By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Missouri is joining several other states in suing the Pentagon over the planned closure of National Guard bases.
The Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC Commission, voted Friday to shut down the Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Fighter Wing that's based at Lambert Airport.
Governor Matt Blunt today urged state Attorney General Jay Nixon to proceed with litigation against Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Spence Jackson is a spokesman for Blunt.
"The governor, as the commander in chief of the state's national guard, has to be consulted and has to give his consideration before a move like this is made," Jackson said. "The governor wasn't consulted at any time by the commission or by the Department of Defense."
Illinois, Tennessee and Pennsylvania have filed similar suits.
A federal judge also ruled Friday the Pentagon does not have the authority to dissolve a Pennsylvania Air National Guard division without the governor's approval.