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With abortion fight likely looming, Missouri GOP looks to raise bar to change constitution
A handful of proposals to raise the state’s minimum wage have been submitted to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office to potentially put the issue on the 2024 ballot. Other proposals would guarantee paid sick leave for Missouri’s workers or establish ranked-choice voting. And rumblings of a possible constitutional amendment that would roll back Missouri’s […]
Stephen Webber launches campaign for Missouri Senate seat in Boone County
A former Democratic state lawmaker and Marine veteran announced Monday he was running for a Boone County-based seat in the Missouri Senate. Stephen Webber, who served eight years in the Missouri House representing Columbia, ran for the 19th Missouri Senate District in 2016 but lost to Republican Caleb Rowden in a district that included both […]
Democrat Lucas Kunce says he’ll challenge Josh Hawley in 2024 Missouri Senate race
Marine veteran Lucas Kunce announced Friday that he plans to challenge Republican Josh Hawley in the 2024 race for U.S. Senate in Missouri. Kunce, 40, chose the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection to make his announcement. Hawley received fierce criticism for his actions on the day of the insurrection, from pumping his […]
New Missouri House speaker says massive budget surplus should mean more tax cuts
Missouri’s top lawmaker opened the 2023 legislative session Wednesday by proclaiming that the state’s massive budget surplus should translate into more tax cuts. House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, noted that Missouri lawmakers approved a nearly $800 million tax cut in September. But with a projected state budget surplus of $6 billion, Plocher believes “there […]
Will Scharf puts $500,000 into his campaign for statewide office in Missouri
Republican Will Scharf has not yet formally declared which statewide office he plans to seek in 2024. But on Tuesday, the former assistant U.S. attorney and policy director in Gov. Eric Greitens’ brief administration donated $500,000 to his own campaign. Scharf, 36, is widely expected to run for attorney general. He was among the candidates […]
Independence lawyer tied to utility projects that drew FBI scrutiny indicted for tax evasion
An attorney and former elected official in Independence was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on felonies related to tax evasion. John C. Carnes, 67, was charged with one count of tax evasion, one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the IRS and seven counts of failure to pay taxes. He appeared in the […]
Missouri governor taps political newcomer to serve as next state treasurer
Gov. Mike Parson has named Vivek Malek to serve as state treasurer, the first Indian American to hold a statewide office in Missouri. Malek, 45, will replace Republican Scott Fitzpatrick, who was elected state auditor in November. “We interviewed a lot of great candidates for state treasurer, all of which have promising and rewarding careers […]
Mike Kehoe scores another $250,000 from Missouri mega donor Rex Sinquefield
For the second time in a year, the political action committee supporting Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s 2024 bid for Missouri governor has received a $250,000 check from the state’s most prolific donor. Rex Sinquefield, a retired investor from St. Louis, gave the same amount to Kehoe’s nearly one year ago. Over the last decade, Sinquefield […]
Andrew Bailey begins fundraising for Missouri AG campaign with help from lobbyist
Andrew Bailey has yet to form a political action committee. So when supporters of the man Gov. Mike Parson tapped to become Missouri’s next attorney general gather Wednesday to raise money for his 2024 campaign, they’ll be writing checks to one of a constellation of PACs affiliated with lobbyist Steve Tilley. Tilley, a former lawmaker […]
Anti-vaxxers seek to intervene in Missouri AG Eric Schmitt’s social media lawsuit
A quartet of vaccine skeptics who have each been accused for years of spreading medical misinformation is asking a judge to allow them to join Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit that alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies to suppress freedom of speech. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Joseph Mercola and Ty […]
Gov. Mike Parson picks staffer to replace Eric Schmitt as Missouri attorney general
A top staff member in the governor’s office will be Missouri’s next attorney general. Andrew Bailey, 41, who has served as general counsel for Gov. Mike Parson for the last year, will replace Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who was elected to the U.S. Senate earlier this month. Bailey will complete Schmitt’s term, which ends in […]
Missouri AG set to depose Anthony Fauci in social media lawsuit
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, is scheduled to be questioned under oath as part of a lawsuit alleging the federal government colluded with social media companies to suppress free speech, the Missouri attorney general’s office announced Tuesday. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry on Wednesday will […]