Kacen J. Bayless

@kacen.bsky.social

Democracy Insider at The Kansas City Star. kbayless@kcstar.com

BREAKING: Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is refusing to certify for the ballot a campaign to strike down the state’s gerrymandered congressional map. The decision, which blocks the vote, is certain to face a legal challenge from map opponents. Story tk. #moleg #mogov

New: Missouri congressional candidate Brad Patty was arrested in '09 after his ex-wife alleged he tried to strangle her, a charge prosecutors dropped. @kansascity.com found the case, and other charges, as Patty mounts a campaign for MO's 5th District #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

KC congressional candidate was accused of assaulting ex-wife. He says he’s innocent

Brad Patty denied the charge, which was dropped, and cast it as a result of a tumultuous marriage that ended in divorce more than a decade ago.

kansascity.com

Sen. Roger Marshall has repeatedly taken credit for funding programs he voted against, The Star found. The Republican senator has touted at least $250 million in Kansas projects funded by legislation that he voted against. Story w/ @kacen.bsky.social www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

In Olathe and beyond, Marshall votes against funding for big projects — then takes credit

Throughout his five years in the U.S. Senate, Roger Marshall has repeatedly touted projects funded by legislation he voted against.

kansascity.com

New: Missouri is suing Kansas City over a women & minority contracting program using a plaintiff who was sentenced for paying bribes for contracts. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office defended that decision this week. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

Missouri AG defends plaintiff in KC lawsuit who was previously sentenced for bribery

Hanaway brought the suit alongside Charles Cacioppo Jr., who was previously at the center of a federal criminal probe related to contracts.

kansascity.com

New: High-profile votes in both Kansas and Missouri are widely viewed as proxy fights over abortion. On either side of the state line, the two constitutional amendments could pave the way for abortion opponents to clamp down on access. #moleg #ksleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

Abortion on the ballot? How Kansas, Missouri votes stand as proxies for ongoing fight

On either side of the state line, two votes could pave the way for abortion opponents to clamp down on access to the procedure.

kansascity.com

New: A prominent developer is suing the Missouri Young Republicans, alleging the group tried to sabotage a housing project through a bizarre smear campaign. The MYR’s attorney rejected the allegations as “entirely false” in an interview. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

Did Missouri Young Republicans smear KC-area developer? Inside new lawsuit

An attorney for the Missouri Young Republicans flatly rejected the lawsuit’s allegations as “entirely false” in an interview.

kansascity.com

New: U.S. AG Todd Blanche blindsided police this week when he suggested on national TV that the suspect in a spree of Kansas City shootings might be dead. “We still don’t have any information regarding that whatsoever,” one agency said. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/local/a...

U.S. attorney general’s claim about KC highway shooter blindsided police

The attorney general’s comments appeared to mark an extraordinary disconnect between the nation’s top law enforcement official and local police agencies.

kansascity.com

New: Medication abortion is now available in Kansas City for the first time since 2018. But as clinics take on appointments, voters are gearing up for another fight at the ballot box. How opponents plan to halt newly-restored access: #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

Medication abortion is now available in KC. How GOP wants to halt it

Abortion opponents have used the expansion of medication abortion to promote a new ban, which will be called Amendment 3 on the ballot.

kansascity.com

Nearly two months after the Royals announced a new stadium, Missouri’s financial role in the $1.9B plan is still unclear. City officials had not yet applied for state funding to boost the project, Gov. Mike Kehoe's office confirmed to @kansascity.com #moleg www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/k...

How much will Missouri pay for Royals stadium? Weeks later, it’s still unclear

City officials had not yet applied for state funding to help boost the project, a spokesperson for Gov. Mike Kehoe confirmed to The Star.

kansascity.com

Kansas voters will soon be tasked with a monumental decision over whether the state’s Supreme Court justices should be elected. Inside the vote as Republicans seek to clamp down on a court that protected abortion access: #ksleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

Kansas will decide on electing Supreme Court. Who’s behind, against the vote?

The Aug. 4 vote sets the stage for a grueling summer of campaigns and advertisements over whether voters should insert partisan politics into the judiciary

kansascity.com

New: Trump's decision to weigh in on the race for Kansas governor came at a key time for Republicans. Now, the upcoming primary could pose a major test of the president's influence & whether the GOP can flip the seat. #ksleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...

Trump made his pick for Kansas governor. Did he give GOP a ‘powerful weapon’?

The upcoming Republican primary could serve as a major test of Trump’s influence in Kansas politics.

kansascity.com