Meanwhile in Missouri

Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Josh Hawley declined on Saturday to clarify why his government staff used their personal email addresses to organize meetings with campaign consultants in the attorney general’s office, saying only that members of his team “always comply with every aspect of Missouri law, and do so to the fullest.”

The Star reported Wednesday that within weeks of Hawley’s swearing in as attorney general in 2017, the political team that would go on to run his U.S. Senate campaign had stepped in to help direct his official office and raise his national profile.

[...]

The attorney general’s office initially declined to comment on the story. It eventually released a statement insisting that “no taxpayer resources were expended for campaign purposes” and “no government employee participated in political activity.”

But instead of using their government-issued email to help organize and discuss the consultant meetings, which would automatically be subject to the state’s open records laws, Hawley staff used their personal email addresses.

[...]

The Star’s reporting was based on emails, text messages and other records obtained over the last few weeks. The Hawley campaign has not asked for any corrections or retractions, and has not disputed any facts detailed in the story.

[...]

Hawley was [later] asked specifically whether he denies that The Star has emails showing communication between his official government staff and his political consultants.

Hawley did not directly answer that question and instead repeated his line that no one ran the attorney general’s office but him, according to audio recorded by St. Louis Public Radio.

  Kansas City

Sadly, our only other choice is Claire McCaskill.