A Missouri House Democrat wants to impeach Secretary of State Denny Hoskins.
Rep. Will Jobe, D-Independence, filed a resolution Wednesday seeking an impeachment investigation of Hoskins over his handling of a referendum to overturn the mid-decade congressional redistricting map.
“I've watched over the last five months with disappointment and disgust, frankly, at the lengths to which our secretary of state has been willing to stop, to slow down, to obstruct, to make harder, the ability of our citizens and the people of the state of Missouri to make their voice heard and to call for a referendum on an act of this legislature,” Jobe said.
Hoskins has faced several lawsuits over his actions on a referendum seeking to overturn a mid-decade redistricting map. They include Hoskins’ declaration of a portion of signatures collected invalid.
Jobe said he signed that petition himself.
“My signature is one of the ones that is apparently in a box somewhere in his office that he's refusing to verify, that he's refusing to count along with 100,000 other Missouri citizens that desired to make their voice heard,” Jobe said.
Hoskins is also being sued over his declaration that the new congressional map is in effect, despite the submission of referendum signatures in December.
Hoskins could not immediately be reached for comment.
Because the House is Republican-led, Jobe will need cooperation across the aisle to advance the resolution, meaning its passage is unlikely.
Asked about the resolution's chances, Jobe said Hoskins’ actions warranted action.
“This is the mechanism that is allowed to me as a member of this body, and that's what I've done. I certainly hope that the leadership of the House takes that seriously and moves forward with that,” Jobe said.
When asked about the resolution, House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, said he was unaware of it and did not comment.
The resolution is HR3879.
