Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Supreme Court handed down its opinions on three cases it heard arguments from on Wednesday.
In the highly debated saga that had challenged the “Missouri First” congressional map that was signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe last year, the court ruled that People Not Politicians successfully made their arguments and will let Missouri voters decide on the map in November.
The congressional map created in 2022 would be in force for the upcoming November election.
The 2025 map, which broke up Congressional District 5 into three districts, was met with criticism with claim that it was gerrymandered in favor of Republicans ahead of the midterms.
A second case revolving around the number of signatures that were gathered for that petition was dismissed as a moot case because it was certified as sufficient.
“It [the ruling] simply reaffirms what we have said all along. We have the right to do a referendum and the law cannot go into effect until the people decide,” People Not Politicians Executive Director Richard von Glahn said.
According to the Supreme Court’s unanimous opinion, House Bill 1 or the “Missouri First” map was, “not the law and has never been the law.”
The court additionally pushed back against the state’s arguments that switching maps between the primary and general election would confuse voters, instead pointing a finger at Hoskins himself.
“These arguments are particularly misplaced given the secretary’s delay created the confusion, expense, and practical difficulties of which he complains,” according to the Supreme Court’s opinion.
Additionally, the court also unanimously agreed with Respect Missouri Voters to put Amendment 6 on the ballot. If approved, the amendment would strengthen Missouri’s initiative petition process and would increase the 50% requirement to at least 80% approval from the general assembly to overturn or change a voter-approved law.
The judges claimed Secretary of State Denny Hoskins did not have the authority to reject the group’s petition.
Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon told ABC 17 News in a text message that she expects an appeal to happen.
“I expect that they will appeal to the federal courts, but I don’t know that that will have any impact. The interpretation of the cases is pretty clear – Amendment 6 and Proposition 1 will appear on the ballot. We will use the old maps,” she wrote.
Shortly after, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced her intent to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
“Never before in American history has a court overturned a congressional map after a primary and before a general election. This unprecedented decision clearly violates federal law and has thrust our state into a full‑fledged constitutional crisis,” Hanaway was quoted in a statement. “Our office will move immediately to seek relief from SCOTUS. We are confident that the federal courts will not allow every Missouri voter to be disenfranchised—which is what today’s decision does.
Hoskins said that he will not be “intimidated” by the decision.
“Today’s Missouri Supreme Court rulings ignite nothing short of a Constitutional crisis. No court has ever rejected a congressional map that had already been used in an election, as the Missouri First Map was in the August primary,” Hoskins said in a statement. “We may have lost the battle today, but the war to preserve our constitutional republic is far from over. As I’ve said throughout this process, I will not be intimidated, I will not be deterred, I remain steadfast in my fight to defend the United States and Missouri Constitutions. As a fifth-generation Missourian, I will proudly fall on my sword to save this great state from out-of-state special interests and their out-of-state sugar daddies. Missouri will not become another New York City or Los Angeles on my watch.”
People Not Politicians encouraged voters to vote against Proposition A.
“We had over 305,000 people sign this in just three months,” von Glahn said. “We’re going to do the work of continuing to go out and knock on doors and make phone calls and do the pieces that we need to do, but it has been very clear, I think, from day one, where the people of this state are.”
“This is what democracy looks like, the people of Missouri demanded a voice, and the court just confirmed what we’ve been saying all along. People, not politicians, will have the final say,” Richard von Glahn, Executive Director of People Not Politicians Missouri, said in a statement. “This victory reaches beyond Missouri. In a year when map-drawing has become a national weapon, courts across the country are watching what happens here. A Missouri win for the referendum is a signal that the people still hold the power.”
More political reactions
A number of Missouri politicians shared their thoughts on the decisions, with Republicans being against the decisions and Democrats supporting it.
Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe wrote on his social media that he was “disappointed” with the decision.
“Nearly one year ago, the General Assembly, duly elected by the people of Missouri, convened in an extraordinary session to draw a new congressional map that better represents Missouri and the commonsense values that define our state,” he wrote. “We are extremely disappointed in today’s decision by unelected judges and their lack of respect for the legislative process. Holding a primary election under one congressional map and a general election under another is unprecedented and creates uncertainty for Missouri voters.”
Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin — who is the Republican candidate in the race in the disputed Fifth District – accused of Missouri Supreme court of having a liberal bias.
““I’m not surprised that a liberal activist majority on the Missouri Supreme Court has handed Democrats a decision they desperately needed in their effort to help national Democrats retake the US House of Representatives, while also effectively invalidating a primary election that was held in accordance with a legal decision these same judges handed down,” he said in a statement to media.
Emanuel Cleaver, the incumbent Democratic representative of the Fifth District, supported the decision.
“The people of the great State of Missouri won today with the Missouri Supreme Court ruling that Missourians will vote this November on whether to reject the mid-decade redistricting of congressional maps dictated by the White House,” he wrote in a statement. “I applaud this decision by the Court in affirming the Missouri constitutional right of citizens to hold our government in check reflected by the more than 305,000 Missourians who joined the citizens’ led referendum petition.”
U.S. Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO) shared Hanaway’s reaction on social media and agreed with his colleagues
“The Missouri Supreme Court decision, overturning a congressional map between a primary in which voters chose candidates, and a general election, defies common sense and the rule of law,” Onder wrote.
U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) supported the high court’s decision.
“Today’s ruling affirms what we’ve been saying all along: voters should pick their representatives, not the other way around,” he wrote on social media. “Now, Missourians will finally get to have their say at the ballot in November on rejecting these partisan and unconstitutional maps. I’m proud of all of the folks who organized, called and lobbied their elected officials, and made their voices heard.”
President Donald Trump weighed in with a post on Truth Social, where he chastised the state’s Supreme Court.
“The Missouri Supreme Court just ridiculously ruled in favor of changing the maps back to what they were a long time ago. It’s called, Ancient History! The problem is, according to Legal Scholars, that not only was the ruling horrible, ridiculous, and unConstitutional, but there won’t be enough time to change the map back with the Election coming up in a very short period of time,” Trump wrote.
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