JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon is still officially on duty even at political fundraisers for his 2008 gubernatorial campaign and so can commute to them in his state-owned car.

But he repays to the state the vehicle expenses ($37 in August) of commuting to the office, a Nixon spokesman told the Kansas City Star recently.

The revelations surfaced following a mini-scandal last week, when Missouri Republicans accused Nixon of using his state-issued vehicle to attend campaign fundraisers. Nixon is likely the only Democratic challenger to incumbent GOP Gov. Matt Blunt in next year's ballot.

Nixon's office at first countered that Blunt also travels to fundraisers in a taxpayer-funded vehicle with security detail. It was later shown that the State Highway Patrol is obliged to provide both to the Governor whenever he travels.

The AG's people also claimed Nixon reimbursed the state for private use of his vehicle but later admitted that he did so only for commuting to and from work, the Star reported.

Road trips to political events around the state, for whatever reason, don't count as personal use of the vehicle. "It's part of his being attorney general," Nixon spokesman Scott Holste told the Star.