
Hello Friends,
Cole County judge catches Josh Hawley trying to deceive Missouri voters, again.
Republican Judge Jon Beetem ruled this week that staff in the attorney general’s office, while it was being run by now-U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, used private email accounts to “knowingly and purposefully” subvert the state’s open records law.
Judge Beetem determined the attorney general’s office violated the Sunshine Law by taking steps to conceal emails between Hawley’s taxpayer-funded staff and his political consultants during his 2018 campaign for U.S. Senate.
The attorney general’s office must now pay $12,000 in civil penalties — the maximum allowed under state law — plus attorney’s fees.
The emails in question were requested by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in late 2017. Hawley’s office told the DSCC at the time that it had “searched our records and found no responsive records.” Judge Beetem agreed that the emails the DSCC requested did exist and should have been turned over. It appears the emails were not turned over, Beetem concluded, because it could have been politically damaging to Hawley during the 2018 Senate race.
“This is the typical antics of Lyin’ Josh Hawley,” said Missouri Democratic Party chairman, Michael Butler. “He will do anything, say anything and lie to anyone to get ahead. He is a Trumpian through and through. He should pay this fine himself and not have the burden fall to a taxpayer funded office.”
Hawley is up for re-election in 2024. So, we’ve decided to establish the Lyin’ Josh Hawley Fund. We will use the funds to call him out on his deceitful ways. Now, we know that this will be a full time job in itself because when he opens his mouth, the lies usually fly out!
Help us build up this fund as we work to send Hawley packing! Donate today!