KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the local level. Share your story idea with Charlie.
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KSHB 41 News received a copy Thursday of the subpoena the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent to the City of Kansas City, Missouri's legal team last year, which recently became the focal point of a media report which put Mayor Pro Tem Ryan Parks-Shaw on the hot seat.
But the subpoena never mentions Parks-Shaw, nor her husband, Kansas City’s Director of Public Works, Michael Shaw. The subpoena appears to support what Parks-Shaw said in a February city council meeting, calling a media report “misleading,” and insisting she’s never spoken with the FBI.
In August 2025, FBI agents asked the city for records, contracts and other documents between the city and Anton Washington of Creative Innovative. The subpoena does not provide any additional details on the scope or purpose for the subpoena.
Washington told KSHB 41 News on Friday that he hired a lawyer and is not commenting on the investigation. Federal court records do not show any pending cases against Washington.
In response to last year’s subpoena, the city sent the FBI several pages of emails, receipts, and contracts. The city shared those same documents with KSHB 41 News as part of our records request.
The records show Washington received about $90,000 from the city’s housing department for homeless outreach, administration, and planning.
Washington’s organization received $185,000 from 2022 to 2024 to operate a litter abatement program, employing unhoused people called Clean Up KC.
Michael Shaw signed the Clean Up KC contracts. Parks-Shaw supported the program, participating in interviews with KSHB 41 News. She promoted the program in 2022 and 2023. Parks-Shaw was chair of the Mayor’s Houseless Task Force at the time.
Parks-Shaw denied media reports in February that she and her husband were using their professional positions in city hall for their personal benefit or to benefit her political ambitions.
Parks-Shaw is running for mayor in the 2027 election. Campaign finance records show Washington donated a total of $203.75 to her campaign. He has also made social media posts supporting her campaign.
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