The Missouri Secretary of State's office is starting an investigation into whether Attorney General and incoming Missouri Senator Josh Hawley used public money to support his senate campaign, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported on Thursday. Hawley, a Republican, beat incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, in the election on November 6.
In a letter dated Thursday, Khristine A. Heisinger, deputy general counsel for Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, addressed Brad Woodhouse of the American Democracy Legal Fund, writing that "based upon allegations you state 'strongly suggest[] that Hawley used public funds as Attorney General to support his candidacy for the U.S. Senate'...this office will commence an investigation into the alleged offense."
The American Democracy Legal Fund is, according to its website, "a nonprofit organization committed to promoting accountability and ethics in government and campaigns by shining a light on public officials and candidates who put their own interests ahead of public service." Woodhouse serves as president.
In a post to its website on November 5 announcing it was filing a complaint to the Secretary of State against Hawley for misuse of public funds, Woodhouse wrote: “Hawley suggested nobody is above the law. And, as Missouri’s chief law enforcement officer and advisor, neither is he...Hawley’s conduct violates the trust that Missourians gave him to serve the public interest and enforce this state’s laws honorably. And most of all, Hawley’s conduct appears to demonstrate a misuse of public funds.” You can read the full complaint here.
Days before the American Democracy Legal Fund filed the complaint, The Kansas City Star reported on October 31 that a team of out-of-state consultants hired to raise Hawley's national profile stepped in to direct his taxpayer-funded staff. The complaint from American Democracy Legal Fund alleges that Hawley outsourced "Attorney General business to two partisan political consultants, who directed taxpayer-funded Attorney General staff to conduct the office in a manner that would benefit Hawley’s political career."
Hawley's office told the Post-Dispatch it was "delighted to cooperate" with the investigation.
Hawley is set to be sworn in as a senator in January. Governor Mike Parson appointed Treasurer Eric Schmitt to replace Hawley as attorney general.
