Black leadership groups are speaking out about what they see as racially charged lines of questioning during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominated to become a high-court justice. Conservative senators have implied Jackson may be soft on crime, friendly to terrorists at Guantanamo, and a proponent […]
Tag: Senator
Audio: U.S. Supreme Court nominee Jackson fires back at Senator Josh Hawley
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley took Wednesday’s opportunity to learn more about Supreme Court Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to instead hyperfocus on a handful of her sentences as a trial court judge. During the third and final day of Judge Jackson’s confirmation hearings, the Missouri senator continued to laser in on what he calls her lenient […]
Video: Senator Hawley questions Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson over record of lenient sentencing for pedophiles
During the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination for U.S. Supreme Court today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) focused his questioning on the alarming trend of lenient sentencing in child pornography cases that he first mentioned in a tweet thread last week and his opening comments yesterday. During his time, Sen. Hawley focused on Judge […]
Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her record under grilling from U.S. Senate Republicans
(Missouri Independent) – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sharpened their criticisms of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, probing her work as a public defender on behalf of terrorism suspects, the judicial sentences she has handed down for child pornography offenses, and her views of critical race theory. Jackson defended her […]
Audio: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley tells Supreme Court nominee of his concerns
Before her opening statement Monday, Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson heard remarks from U.S. Senators including Josh Hawley of Missouri. After a Twitter barrage of criticism last week, Senator Hawley voiced his opinion Monday about what he claims is evidence of Judge Jackson not being tough enough on sex offenders. He cited seven cases […]
Audio: Missouri bill would tie college funding to graduate earnings
A bill in the Missouri Legislature would tie state funding for public universities and colleges to student earnings after enrollment. The University Rewarding Workforce Readiness Act would give more money to schools that deliver higher earnings for their graduates. Missouri’s nine universities and 13 community colleges would receive a performance score based on […]
Audio: Missouri unemployment benefits could be on the chopping block
The Missouri Senate debated a bill Monday night that could cut unemployment benefits from 20 to 8 weeks if Missouri’s average jobless rate is at or below 3.5-percent. State Senator Mike Bernskoetter, a Republican from Jefferson City, says his bill aims to put more people back to work while so many jobs are open. State […]
Ketanji Brown Jackson vows to decide U.S. Supreme Court cases from a ‘neutral posture’
(Missouri Independent) – Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson began her four-day confirmation process to become the nation’s first Black female associate justice on Monday, listening to hours of opening statements from Senate Judiciary Committee members before giving her own. In her first public remarks since President Joe Biden nominated her last month, Jackson, who grew […]
U.S. Senate hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to start today
(Missouri Independent) – After more than two weeks of private meetings with nearly half the U.S. Senate, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court, will field questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee in highly anticipated public hearings that begin today (Monday). Members of the panel will question Jackson for […]
Missouri Attorney General obtains judgement against city of Moscow Mills for ticket quotas and other violations
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that his office has obtained a consent judgment in his lawsuit against the City of Moscow Mills for violations of Senate Bill 5 and accompanying reforms. The lawsuit was filed in November 2021, after information came to light about alleged ticket quotas and other violations of SB5. “Since taking […]
Hawley introduces bill to strengthen investigations of fraud in COVID-19 relief programs
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced new legislation to continue to fund and restore the jurisdiction of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery so that it can investigate fraud within the Treasury Department’s pandemic programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This anti-fraud legislation comes as the Biden Administration is lobbying for more federal […]
State Representative Rusty Black on this session in the House of Representatives, maps and re-election
The Missouri General Assembly has been on spring break this week and will reconvene March 21st. State Representative Rusty Black of Chillicothe says he thinks the House of Representatives did good work in the first part of the session. Black is in his sixth year as a State Representative. He enjoys being involved […]
Audio: Missouri Senate to consider tax cut measures
Missouri state lawmakers have various tax-cutting and tax credit proposals to consider this session. As Joey Parker tells us, some legislators have been working years to make changes to the state’s tax code. Other tax credit proposals are geared at those who don’t have a badge. St. Louis Senator Steven Roberts sponsors Senate […]
Audio: Missouri Supreme Court rules in favor of state’s public defenders in “sex assault survivors” law
The Missouri Supreme Court has sided with the state’s public defenders in the so-called Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights challenge case. Missouri State Public Defender Mary Fox and other public defenders challenged the part of the law that required the defense in a sex crimes case to inform the alleged victim of their rights […]
Judges release new boundaries for Missouri Senate districts
(Missouri Independent) – A panel of Missouri judges tasked with redrawing 34 state Senate districts released a tentative plan Monday, part of a once-in-a-decade process that reconfigures political boundaries following the U.S. Census. The new map, drawn by the Judicial Redistricting Commission after a citizen commission failed to reach consensus, will be formally submitted to […]
Audio: Transportation Security Administration extends mask mandate
Missouri travelers have to continue wearing face coverings on airplanes, buses, and trains for at least another month. The TSA is extending the federal mask mandate through April 18th. It was set to expire next Friday. The one-month extension was based on a CDC recommendation. Most mask mandates have ended as COVID numbers […]
U.S. Senate Republicans attack Biden on energy costs, regulations after new inflation report
(Missouri Independent) – Nebraska’s Deb Fischer and fellow U.S. Senate Republicans slammed President Joe Biden on Thursday for the sharp rise in consumer prices, calling for policy shifts to increase U.S. energy supply, roll back regulations and curb spending. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday the consumer price index rose nearly 8% in February over the […]
Audio: Missouri bills would change the state Sunshine Law
Some Missouri lawmakers are pushing for changes to the state’s Sunshine Law. A measure sponsored by Senator Andrew Koenig of Manchester would shield public records identifying any student under age 18, details about government security measures, and contact information of Missourians who sign up for government communications and public utility bills. Other bills […]