a couple questions before walking out.

After the news conference, KOMU spoke with both the Missouri Republican and Democratic parties to get their reactions to the lawsuit. The Republicans see the suit as a political ploy by the Democrats while the Democrats feel Blunt needs to step up and take responsibility.

"This lawsuit is politically motivated, has nothing to do with the individual involved, it has to do with Jay Nixon, for a lack of things to talk about to attack the governor," said Paul Sloca the spokesman of the Missouri Republican party. "So, no matter which way this lawsuit comes out, I think the people are gong to see it as typical dirty campaign politics."

"It's now time for Governor Blunt to come forward, tell why he broke the law, why they covered it up, and then why they went after the very whistle blower that was trying to point out that the lawbreaking was taking place," said Jack Cardetti, the Missouri Democratic party spokesman. "Governor Blunt has a lot of explaining to do here and the earlier he does it, I think the better he'd be with Missourians. Unfortunately, it looks like he's trying to hide behind his lawyers right now."

The plaintiff Scott Eckersley is represented by Strong, Garner, and Bauer in Springfield. The firm won't comment on pending litigation, but believes the allegations will hold up in court.