51黑料

Perhaps it was a coincidence. Harris said he had actually signed a contract with the company more than a month before.

But it was also a signal.

With Lt. Gov. Mike Parson moving into the governor鈥檚 mansion, Harris was about to up his profile.

A longtime Jefferson City political operative, Harris has Parson鈥檚 ear.

He was one of his key campaign consultants in the 2016 election and has still been paid a monthly retainer by Parson鈥檚 campaign since the election. On the day of Parson鈥檚 big move, Harris was the go-to quote about the new governor in newspapers across the country. He was offering advice to Parson and positioning himself as a key player.

A bigger payday was on the way.

And Harris needs it.

The top adviser to the new governor owes nearly $300,000 in tax debt to the federal government.

In April last year, the Internal Revenue Service placed a lien on the Jefferson City home owned by Harris and his wife for more than $142,000 in back taxes. In January of this year, the IRS placed a second lien, this one for more than $222,000.

In an interview, Harris confirmed the debt.

鈥淚鈥檓 getting a loan and will have it paid off in two to three weeks,鈥� he said. 鈥淚, like other business people, sometimes make mistakes. I have a liability and I鈥檓 making payments.鈥�

The debt, according to documents Harris shared with the Post-Dispatch, is down to $295,000.

The tax debts are from 2015 and 2016. And they aren鈥檛 the first time the lobbyist and political consultant has faced such a debt.

In 2014, Harris paid off nearly $175,000 in debt from tax years 2009 and 2010.

He declined to describe the circumstances that led to the unpaid taxes.

But, he said, 鈥淚 understand the concern.鈥�

If Harris is to have an influence in the new governor鈥檚 administration, either as a consultant or a lobbyist, having such a debt could be a magnet to bad actors seeking undue influence in the new Parson Administration.

It is not 鈥� minus the Russian meddling and federal investigation 鈥� unlike the situation of New York attorney Michael Cohen, who after Donald Trump became president for advice from corporations on how to influence the new president.

In short order, Cohen accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from American corporations seeking his advice and guidance in the Age of Trump.

It is not unusual in Missouri for certain lobbyists to gain favor as an administration turns. In fact, the last time there was a big controversy about a close aide to the governor steering lobbying contracts to a specific firm, Harris was involved.

In 2006, Harris was the appointments director for Gov. Matt Blunt. It鈥檚 a gatekeeper role that helps determine which donors and other people get positions in the administration. At the time, Harris was accused of shepherding lucrative contracts to lobbyist Jewell Patek, who employed Harris鈥� fianc茅e, Jillian Lair. They are now married. Harris was also implicated in allegations that he was influencing the awarding of driver鈥檚 license fee-office contracts to his allies.

One of those allies, state Rep. Nathan Cooper, R-Cape Girardeau, had paid Harris鈥� $10,000 in consulting fees around the same time some of Cooper鈥檚 law clients received fee-office contracts. Harris and Cooper met at 51黑料 University, where they both attended college.

Cooper later and served a year in federal prison.

He鈥檚 out now, and on the day Parson was elevated to the governor鈥檚 chair, Cooper was on the phone with his old friend, Harris, offering advice.

The old gang was back together.

The FBI investigated the fee-office scheme in 2006. No charges were brought.

But amid the allegations that year, Harris resigned from his position with the governor鈥檚 office. He started his new firm, the J. Harris Co., that month.

Harris told me the Parson administration was not aware of his debt.

Through a spokesman, the governor鈥檚 office confirmed that it was 鈥渃ompletely unaware鈥� of Harris鈥� tax debt. The governor鈥檚 office said it would seek counsel to develop standards to remove potential conflicts of interest in the future.

Harris played down his influence with Parson, despite still being on the campaign payroll.

鈥淚 have not been in the Capitol office since he took over,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淗e has an excellent team around him.鈥�