Missouri Supreme Court holds Hoskins in contempt, rules he purged it by backing down
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins defied a redistricting order, then reversed course hours later as GOP lawmakers threatened to impeach the justices.
Part of a larger narrative
Trump White House Ballroom Fight
- Missouri's Gerrymander Fight Lands Before SCOTUS for a Third Time
- Missouri Supreme Court holds Hoskins in contempt, rules he purged it by backing downyou are here
- Missouri Reverts to Old Map After Supreme Court Blocks GOP Gerrymander Again
- Missouri court threatens contempt against Hoskins after map ruling defiance
What to know
- The Missouri Supreme Court found Hoskins in contempt for defying its order but ruled he purged it the same day by agreeing to use the 2022 map, so no penalty was imposed.
- A US Supreme Court stay from Justice Kavanaugh independently locked in the 2022 map for November regardless of the state court fight.
- Missouri GOP legislators sent a letter threatening to impeach the state Supreme Court justices if they held Hoskins in contempt, raising the political stakes of the ruling.
- Commenters online question whether the contempt finding carries any real consequence since no punishment accompanied it.
The dispute Whether the contempt finding is a meaningful accountability moment or a hollow gesture since Hoskins faced no actual penalty. · positions read across 204 posts and comments
The court did the right thing and this is a genuine win for the rule of law.
-
“I am proud of the S Ct justices for holding this line. The rule of law wins here. Hoskins is awful. I have no other descriptor. Awful.”
debbiegmitchell.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
A contempt finding with no punishment is meaningless and merely performative.
-
“So was he placed in custody. Because if he wasn't it's all performative.”
onecaliberal.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
This episode shows Republicans and Hoskins broadly disregard courts and the rule of law.
-
“The Republican Political Party has already confirmed over and over they will not comply with state, federal or civil laws. Or even international laws.”
accomplishedseer.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The legislature's impeachment threat against the justices is itself hypocritical opportunism.
-
“They only GAF about separation of powers when it's convenient for them. Got it.”
headdoc35.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Denny Hoskins Missouri Secretary of State (R)W. Brent Powell Chief Justice, Missouri Supreme Court
Catherine Hanaway Missouri Attorney General
Brett Kavanaugh US Supreme Court Justice
How it unfolded 6 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
-
6
Hoskins and Hanaway defend his conduct as lawful
Hoskins and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said Hoskins had followed the law throughout the dispute; Hoskins asked voters to "please keep Missouri in your prayers" after the contempt ruling.
“please keep Missouri in your prayers…”
— Denny Hoskins -
1 outlet Missouri’s high court finds top election official was in contempt in legal war over redistricting
first by Washington Examiner, 13d ago
-
A
Amazing win! The Missouri Supreme Court found Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in civil contempt after he continued directing election officials to use the state’s new congressional map despite the court’s order. Hoskins has since purged the contempt by directing local election
2 more of the top 3 · 158 posts in this stretch
-
C
Missouri Lawmakers are threatening to impeach state Supreme Court justices if they hold Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in contempt during a high-stakes hearing scheduled for today, September 10. This comes as the Missouri Supreme Court ordered Hoskins and his counsel to appear for the contempt proceeding today at 2 p.m. in Jefferson City. The…
-
Thanks. People here don’t click through to read these reports they just form their entire opinion from the headline.
-
-
5
Court finds Hoskins in contempt, then rules it purged
The Missouri Supreme Court formally found Hoskins in contempt for defying its order, but Chief Justice Powell ruled that Hoskins had purged the contempt by directing local election officials to use the 2022 congressional map for November.
“The court finds the secretary has since corrected his contemptuous conduct by directing all local election authorities to use the 2022 congressional district map. The secretary, therefore, has purged himself of said contempt.”
— Chief Justice W. Brent Powell -
first by Kansas City Star, 12d ago
-
first by RedState, 13d ago
-
M
🚨BREAKING: Missouri’s Supreme Court held the state’s top election official in contempt Thursday for defying its order not to use a gerrymandered map for the upcoming midterm election.
2 more of the top 3 · 36 posts in this stretch
-
D
BREAKING: The Missouri Supreme Court has held Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in contempt of court for defying an order blocking a gerrymandered GOP map for the midterms — but they also concluded that he is now in compliance with their order. More to come.
-
Great news. What does that mean, really? Will there be any consequences or just a “stop doing that.” To which they will say, “Make me.” Lather, rinse, repeat.
-
-
4
Hoskins reverses, agrees to use the 2022 map
Facing contempt proceedings, Hoskins issued a statement confirming he would comply with orders blocking the gerrymandered map and would direct local election authorities to use the 2022 congressional map.
“NEW: Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has issued a statement confirming that he will comply with orders blocking a gerrymandered GOP map for the midterms.”
— Democracy Docket -
K
BREAKING: The Supreme Court of Missouri finds that MAGA Secretary of State Denny Hoskins “was in CONTEMPT” — but he’s purged the civil contempt by directing local election authorities to use the 2022 maps.
2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
-
NEW: Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has issued a statement confirming that he will comply with orders blocking a gerrymandered GOP map for the midterms. His statement comes as the state Supreme Court considered the extraordinary move of holding him in contempt.
-
Y
Missouri Supreme Court finds SoS Denny Hoskins was IN CONTEMPT of the court, but that Hoskins has since cured his contemptuous conduct by ordering local election authorities to use the 2022 map.
-
-
3
US Supreme Court stays the gerrymandered map
Justice Brett Kavanaugh paused the 2025 gerrymandered congressional map until a federal appeals court completes review, effectively locking in the 2022 map for the midterms and mooting the underlying map dispute before Hoskins's morning hearing.
-
BREAKING: A federal judge denied Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins' bid to have the federal court block the Missouri Supreme Court from possibly holding him in contempt. The judge called it an extraordinary step to take before the state's top court has even weighed in.
1 more of the top 2 · 3 posts in this stretch
-
V
Federal judge declines to save Missouri Republican from contempt https://www. alternet.org/missouri-election -maps-denny-hoskins/ via Alternet.org
-
-
2
Federal judge refuses to block state contempt proceeding
Judge Clark denied Hoskins's motion to enjoin the Missouri Supreme Court from holding him in contempt, calling it an extraordinary step before the state's top court had even ruled; Hoskins remained due in court at 10 a.m. CT Thursday.
“BREAKING: Judge Clark denies Missouri SOS Hoskins's motion to enjoin the Missouri Supreme Court from holding Hoskins in contempt.”
— @chrisgeidner -
first by Talking Points Memo, 13d ago · also Election Law Blog, Democracy Docket
2 more headlines
- Read the Missouri Supreme Court's Contempt Order Election Law Blog · 13d ago
- Missouri's top election official held in contempt for defying court's gerrymander order Democracy Docket · 13d ago
-
first by Jefferson City News Tribune, 14d ago
-
JUST IN: Redistricting opponents in MO urge state Supreme Court to hold Sec of State Denny Hoskins in contempt, saying his defiance of court is "open and obvious." Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28... Still waiting to see if Judge Clark concludes he has power to block hearing tomw AM
1 more of the top 2 · 3 posts in this stretch
-
C
BREAKING: Judge Clark denies Missouri SOS Hoskins's motion to enjoin the Missouri Supreme Court from holding Hoskins in contempt. www.documentcloud.org/documents/28... As such, Hoskins — under the Missouri Supreme Court's show cause order — remains due in its court at 10a CT Thursday.
-
-
1
GOP lawmakers threaten to impeach the justices
A group of Missouri General Assembly Republicans sent Chief Justice Powell a letter warning that holding Hoskins in contempt would violate separation of powers and threatening impeachment of the justices.
-
3 outlets first by FOX 2, 13d ago · also Missouri Independent, Heartland Signal · read ↗
-
Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice W. Brent Powell orders SOS Denny Hoskins to explain why he should not be held in contempt of court. #moleg #mogov
-
-
background
Chief Justice Powell orders Hoskins to show cause on contempt — Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice W. Brent Powell ordered Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to explain why he should not be held in contempt of court.
What people are saying 10 voices from 1 site · best of 204 · verbatim
- Was Hoskins ever placed in custody or given any punitive sanction, or is the contempt finding purely symbolic?
- Will the Missouri legislature actually attempt to impeach the Supreme Court justices?
- Sep 11
-
H
Fallout from Missouri redistricting battle continues. State Supreme Court finds the Missouri Secretary of State was in contempt for ordering localities to use the map that the state Supreme Court had struck down.
- Sep 10
-
authorities to use Missouri’s 2022 congressional map for November. The U.S. Supreme Court also blocked the newer map Thursday, leaving the 2022 boundaries (which produced a 6 Republican-2 Democratic delegation) in place for the midterms.
-
ICYMI: Missouri’s Supreme Court held the state’s top election official in contempt for defying its order not to use a gerrymandered map for the upcoming midterms. The judges did acknowledge that Hoskins ultimately backed down and pledged to abide by their decision:
-
M
BREAKING Missouri Supreme Court finds Denny Hoskins “was in contempt” over congressional maps
-
R
Missouri Republicans delivered a threat to their own state Supreme Court this week that if Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is held in contempt, the justices could lose their jobs.
-
The Republican Political Party has already confirmed over and over they will not comply with state, federal or civil laws. Or even international laws. They do not live in the U.S. ~ or on this planet, on the same terms as the rest of us.
-
M
The Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday found Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in contempt for directing local election officials to use an illegal congressional map, but ultimately ruled he remedied the contempt by reversing his directive. #moleg #mogov
-
D
He should be held in contempt. He doesn’t believe in the law or the courts. cbwrong.
-
𝖸𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖽𝖺𝗒 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋𝗌 of 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖬𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗂 𝖦𝖾𝗇. 𝖠𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗆𝖻𝗅𝗒 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖺 𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗈 𝖢𝗁𝗂𝖾𝖿 𝖩𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝖯𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝖬𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗂 𝖲𝗎𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗆𝖾 𝖢𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗍. 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽 𝖧𝗈𝗌𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗅𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗍 𝗈𝗋 𝗂𝗍’𝖽 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚…
-
Now they should assign him that capital sentence he rightfully deserves for stealing votes