JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — National Democrats have inundated the Missouri attorney general’s office with Sunshine Law requests this year — but they’re not looking for information on Eric Schmitt, the current attorney general running for U.S. Senate.
The Democratic National Committee wants documents dating to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley’s two years as Missouri attorney general, according to records obtained by the Post-Dispatch.
The 89 separate open records requests since March from the DNC show Democrats are actively looking for information potentially damaging to Hawley as he possibly prepares for a presidential run in 2024.
A lack of Sunshine requests from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee regarding Schmitt this year also signals that Democrats haven’t considered the contest between the attorney general and Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine competitive.
Asked about the requests, a spokesman for the DNC referenced the famous picture of Hawley saluting Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He also mentioned a video released of Hawley running away from the rioters as they flooded the Capitol.
“It shouldn’t come as a surprise we’re vetting someone who saluted those who attacked the Capitol before they assaulted police officers and tried to overturn an election,” said Ammar Moussa, spokesman for the DNC. “Thankfully, the video of Hawley running for his life is already public record.”
The majority of the Sunshine Law requests by the DNC seek information that was requested during Hawley’s two years in office, from 2017 to 2019.
“It’s sad,” said Kyle Plotkin, spokesman for Hawley. “Democrats have tried and failed over and over again to beat Josh. Now they are going to drum up the same old false attacks that ended with Josh being sworn into the Senate.”
On March 10, the Missouri attorney general’s office received 18 requests from a DNC staffer.
The requests asked for information such as records of workplace misconduct against Hawley, records of funds spent to renovate office space, copies of Hawley’s credit card statements, text messages and cellphone bills for Hawley and top aides Daniel Hartman and Evan Rosell.
Records show officials didn’t find any records of complaints against Hawley, while the office hadn’t produced records in response to the other three requests.
The DNC in March also asked for records of other Sunshine requests filed during Hawley’s tenure as attorney general. The attorney general’s office produced records in response to that request.
Then on Aug. 2, the DNC sent a wave of 71 additional Sunshine Law requests to the attorney general’s office.
The vast majority of those requests ask for information produced in response to Sunshine requests that others had filed. Those requests were pending.
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