Missouri court opens contempt probe into Republican official over redistricting fight
The no-holds-barred fight over congressional maps in Missouri has reached a new level of intensity with the state’s high court opening a contempt probe into Secretary of State Denny Hoskins.The Missouri Supreme Court late on Tuesday issued an order asking Hoskins, a Republican, to explain “why he should not be held in contempt” for violating a ruling last week that said the state cannot use a newly drawn GOP map.Despite the ruling, Hoskins continued to push to use the new map.The court also ordered Hoskins to appear in person when the judges hold a hearing in the case on Thursday.Hoskins indicated in a post on X that he would not back down.“I look forward to my day in court,” he said.The state court order came after a flurry of court activity on Tuesday.First, the U.S.Supreme Court rejected a last-ditch appeal from Hoskins seeking to use the new map, which seeks to eliminate a Democratic-held congressional seat in the state.Soon after, a federal judge in Missouri issued a new ruling saying the state is required to use the new map, setting up a dispute between federal and state courts.
Litigation in that case continues and could soon reach the U.S.Supreme Court again.
The 2025 Republican redistricting plan, part of a wave of redistricting encouraged by President Donald Trump, sought to eliminate one of the state’s two Democratic-held seats, currently held by Rep.Emanuel Cleaver.Should the Missouri Supreme Court ruling remain in effect, a map drawn in 2022, with six Republican-held seats and two Democratic-held seats, would be in place for the general election.The Republican-led legislature redrew the map for the November elections, seeking to eliminate one of those Democratic seats.The legal fight was kickstarted when a group called People Not Politicians Missouri, led by activist Richard von Glahn, gathered signatures in support of a state referendum that would veto the Legislature’s map and put it on hold for the 2026 election while people voted on...