Cleaver relieved, Brattin vows lawsuit after Missouri Supreme Court redistricting ruling

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.

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The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that November's general election will run under the 2022 congressional maps, dealing a blow to a Republican-backed, mid-decade redistricting effort and likely setting off a new round of legal challenges.

President Trump called on states last year to consider mid-decade redistricting aimed at retaining the GOP majority in the U.S. House. Missouri's 5th Congressional District, represented by Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, was one of the targets of that effort.

Will Shaw/KSHB

Cleaver said the court's unanimous ruling sent a clear message.

"It is sending signals to people all over the state of Missouri the voice of the people still rings loud and solidly in the ears of the Supreme Court," Cleaver said.

Cleaver's Republican challenger, State Sen. Rick Brattin of Harrisonville, called the decision unprecedented and said it disenfranchises voters.

Will Shaw/KSHB

"I just find it to be they're thumbing their nose at the legislature, the people, the president and just doing whatever the hell they want to do," Brattin told KSHB 41 Cass County Reporter Ryan Gamboa.

Brattin said the 5th District, under the new maps, is practically unwinnable for him. He added that the redrawn boundaries are not the district he spent months campaigning in.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is seeking relief from the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming the state is in a "fully-fledged constitutional crisis."

"Never before in American history has a court overturned a congressional map after a primary and before a general election. This unprecedented decision clearly violates federal law and has thrust our state into a full‑fledged constitutional crisis," Hanaway said. "Our office will move immediately to seek relief from SCOTUS. We are confident that the federal courts will not allow every Missouri voter to be disenfranchised — which is what today's decision does."

Jason Gould/KSHB

Cleaver pushed back on the disenfranchisement argument, saying the redistricting effort was driven by outside political forces.

"I didn't start this," Cleaver said. "People Not Politicians did not start this, this was started by someone in Washington, followed through by people in Jefferson City. I was perfectly willing to run in this district already. I know people are frustrated because they're losing and they lost in the Supreme Court."

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Brattin said his team also intends to file a federal lawsuit over the ruling.

The deadline to change Missouri's ballot is September 8, leaving little time for the Supreme Court of the United States to intervene.

In Missouri's 4th Congressional District, Democratic candidate Jordan Herrera responded to the ruling as well.

Will Shaw/KSHB

"This is a bit of an emotional hit, but in two different ways. One, this is a decision that we've been hoping for. One that racism has no place in Missouri and that Missourians aren't going to tolerate it," Herrera said. "I think what is clear is that the people of Missouri have said that politicians don't get to chose their voters here. It goes the other way around. Voters get to chose their politicians."

Republican Congressman Mark Alford, who represents Missouri's 4th District, released a statement saying his campaign is focused on November regardless of the map outcome.

Jake Weller/KSHB

"We have stated from day one that regardless of the outcome, whether it was the New Fourth or the current Fourth, we look forward to representing the hard-working people of Missouri's Fourth Congressional District," Alford said. "While we are trying to understand what this means for the near future, one thing is abundantly clear… We will win in November and we look forward to representing the people of Missouri's Fourth Congressional District."

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