Newly-elected Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey says he is energized and ready to continue the work he began when appointed to the role in 2022. Governor Mike Parson tapped Bailey for the job when Eric Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate. Since then Bailey has mounted or defended dozens of cases in support of conservative issues and against the Biden Administration.
Bailey said in his victory speech he was humbled and amazed at the level of support in many counties.
“Texas County, 85 percent; Mercer County, 87 percent; Warren County 75 percent; Montgomery County 81 percent!” he listed to cheers. “And I promise you we will keep fighting the good fight for freedom, safety and prosperity,” he said.
One fight has been against access to abortion and in support of the state’s abortion ban. Those restrictions were overturned on election night, when voters passed Amendment 3.
Bailey told Missourinet the amendment is “abhorrent.”
“I think it’s a legal monstrosity. I think it’s going to cause enormous problems for the people of the State of Missouri, and it’s not only going to result in the destruction, in the destruction of human life, but it’s going to invite a parade of horribles that are going to attempt to fit under this vague and ambiguous language that they specifically chose,” Bailey said.
When asked if he was going to try to block the new amendment, he added,” However, the legal actions already been taken, and the people are going to speak, and we will act accordingly. And at the end of the day, we’re going to enforce the laws as written is given to us by the General Assembly or the voting public of the state of Missouri.”
Andrew Bailey 2024 election night (Missourinet photo)
He says he is focusing on an active lawsuit, filed in 2022 that the U.S. Supreme Court sent back to lower courts, which argues that major social media companies restrict certain viewpoints.
“We’re back at the trial court level in our lawsuit against the federal government’s censorship of conservative voices on big tech social media platforms. And discovery is ongoing in that lawsuit. I think that’s the most important First Amendment suit in this nation’s history, and I think there’s a lot more work to be done to ensure that American voices aren’t silenced on this the new in the new public forum.”
Bailey joins a new team of elected Republicans at the top of state government, “supporting Governor Kehoe crime legislation as he works to shore up our criminal justice system.”
“I want to further build out relationships with prosecutors, sheriffs and police chiefs to make sure that the state is effectively deploying the resources we have in the fight against violent crime,” he added.