Missouri NAACP sues to stop special session on redistricting
COLE COUNTY, Mo. - The Missouri NAACP has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Mike Kehoe in an effort to stop a special session on congressional redistricting, calling the move unconstitutional.
On Wednesday, Missouri lawmakers convened for a special session Gov. Kehoe called last week to redraw the boundaries of the state's eight congressional districts and amend the state's imitative petition process.
While congressional redistricting typically only occurs once a decade, some states may revisit their maps mid-decade if political leaders call for a extraordinary legislative session on the matter. Missouri's eight congressional seats currently consist of six Republicans and two Democrats, and at lest one highly-anticipated proposal would make the 5th Congressional District (primarily representing the Kansas City area) more Republican-leaning.
The ongoing special session has now been met with a lawsuit, filed Wednesday on behalf of the Missouri NAACP's state coalition and two other individuals (Patricia A. Jones and Traci L. Wilson Kleekamp) in the Cole County Circuit Court.
The 18-page lawsuit argues that neither congressional redistricting, nor the initiative petition issue, meet constitutional standards for calling an "extraordinary session."
The lawsuit further argues that new Missouri congressional maps are not required until after the 2030 Census and that Congress has not passed a reapportionment bill to necessitate redrawing Missouri's districts from the current congressional map.
"The Governor in recent years has begun calling extraordinary sessions on a regular
basis to designate matters the legislature addressed but failed to pass during their regular session," the lawsuit reads. "That is not the case here. The last time the legislature addressed drawing district lines was when it was required to do so after the results of the 2020 Census."
Additionally, the lawsuit argues that many initiative petition changes sought have already been addressed through recent legislation.
The lawsuit is requesting a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to halt the ongoing special session, along with a court ruling declaring the governor's call for a special session unconstitutional.
The lawsuit also names soon-outgoing Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin and House Speaker Jon Patterson as defendants.
On Thursday, all three, along with Gov. Kehoe, were issued summons to appear in court over the lawsuit, per online Missouri court records.
A spokesperson for the Missouri Governor's Office has not responded to FOX 2's request for comment over the lawsuit.
