FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) Former Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon delivered a speech Wednesday afternoon at Westminster College as part of the annual Hancock Symposium. His speech focused on pressing national issues including political violence, democracy and misinformation, with a strong emphasis on “justice for all.” The Hancock Symposium is a two-day event held on the Westminster
Continue Reading
Both of Missouri’s U.S. senators are telling the Trump administration that a Missouri location would be a great place to train new ICE officers. Sen. Josh Hawley wrote a letter last week saying Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County would be an ideal place to train ICE agents. In his letter, Hawley noted the agency’s
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Each of Missouri’s U.S. senators is asking the Trump administration to make Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County an ICE training center. Sen. Josh Hawley sent a letter last week to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlighting the fort as a potential training spot for immigration agents. “To facilitate the swift and
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Advocacy groups are taking two routes to block potential redistricting, which was approved Friday by Missouri’s general assembly and is awaiting Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s signature. The NAACP sued Kehoe, Senate Pro-Tem Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) and Speaker of the House Jon Patterson (R-Lees Summit) around the start of the special session
Continue Reading
The Republican-dominated Missouri General Assembly achieved exactly what they’d hoped to in last week’s special session. The supermajority passed both a new congressional map and initiative petition reform despite Democratic opposition in each chamber. Senate Republicans even cut off debate early, using their majority to prevent any long filibustering of special session legislation. The new
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) People Not Politicians, a non-partisan organization, filed a referendum on Friday, aimed at giving voters the chance to approve or deny Gov. Mike Kehoe’s “Missouri First” map. This is the third challenge to the governor’s map. Lawmakers are calling this referendum a ‘citizen’s veto.’ Sen. Doug Beck (D-St. Louis County) said at
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Republican senators passed a new congressional map and reformed the way citizens can get constitutional issues on ballots, over Democrats’ objections, during a special session in the Capitol on Friday. The vote was 21-11 in favor of a new congressional map submitted by Gov. Mike Kehoe and titled the “Missouri
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Senate committee passed both special session bills, redistricting and initiative petition reform, with a vote of 6-2. The two Democratic members on the committee offered amendments to the proposed bills. One amendment would have kept U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s (D-MO) district contained to Kansas City. Cleaver testified in opposition to
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former Missouri House speaker who resigned in disgrace a decade ago admitted Thursday to fraudulently getting a COVID-19 pandemic loan. John J. Diehl Jr., 60, pleaded guilty in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. Federal prosecutors accused Diehl of using money from a COVID-19 business loan to pay for
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Senate started the next step to passing initiative petition reform and Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Missouri “First Map” on Wednesday after the House of Representatives gave its stamp of approval. The Senate passed new rules for the special session, but not without pushback and discussion from the Democrats. Many senators
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A flurry of reactions occurred in social media and other places after the death of conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk was announced. Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA – which is a political group aimed at promoting conservative causes on college campuses – was shot to death Wednesday while speaking
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) will be pausing all public events, including town halls, after Wednesday’s shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kirk, a controversial figure and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during an event Wednesday at a Utah college. Alford – who represents Missouri’s fourth district
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri House has sent the Senate a new congressional map that could eliminate a safe Democratic seat. The House approved the new map, which carves up U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Fifth District, on a 90-65 vote early Tuesday afternoon. Earlier in the morning, the House also sent a plan to
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) House Republicans signaled Monday that they’re willing to set a higher bar for measures to make the statewide ballot in Missouri and to redraw the state’s congressional map. The House voted 96-55 on a bill to reform the state’s initiative petition process, by which citizens can get questions onto the ballot.
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri’s new attorney general was sworn in behind closed doors Monday as her predecessor leaves for a new job in Washington, D.C. Catherine Hanaway was sworn in Monday morning during a private ceremony at the Missouri Supreme Court, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office says in a news release. Gov. Mike Kehoe
Continue Reading
The Missouri House of Representatives will gavel in Sunday evening for the final technical session before opening up the floor for special session debates on Monday.
Continue Reading
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Missouri lawmaker committee voted 10-4 to advance a new congressional map on Thursday afternoon. Gov. Mike Kehoe last week called for a special session to redraw district lines for the state’s representation in the U.S. House of Representatives after President Donald Trump had suggested doing so weeks ago. The map
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – The Missouri NAACP is suing Gov. Mike Kehoe to stop a special session on congressional redistricting, arguing that the move is unconstitutional and racially motivated. The NAACP and two Missourians, including a Columbia woman, filed the lawsuit Wednesday afternoon in Cole County. The group is seeking a temporary restraining order to
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Gov. Mike Kehoe is bringing lawmakers back to the Capitol for Wednesday’s special session to approve not just a new congressional map, but also a ballot measure that would reform Missouri’s initiative petition process. “For far too long, Missouri’s Constitution has been the victim of out-of-state special interests who deceive voters to
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri is now part of a multi-state attempt by the Department of Justice to access, physically inspect, and take physical custody of election equipment used in the 2020 November election. Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis said he was contacted about a week and a half ago by a Department of Justice official
Continue Reading