Missouri court opens contempt probe into Secretary of State Denny Hoskins over redistricting defiance

The Missouri Supreme Court issued an order on September 9 asking Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to explain why he should not be held in contempt for violating a state court ruling that barred use of a newly drawn GOP congressional map. According to NBC News, the court ordered Hoskins to appear in person for a hearing on September 10.

Hoskins is caught between two competing judicial directives. A federal judge in Missouri, after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Hoskins' last-ditch appeal, issued a new ruling on September 9 saying the state is required to use the new map, per NBC News. The Missouri Supreme Court, which has a majority of Republican appointees, had previously ruled that there was nothing in state law exempting redistricting maps from being vetoed by voters via referendum, according to NBC News reporting.

The map dispute stems from a 2025 Republican redistricting plan that sought to eliminate one of the state's two Democratic-held seats, currently held by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. People Not Politicians, led by activist Richard von Glahn per NBC News, gathered signatures in support of a state referendum to veto the Legislature's map. Hoskins initially refused to put the referendum measure on the ballot, arguing that redistricting plans are not subject to being overturned by voters. The Missouri Supreme Court rejected that position.

Hoskins responded to the contempt order on social media. According to NBC News, he wrote on X: "I look forward to my day in court." In a competing statement to Fox News, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said she was prepared to comply with the federal judge's order, writing on X that she maintained "changing the congressional map in between the primary and general elections is simply not feasible and profoundly unjust to Missouri voters."

If the Missouri Supreme Court ruling remains in effect, a map drawn in 2022 with six Republican-held seats and two Democratic-held seats would be in place for the general election, per NBC News. The state currently has six Republicans and two Democrats in the U.S. House, according to Fox News.

Attorney Chuck Hatfield, representing People Not Politicians, stated to Fox News: "An individual federal judge cannot overrule the Missouri Supreme Court." Opponents of the new redistricting plan filed a notice to appeal the federal judge's order to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, according to Fox News.