Mediaite · Sarah Rumpf · September 9, 2026
The Missouri Supreme Court issued a sharply worded order to the Missouri Secretary of State threatening to hold him in contempt for not complying with their ruling rejecting a congressional redistricting passed by the legislature.
The legal dispute began when the GOP-majority Missouri legislature attempted an unusual mid-decade redistricting that drew the lines more favorably for Republicans. Similar efforts took place in multiple other states with Republican majorities and was done so at the urging of President Donald Trump. Normally, redistricting is done in each state every 10 years after the U.S. Census is taken.
The new GOP-drawn map would have likely resulted in flipping a congressional seat blue to red, Missouri's fifth congressional district, currently held by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO). The redrawn lines split up Cleaver's metropolitan Kansas City district among multiple other more rural districts and were expected to shift the state's congressional delegation from six Republicans and two Democrats to seven Republicans and one Democrat.
The gerrymandered map drew a lawsuit like they have in every state. Last week the Missouri Supreme Court tossed out the new maps, issuing a unanimous opinion that redrawing the maps required a referendum approved by voters, and therefore ordering a return to the previous congressional district lines. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Missouri's appeal in an order entered by Justice Brett Kavanaugh without a written opinion that declined Missouri's request for a stay.
The plaintiff, Richard Glahn, filed an emergency motion Tuesday evening citing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling and giving notice to the state courts that Secretary of State Denny Hoskins "has announced that he intends to violate this court's Judgment and Order," citing an email Hoskins sent to state election officials after Kavanaugh's order and a press release issued by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway.
"The Secretary's direction to local election authorities to use HB 1 [the gerrymandered congressional map] is a direct violation of this court's injunction," Glahn's attorney argued in the motion. "He should be ordered to immediately show cause and be held in contempt. This Court should make clear that regardless of other orders (except from the United States Supreme Court) the Missouri Secretary of State must comply with this court's injunction. The Court should instruct all local election authorities that HB 1 is not the law and has never been the law."
The Missouri Supreme Court responded by sending an Order to Show Cause to Hoskins shortly thereafter.
The one-page order instructed Hoskins to reply to the court by 12 pm CT Wednesday with his answer "why he should not be held in contempt for violating this Court's injunction dated September 3, 2026," demanding that he "specifically address why: (1) his e-mail on September 8, 2026, instructing use of the HB 1 map is not an affirmative violation of this Court's injunction; (2) how this Court's injunction is not still in full force and effect in light of the Supreme Court of the United States' overruling of Respondent's emergency application for stay and administrative stay pending appeal; and (3) if he is not willing to comply with this Court's injunction, he should take no action in all things related to the congressional district map until guidance is received from a higher court with jurisdiction to review this Court's judgment and injunction and the United States district court's injunction."
The court further instructed that Glahn would have until 4 pm CT Wednesday to file any response he wished to submit and noted that it would "not allow filings from any other parties on this matter or allow for any briefing or filings from amicus curiae."
The oral argument on this issue is scheduled for 10 am CT on Friday, Sept. 10, with the court requiring Hoskins to appear in person.
New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!