Elections
Election experts: Still more to be done on state, federal elections before 2022 midterms
A panel of experts on election security hosted a conversation on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Their goal was to provide an update on how election security had been updated or improved since the 2020 election. But really, their hope was to not let history repeat itself. The four […]
Biden in Jan. 6 speech decries ‘web of lies’ created by Trump about 2020 election
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday warned of the dangers of a collapse of American democracy, standing in a historic chamber in the U.S. Capitol that was besieged by an angry mob of pro-Trump supporters who attempted to halt the certification of the 2020 presidential election. “We are in the battle for the soul […]
Jay Ashcroft pushes for governor to call special elections for vacant Missouri House seats
Gov. Mike Parson’s refusal to call special elections for six vacancies in the Missouri House is drawing criticism from the state’s top election official. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who like Parson is a Republican, sent a letter to the governor Wednesday pointing to a state law requiring special elections be called “without delay” when […]
After quiet year, Rex Sinquefield donations start flowing in Missouri again
With the 2022 statewide elections just around the corner, Missouri’s most prolific political donor is breaking out his checkbook once again. Rex Sinquefield, a retired investor from St. Louis, didn’t make a single political contribution in 2021 until Dec. 11 Since then, he has donated $675,000. Most of that comes from two $250,000 checks — […]
Missouri legislature set to convene with packed agenda — and continued GOP infighting
Missouri lawmakers will return to the Capitol at noon on Wednesday faced with a lengthy to-do list and still simmering dysfunction. And while most legislative sessions ease slowly into gear, that won’t be the case in 2022. Or rather, it can’t be the case. Lawmakers face fast-approaching deadlines to pass a supplemental budget and work […]
Few public comments offered on Missouri House redistricting plan
The only solution offered Monday for the disagreement over Jackson County’s districts in the Missouri House would end the use of Troost Avenue as a boundary for seats in western Kansas City. While the major road was once a useful boundary to design districts likely to be represented by Black Missourians, Kansas City resident Michael […]
Schumer says U.S. Senate to consider changing the filibuster if voting rights stalls
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned on Monday that the Senate is prepared to debate changes in the filibuster if Republicans continue to block the advancement of voting rights legislation. In a sternly worded letter to other senators, the New York Democrat set a deadline of Jan. 17 for the chamber to consider revising the […]
A year after Jan. 6 Capitol riot, a key purveyor of the ‘big lie’ is heading to Missouri
The night before the anniversary of a mob incited by false claims of a stolen election storming the U.S. Capitol, one of the main peddlers of the so-called “big lie” is scheduled to be in Missouri. Rep. Ann Kelley, R-Lamar, sent out invitations late last month for a dinner in Jefferson City with Douglas Frank, […]
Candidates fighting 2020 misinformation run to administer local elections
As a chemist and immigrant from Vietnam, Linh Nguyen never thought she could have a role in U.S. politics. But then Donald Trump was elected president in 2016 and he “unknowingly inspired minority leaders, women of color like me, to be more actively engaged in politics,” she said. She joined the nonpartisan League of Women […]
Science backs mask mandates. But in Missouri and elsewhere, they’re politically toxic
Opening weekend at Busch Stadium last April saw the St. Louis Cardinals start their season in front of socially-distanced seating pods of about 14,500 fans, about a third of the stadium’s capacity. Masks were required inside the stadium, concessions were cashless and fans couldn’t bring bags with them. The goal: Bring back baseball, but do […]
Rex Sinquefield drops $250K into GOP primary for Missouri auditor
Republican Scott Fitzpatrick’s campaign for Missouri auditor got a big boost Thursday, with megadonor Rex Sinquefield cutting a $250,000 check to a political action committee supporting him in the GOP primary. Sinquefield, a retired investor from St. Louis, is by far the most prolific donor in recent Missouri political history. Over the last decade, he’s […]
How an election denier’s fan club got its start in the states
WASHINGTON — The suddenly famous election denier behind the circulation of a PowerPoint filled with plans to overturn the 2020 election has a long history of election subversion attempts in multiple states. Retired Army Col. Phil Waldron also has close ties to former President Donald Trump’s legal team and served as one of its key […]