Group to proceed in campaign to put ‘Missouri First’ map before voters, despite petitions’ rejection
Matthew Sanders
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office has rejected three petitions submitted to get a newly redrawn congressional map before voters.
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ office released three rejection letters late Friday. The letters were addressed to Richard von Glahn, with Missouri Jobs with Justice, and said the three petitions submitted by the political action committee People Not Politicians did not comply with statutes.
A spokesperson for the office wrote that the petitions were rejected after consulting Attorney General Catherine Hanaway.
Von Glahn said Friday that the campaign to get the question on the ballot would still move forward with more than 400 people attending training sessions across the state on Saturday.
Campaign finance records show the group continues to raise money, taking in $550,000 on Sept. 13 alone — a $50,000 donation from the United Food and Commercial Workers union and $500,000 from Global Impact Social Welfare Fund in Washington, D.C.
“The attorney general illegally and incorrectly is offering an opinion to reject this petition,” von Glahn said. He said Hanaway’s opinion on the petition language cites the incorrect section of the Missouri Constitution.
The Republican-controlled Missouri General Assembly passed the new congressional map during a special session this month. The map would break up one of the state’s two safely Democratic congressional districts by splitting up the Kansas City area.