Supreme Court puts hold on 2025 Missouri congressional map

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The U.S. Supreme Court has overruled a lower court's order requiring the state to use a 2025 congressional map meant to gain an extra Republican seat in the House.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh granted a stay of the order issued earlier this week, according to a Supreme Court docket entry. The stay is granted while the case goes through the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The decision came less than an hour before the Secretary of State was set to appear before the Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday morning to argue why he should not be held in contempt for directing the use of the 2025 congressional map for the November election.

The Missouri Supreme Court has ordered Hoskins to appear by 10 a.m. Thursday to defend himself against People Not Politicians' claims that he is in contempt of court for using the 2025 map despite being ordered to use the 2022 map.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who represents Hoskins, filed a motion with the Eastern District Court to prevent the Missouri Supreme Court from finding Hoskins in contempt. Federal Eastern District of Missouri Judge Stephen Clark announced Wednesday that he will not block Hoskins' contempt hearing.

Clark granted a temporary restraining order Tuesday to Hoskins in a lawsuit brought by candidates, preventing Hoskins from using any map except for the "Missouri First" map for the November election. Clark ruled that the primary election is integral to the voting process and that switching maps before the general election would cancel primary votes.

The Missouri General Assembly sent a letter to Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Powell Wednesday night asking the court not to take further action until "guidance is received from a higher court." Members of the General Assembly have threatened impeachment proceedings against the justices if Hoskins is held in contempt.

On Wednesday, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals turned down People Not Politicians' appeal to overrule a federal district judge's decision ordering Missouri officials to use the 2025 map in the November election.

A spokesperson for People Not Politicians said about an hour later that they had submitted an appeal of that decision to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

As of Thursday morning, Hoskins and Rep. Bob Onder both filed their response in the United States Supreme Court case. A brief amicus curiae was also filed by the Department of Justice in support of denying the stay requested by People Not Politicians.