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Judge limits Biden administration contact with social media platforms in censorship case
A federal judge on Tuesday prohibited Biden administration officials from communicating with social media platforms about “protected speech,” a ruling emerging from litigation originally filed by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. The ruling, by Judge Terry A. Doughty of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, granted a temporary injunction barring […]
Sunshine Law violations by AG’s office under Josh Hawley will cost Missouri $240K
A Cole County judge on Wednesday ordered the state to pay more than $240,000 in legal fees as part of a ruling that found the attorney general’s office “knowingly and purposefully” violated open records law while it was being run by now-U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley. “A big win for transparency, election fairness and the rule […]
PAC supporting Missouri attorney general candidate shifts its money to Club for Growth
A political action committee created to support Will Scharf’s bid for Missouri attorney general has transferred nearly all of its money to a different PAC tied to the anti-tax nonprofit Club for Growth. Scharf is challenging Attorney General Andrew Bailey in the 2024 GOP primary. To boost his campaign, his supporters established a PAC called […]
‘Black hole’: Public faces long delays obtaining records from Missouri attorney general
When Andrew Bailey took over the Missouri attorney general’s office from Eric Schmitt in January, he inherited more than 200 unfulfilled records requests submitted by members of the public. Six months later, that backlog continues to grow. The result: Missourians seeking public records from Bailey’s office face delays that can stretch up to a year. It’s […]
Judge tosses push to sanction auditor over report critical of Josh Hawley
A Cole County judge on Thursday ruled the state board that regulates accountants has no oversight over the Missouri auditor’s office. The ruling came as result of a lawsuit filed in 2021 by then-Auditor Nicole Galloway after she faced sanctions from the Missouri Board of Accountancy over audits criticizing Sen. Josh Hawley’s use of public […]
Judge hears arguments over Missouri AG push to inflate cost of abortion initiative petition
Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s attempt to increase the cost of an abortion-rights initiative petition was unprecedented and illegal, lawyers for the Missouri ACLU and state auditor’s office argued Wednesday in Cole County Court. ”No attorney general has ever attempted to exercise this level of discretion,” said Robert Tillman, deputy general counsel for Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick. […]
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell enters Missouri’s U.S. Senate race
Wesley Bell, who shocked the Missouri political establishment in 2018 by defeating a seven-term incumbent to become St. Louis County prosecutor, announced Wednesday he was running for U.S. Senate. Bell, 48, served as a judge and public defender before being elected to the Ferguson City Council in 2015 — just months after a police officer […]
GOP state Senator launches campaign to become Missouri’s top election official
State Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican and member of the now-defunct Senate conservative caucus, announced Tuesday he would seek his party’s nomination for Missouri secretary of state. He’s hoping to replace Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is serving his second term and decided against seeking re-election in order to run for governor. The […]
Company that makes opioid treatment settles with Missouri for $1.8 million
A company that makes a common treatment for opioid addiction has agreed to settle an anti-trust lawsuit filed by 41 states in 2016 for $102.5 million, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced Friday. Missouri will get $1.8 million from the settlement. The company, Indivior Inc., manufactures Suboxone, which is designed to dampen cravings for stronger […]
Missouri AG had no authority to inflate cost of abortion amendment, auditor argues
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey overstepped his authority when he demanded changes to the cost estimate of an abortion-rights initiative petition, state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick argued in a legal brief filed in Cole County Court last week. Fitzpatrick, Bailey and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, all Republicans, were sued last month by the Missouri ACLU over […]
Missouri governor appoints staffer to join utility oversight board
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday selected his policy director to join the state commission that regulates investor-owned electric, natural gas, steam, water and sewer utilities. Kayla Hahn will take over for Ryan Silvey, who announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down from the Missouri Public Service Commission. Since 2018, when Parson […]
Appeals court says government-funded nonprofit not subject to Missouri Sunshine Law
At a 2014 gathering of licensed drug counselors at the Tan-Tar-A resort in Osage Beach, Chuck Daugherty delivered a warning. Marijuana legalization activists in Missouri, he said, were using tactics akin to 1960s radicals to advance their cause. Daugherty is executive director of ACT Missouri, a nonprofit established in 1991 to promote drug and alcohol awareness. […]