Missouri Supreme Court Briefly Holds Secretary of State in Contempt for Undermining Democratic Process
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The Missouri Supreme Court found Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in contempt for defying a court order and attempting to impose a new congressional map, but cleared him after he reverted to the previous map.
On Thursday, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that Secretary of State Denny Hoskins was in contempt for instructing local election officials to use a 2025 congressional district map, blatantly disregarding a court order and threatening the integrity of the democratic process. Chief Justice W. Brent Powell announced the finding during an afternoon hearing, emphasizing that Hoskins could only escape the contempt charge by finally complying with the court’s directive.
"The civil contemnor has, at all times, the power to purge himself of any attempt by complying with the order of this court," Justice Powell stated, underscoring the court’s authority in upholding the rule of law.
After public pressure and the court’s intervention, Hoskins reluctantly announced he would revert to the 2022 congressional map, prompting the court to determine that he had corrected his conduct and purged himself of contempt. This unnecessary dispute, fueled by Hoskins’ disregard for judicial authority, left county clerks scrambling with little time to finalize ballots for overseas voters, jeopardizing voter access.
Hoskins attempted to justify his reckless actions by citing information and a federal judge’s ruling, but his decision undermined public trust. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, aligning with the Secretary, insisted that Hoskins had followed the law, reflecting a pattern of Republican officials defending each other regardless of the consequences for democracy. Both officials indicated that, unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes, voters who cast ballots under the 2025 districts in August will have those votes counted under the 2022 districts in November, further confusing the electorate.