Missouri

Big GOP funders sending millions into Missouri's attorney general primary

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2024

Big GOP funders sending millions into Missouri's attorney general primary

Missouri’s attorney general has sued Planned Parenthood and President Joe Biden, tried to force clinics that provide gender-affirming care to hand over their records, and pushed a liberal prosecutor to resign.

Despite those decidedly conservative moves, some prominent conservative groups from outside Missouri are spending millions ahead of the Aug. 6 primary to boost Andrew Bailey’s opponent, Will Scharf, a member of former President Donald Trump’s legal team. In the GOP-dominated state, the primary winner has a huge advantage in November’s general election.

The tumult demonstrates how important state attorneys general have become as they’ve taken on increasingly nationalized roles in addition to using the positions as springboards to run for governor or U.S. Senate. Both senators representing Missouri previously served as AG.

“It is part of the broader universe of AGs and where we’re at now in terms of the funding for these races,” said Paul Nolette, a Marquette University political scientist who studies state attorneys general and has observed them digging into issues such as abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. “That money makes it less likely for the AGs to break out of their commitment to their ideological poles and oftentimes culture war approach to issues.”

State attorneys general are lawyers who represent the state government. AGs are appointed in some states but elected in 43. Some are their states’ top criminal prosecutors; all of them have major consumer affairs roles. They’ve long crossed party lines to protect consumers, such as with joint lawsuits against the opioid industry and tech companies.

AGs have become far more partisan in the past decade, however, with many — like Bailey — suing the federal administration over policies when the president is of the opposing party.

For instance, nearly every Republican AG has filed a lawsuit objecting to the Biden administration’s regulations mandating that transgender students be protected under a gender equality law. A group of Democratic AGs has begun legal filings in support of the regulations.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 photo, Will Scharf speaks at the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center in Jefferson City, Mo. Scharf is seeking the Republican nomination for attorney general. Credit: AP/Jack Suntrup

The political operation around state AGs has gotten stronger, too. The Republican Attorneys General Association, which is dedicated to electing Republican AGs, became its own entity in 2014 after splitting off from a group devoted to electing GOP lawmakers and other state officials. Two years later, the Democratic Attorneys General Association, moved from Colorado to Washington, D.C., and added full-time staff.

Now, the groups pour money into the most competitive races, often in the form of independent expenditures that pay for attack ads.

RAGA, which normally supports GOP AG incumbents, has stayed out of the Missouri primary. Some of the association’s biggest contributors, however, are backing Scharf. They’re doing so by making contributions to a Missouri arm of Club for Growth, a major funding power that focuses on aiding fiscally conservative candidates and which, in turn, is airing ads to boost Scharf and criticize Bailey.

The group has received $1 million this year from Leonard Leo, a political funding powerhouse who serves as co-chair of the conservative Federalist Society, and another $1 million from the Concord Fund, which is part of Leo’s vast network. The Concord Fund, previously known as the Judicial Crisis Network, is best know for trying to create a more conservative federal judiciary. It’s usually a major RAGA supporter, contributing more than $10 million to that group since 2020.

The fund backing Scharf has also received $1.4 million this year from investor Paul Singer and $500,000 from the national Club for Growth.

It’s not unheard of for national conservatives to try to oust an incumbent Republican AG. Two years ago, a separate arm of Club for Growth spent more than $280,000 on ads attacking longtime Idaho AG Lawrence Wasden in the Republican primary. His opponent, U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador, defeated him and went on to win the general election in November.

Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh last year praised Scharf for economic positions, such as promoting tax cuts.

Leo has not publicly explained the support of his network and his representative did not respond to interview requests.

But Scharf fits the mold of some of the Federalist Society-connected lawyers who have risen through the ranks of the government legal system with resumes that include elite law schools, clerkships with Republican-appointed federal judges and strong ties to the GOP.

He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, his law degree from Harvard University, clerked for two federal appeals court judges and has worked at CRC advisors, a conservative public relations firm chaired by Leo. In addition to being one of Trump’s lawyers, he has worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney in St. Louis, and worked on the campaign and later in the office of then-Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. A representative for Scharf said he would be available for an interview but did not reply to later follow-up email, text and voicemail messages from The Associated Press.

“I’m surprised that Wall Street and coastal elites would want to buy an office in Missouri for a New Yorker,” Bailey said of Scharf in an interview. He said Scharf would be the kind of candidate that those funders could control.

Bailey has spent nearly his entire career in Missouri. The Army veteran received his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Missouri, worked in the state attorney general’s office, and was an assistant county prosecutor and a state government lawyer before joining the office of Gov. Mike Parson, who eventually appointed him as attorney general.

Liberty and Justice PAC, an effort supporting Bailey, has also attracted major contributions. The biggest was $500,000 from Carolyn and Mike Rayner, St. Louis-area residents who are part of the family that owns the agribusiness firm Cargill, Inc.

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Missouri

Thousands show up to protest current administration at ‘No Kings’ rally in Kansas City, Missouri

Published

7 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Thousands show up to protest current administration at ‘No Kings’ rally in Kansas City, Missouri

KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.

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Thousands showed up to Mill Creek Park on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri, in a wave of protests across the country criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.

Thousands show up to protest current administration at KCMO ‘No Kings’ rally

Multiple protesters told KSHB 41 News they participated in the protest because they feel like it is the only way their voices can be heard.

Chris Morrison/KSHB

Sharon

“Congress is not working for us,” said Sharon, a protester at Mill Creek Park. “I have called my Congress people numerous times.”

It was the third wave of ‘No Kings’ protests across the country since June 2025.

“I’ve been here for each of the ‘No Kings,’ and I’ll admit that I’m frustrated that I have to be back here again,” protester Carter Taylor said.

Taylor is a teacher for Kansas City Public Schools with AFT Local 691, and she said she showed up to represent her students.

“I hope that everyone here doesn’t just stay here today — that they donate to food banks, that they check in on their public schools,” Taylor said.

Screenshot 2026-03-28 at 5.35.36 PM.png — Protesters marched on the Country Club Plaza in a wave of No Kings protests across the country on March 28, 2026.

Protesters held signs critiquing the current administration’s stances on tariffs, ongoing wars and immigration enforcement, among other things.

Screenshot 2026-03-28 at 5.24.48 PM.png — Lonnie Beattle

“It means that people care,” protester Lonnie Beattle said. “People care about what’s going on in this country, and people are not happy with what’s going on in the country.”

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 27, 2026

Published

19 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 27, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 27 drawing

13-27-28-41-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 27 drawing

Midday: 1-2-5

Midday Wild: 5

Evening: 1-5-9

Evening Wild: 6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 27 drawing

Midday: 4-9-8-1

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 6-7-3-3

Evening Wild: 6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 27 drawing

Early Bird: 10

Morning: 10

Matinee: 03

Prime Time: 15

Night Owl: 09

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 27 drawing

08-15-18-25-29

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Missouri

Boone Health files lawsuit against Missouri Heart Center, alleging contract breaches, data misuse

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Boone Health files lawsuit against Missouri Heart Center, alleging contract breaches, data misuse

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone Health is suing a Columbia-based cardiology group, alleging breaches of contract, misuse of confidential information and plans to engage in unlawful competition.

The lawsuit, filed in Boone County Circuit Court, targets Missouri Cardiovascular Specialists LLP, also known as the Missouri Heart Center or MO Heart, which has provided cardiology services to Boone Health for more than a decade. According to court documents, a renewed agreement was signed in 2021 covering professional services and management of Boone Health’s cardiology operations.

Boone Health alleges it paid the cardiology group millions of dollars under those agreements for staffing, administrative oversight and revenue cycle management, which included access to sensitive financial and patient-related data. In return, MO Heart and its physicians agreed to noncompete and confidentiality provisions designed to protect Boone Health’s business interests.

The health system claims MO Heart violated those agreements by preparing to launch a competing cardiology practice in the Columbia area, potentially as soon as the contracts expire on May 6, 2026. The lawsuit alleges the new venture would fall within a restricted geographic area and time frame outlined in the noncompete clause, which Boone Health argues is enforceable under Missouri law.

Boone Health also accuses MO Heart of disclosing or misusing confidential information, including billing rates, reimbursement data and strategic business details during its transition to new partnerships with outside organizations. Boone Health alleges in the lawsuit those actions could cause “severe and irreparable injury.”

In addition, Boone Health claims MO Heart obstructed access to critical systems and data. The lawsuit alleges the cardiology group cut off Boone Health’s access to a key billing and patient information platform and stopped sharing necessary data, raising concerns about continuity of patient care.

Boone Health alleged that MO Heart indicated that it intends to operate independently and has taken the position that the noncompete provisions are unenforceable, according to the filing.

Boone Health is asking a judge to rule the noncompete agreements that MO Heart signed are valid, as well as having MO Heart return or destroy confidential information, and delay starting a competing practice until May 2027.

A jury trial has been requested.

A spokesperson for Boone Health told ABC 17 News that it would provide additional details early next week.

Dr. James T. Elliott of MO Heart disagreed with allegations in the lawsuit through a written statement.

“For months, we have tried to meet with leadership team at Boone Health to work constructively towards a new, collaborative arrangement that would preserve access to and expand high‑quality care for our patients and for the entire community. Unfortunately, Boone refused to engage with us in any meaningful way. Instead, we have been met with a series of escalating legal threats, culminating in today’s filing,” the statement reads.

“Earlier today Boone Health filed a lawsuit against Missouri Heart Center. We disagree with the lawsuit’s allegations and believe those claims are both legally and factually incorrect. This litigation does not change our commitment to caring for patients.”

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