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Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Judge Stephen Clark Issue Conflicting Orders on Missouri Congressional Maps

Missouri faces a legal conflict over which congressional map to use for the upcoming midterm elections. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the new Republican-friendly map, enacted last year, is not yet in effect because it is subject to a referendum. This decision followed a delay by Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who ruled on the referendum petitions late in the process. Justice Brett Kavanaugh issued a perfunctory order denying the state's request for a Supreme Court review of the Hoskins case. Minutes after this ruling, US District Judge Stephen Clark issued a separate order in a different case requiring the state to use the GOP-friendly map. This order targets the 5th Congressional District, which is held by Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver. Opponents of the map, represented by the group People Not Politicians, filed an emergency appeal to the US Supreme Court to resolve the conflicting commands. They argued that using the GOP map would cause confusion for election officials. The administration announced several new policies designed to skew the election toward the GOP, while the state remains in limbo regarding the final district boundaries.

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