Missouri Supreme Court Considers Contempt Action Against Secretary of State Over Redistricting

The Missouri Supreme Court is evaluating whether to hold Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in contempt. The court issued an order asking Hoskins to explain why he should not be held in contempt for violating a ruling that stated the state cannot utilize a newly drawn GOP congressional map. Despite the ruling, Hoskins continued to advocate for the use of the new map. The court has mandated Hoskins to appear in person for a hearing on Thursday. Hoskins expressed his determination in a post on X, stating, "I look forward to my day in court." This development follows a series of court actions on Tuesday. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Hoskins' last-minute appeal to use the new map, which aims to eliminate a Democratic-held congressional seat in Missouri. Subsequently, a federal judge in Missouri ruled that the state must use the new map, creating a conflict between federal and state court rulings. The 2025 Republican redistricting plan, influenced by President Donald Trump, sought to eliminate one of the state's two Democratic-held seats, currently occupied by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. If the Missouri Supreme Court's ruling stands, a map drawn in 2022, featuring six Republican-held seats and two Democratic-held seats, will be used for the general election. The Republican-led Legislature redrew the map for the upcoming elections to eliminate one of the Democratic seats. The legal dispute began when the group People Not Politicians, led by activist Richard von Glahn, gathered signatures for a state referendum to veto the Legislature's map and delay its implementation until the 2026 election. Hoskins declined to place the measure on the ballot, arguing that redistricting plans cannot be overturned by voters. The Missouri Supreme Court, which has a Republican majority, disagreed, stating that state law does not exempt redistricting maps from being subject to voter veto through the referendum process. The contempt order was issued following a filing from the lawyers representing the referendum proponents.