The head of the group People Not Politicians is suing Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway over their statements that the new congressional map is effectively “the law of the land.” Executive Dir. Richard von Glahn filed suit in Cole County Monday afternoon.
“Yeah, the (Missouri) Supreme Court made it very clear in a unanimous decision that they actually don’t know which congressional map is legally in effect right now, and that the only way that they will know is if the Secretary of State issues a certificate either saying that the map is in effect or is not in effect,” von Glahn told Missourinet.
Which has not happened yet.
“We know we have elections that are coming up very soon, and you have election clerks and election officials across the state who are uncertain about which boundaries to use in those elections,” von Glahn said. “We are simply asking the judge to compel the Secretary (of State) to do his job and issue the certificate.”
Hoskins told Missourinet in an earlier interview that county clerks have all the data they need to begin updating voter information based on the new congressional map. This is in spite of Hoskins not yet deciding whether a ballot initiative to overturn the new districts has enough valid signatures. He has until August 4 to decide – the date of Missouri’s party primaries.
The lawsuit filed by von Glahn also accuses Hoskins and Hanaway of trying to “coerce” county clerks into using the new maps now.
“I have certainly watched the Secretary of State and State Sen. Rick Brattin on Friday of last week,” von Glahn said. “They suggested that they would refer charges to the Attorney General or the U.S. Department of Justice if clerks do not do what they say.”
Brattin, R-Harrisonville, is not named in the lawsuit.
On May 12, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Missouri First map was constitutional, although the ruling does not specifically say the map is in effect right now, “Because the secretary’s certification process under chapter 116 is ongoing and has not been finally determined.”
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office said it has not yet been served with the lawsuit. Stephanie Whitaker, Communications Director for the Attorney General’s office, sent Missourinet a brief statement:
“This lawsuit re-litigates the exact same questions the Missouri Supreme Court just decided in Maggard. We look forward to prevailing in Court.”
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