Missouri

State attorneys generals grab headlines with lawsuits, but Missouri's Andrew Bailey stands out

Published

9 months ago

March 12, 2025

State attorneys generals grab headlines with lawsuits, but Missouri's Andrew Bailey stands out

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — When Missouri’s attorney general says he’ll seize Chinese-owned assets to force China to pay a $24.5 billion award won by the state in a lawsuit over COVID-19, the threat might be more important than actually collecting any money.

Similarly, when Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued Starbucks last month, alleging that the coffee shop chain with a white male CEO discriminated against white men in hiring, the point might have been less about winning in court than the fight itself. He’s attacking the diversity, equity and inclusion programs that liberals have championed and his Democratic counterparts have supported.

Over the past decade, state attorneys general have become increasingly visible for suing presidential administrations of the opposite political party and pursuing policy goals through warnings and public demand letters. They are not only their states’ top law enforcement officials but now also chief advocates for a variety of causes — and few seem as busy at it as Bailey.

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“If you’re suing everybody, why not China?” said Benjamin Wittes, the editor-in-chief of the nonprofit Brookings Institution’s Lawfare publication.

Lower-profile offices become focused on national politics

For decades, attorneys general promised to fight crime by advocating tougher criminal sentences and defending convictions in serious cases while enforcing consumer protection laws and ousting the occasional errant local official.

They still do, but lawsuits and threats of lawsuits over national issues now get far more attention. Attorneys general argue that they’ve been pushed into it by presidents and federal agency heads.

North Dakota’s Drew Wrigley, a Republican, said environmental rules pursued under President Joe Biden compelled agricultural and energy-producing states like his to ask courts to force the Democratic administration to “respect appropriate constitutional and legal boundaries.”

“The Biden administration routinely abused executive authority, and regularly exercised power that Congress did not give them,” Wrigley said. “Our court victories have been victories for the rule of law in this nation.”

The shift started in the 1990s, when 46 attorneys general banded together to sue tobacco companies. A settlement led to annual payments to states exceeding $165 billion as of 2024.

“That was really what gave AGs the experience to realize that they could make a major difference on the national level, even if the executive branch and even if Congress didn’t act,” said Paul Nolette, a Marquette University political scientist.

Later, with Democrat Barack Obama in the White House, Republican attorneys general filed legal challenges against his administration. Democratic AGs did the same during Republican President Donald Trump’s first term.

“As the United States has become much more polarized, that’s been matched by the politicization of the attorney general’s office,” said Drury University political scientist Daniel Ponder.

Lawsuits may be derided but they reap political benefits

Critics deride such tactics as grandstanding, but attorneys general have incentives to pursue them.

In 2022, Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro won the Pennsylvania governor’s race after touting more than 20 legal challenges to Trump administration actions, and he was a leading contender for his party’s 2024 vice presidential nomination.

Kansas Republican Kris Kobach lost races for governor in 2018 and the U.S. Senate in 2020 but resurrected his political career in 2022 by winning the attorney general’s race after promising to spend each breakfast thinking about potential lawsuits against the Biden administration.

Bailey’s two predecessors in Missouri, both Republicans, won U.S. Senate seats: Eric Schmitt in 2022 and Josh Hawley in 2018. Bailey’s own headline-grabbing work helped him get an audience before Trump as a potential U.S. attorney general appointee, although ultimately he didn’t get the job.

He defended Missouri’s lawsuit against China — filed by Schmitt, his predecessor, and inherited by Bailey — by pointing to the result, though Wittes and other experts believe it will be difficult to seize assets and collect money from China. Missouri claimed that China hoarded personal protective equipment during the pandemic, harming the state.

“This historic victory is a significant first step in holding wrongdoers accountable,” Bailey said.

Missouri has had plenty of targets besides China

Of course, China is far from Missouri’s only target.

Bailey has threatened private gyms over bathroom policies, demanded that public schools ban drag shows and sued New York state, claiming that Trump’s 2024 hush money criminal trial was “overt meddling” in the election that limited Missouri voters’ information.

Bailey was in office less than three weeks in January 2023 when he joined a multistate lawsuit against the Biden administration over immigration policy, and the next day, he was challenging a policy allowing 401(k) managers to use environmental, social and governance principles in their investing. Missouri kept joining lawsuits against Biden’s administration: four over immigration policy, three over efforts to forgive college student loan debt, two over environmental rules, two over gun safety initiatives and two over transgender rights measures.

Even after Biden left the White House, Bailey wasn’t done with him.

In a Facebook post last week, Bailey called for the Trump administration to investigate Biden’s mental fitness late in his term and whether it undercut the “legality of executive orders, pardons, and all other actions issued in his name.”

Suing Starbucks: Diversity goals as alleged discrimination

Bailey’s lawsuit against Starbucks came weeks after Trump ordered an end to the federal government’s DEI programs.

The lawsuit alleges the company’s DEI programs are pretexts for quotas limiting the number of white, male employees, resulting in a “more female and less white” workforce since 2020, when CEO Brian Niccol, who is white, took over. Bailey argues that Starbucks practices, including actions against managers who don’t meet DEI goals, violate state and federal laws against making employment decisions based on race or sex.

“I have a responsibility to protect Missourians from a company that actively engages in systemic race and sex discrimination,” Bailey said.

Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment and has until April 7 to file its response to the lawsuit.

“Even if these suits are ultimately unsuccessful, they can have other effects in terms of changing behavior on the part of the defendants, in some cases delaying policy for a long time,” Marquette’s Nolette said.

___

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writer Jack Dura also contributed reporting from Bismarck, North Dakota.

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Missouri

Missouri reveals which Chinese assets it will target in $50bn row

Published

4 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Missouri reveals which Chinese assets it will target in bn row

Missouri’s attorney general has revealed which Chinese assets the state will be targeting in a $50 billion legal row.

The Show Me State’s legal battle with China has intensified as both sides pursue multibillion-dollar claims related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And now, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has explained what is on the table in terms of what assets will be targeted in the litigation.

“China caused extraordinary harm to our citizens and our economy,” she told Newsweek. “We are committed to holding them accountable and recovering every dollar we can. I’ve been asked if we will seize the pandas at the National Zoo. The answer is no, we are looking at other Chinese-owned assets, including farmland.”

Why It Matters

The confrontation highlights ongoing diplomatic rifts between the United States and China and raises complex questions about international law, sovereign immunity, and the ability of U.S. states to seize foreign-owned property. The outcome could set precedents for future pandemic-related litigation and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

What To Know

China recently filed a lawsuit in a Wuhan court against Missouri and several state officials, seeking more than $50 billion in damages and public apologies.

In response, Missouri is advancing efforts to enforce a $24 billion U.S. court judgment against the Chinese government and affiliated entities—by targeting certain Chinese-owned assets within the United States.

The current dispute stems from a 2020 lawsuit filed by Missouri, which alleged that China exacerbated the coronavirus pandemic by hoarding personal protective equipment (PPE) and failing to provide timely warnings regarding the virus.

Earlier this year, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office obtained a $24–$25 billion judgment against the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and related entities after Chinese officials declined to participate in the U.S. court process.

In response to Missouri’s legal success, China has now filed a $50.5 billion (356.4 billion yuan) lawsuit in the Intermediate People’s Court of Wuhan.

The complaint, jointly submitted by the Chinese government, Wuhan’s municipal government, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, names the state of Missouri, Governor Mike Kehoe, U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, and former Attorney General Andrew Bailey as defendants.

The Chinese lawsuit claims Missouri and its officials engaged in “fabricating enormous disinformation, and spreading stigmatizing and discriminating slanders” that impaired China’s economic interests and reputation.

Alongside financial compensation, China seeks public apologies in prominent American and Chinese media outlets, recovery of legal costs, and the right to claim further damages.

What People Are Saying

Hanaway said: “I find it extremely telling that the Chinese blame our great state for ‘belittling the social evaluation’ of The Wuhan Institute of Virology… We stand undeterred in our mission to collect on our $24 billion judgment that was lawfully handed down in federal court.”

U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, who initiated Missouri’s original lawsuit, said: “I’ve been banned from Communist China, and now I am being sued and targeted by Communist China in a $50 Billion lawfare campaign, and I’ll wear it like a badge of honor… This novel lawsuit is factually baseless, legally meritless, and any fake judgment a Chinese court issues in this lawsuit we will easily beat back and keep from being enforced against the people of Missouri or me.”

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, described the Missouri lawsuit as “a purely politically motivated maneuver [and] China firmly opposes it, will never accept it, and reserves the right to take strong countermeasures.”

What Happens Next

Missouri is in the process of seeking certification of its federal court judgment—a legal prerequisite for initiating asset seizures under U.S. law. If certification is granted, the state may move forward with efforts to identify and seize Chinese-owned assets, particularly farmland and financial interests connected to the Chinese government or its proxies.

Simultaneously, Chinese legal action in Wuhan courts is ongoing, with the plaintiffs demanding significant damages and public apologies.

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Missouri

Missouri State vs Arkansas State Xbox Bowl final score, highlights

Published

16 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Missouri State vs Arkansas State Xbox Bowl final score, highlights

FRISCO, TX — Missouri State football ended a historic season, in which it qualified for a bowl game in its first season as an FBS program, with a loss in the Xbox Bowl.

The Bears made a late push, but came up short in a 34-28 loss to Arkansas State on Thursday, Dec. 18, in the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Thus ends one of the best years in Bears football history, their first in Conference USA, where they went 7-6 and had their first six wins over FBS programs since 1990. Mo State won five one-score games, while reaching feats that were once thought impossible for a once-disastrous program.

Thursday night marked the end of the six-year Petrino family era for Missouri State, as news broke earlier in the day that the school was finalizing the hire of SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods as its next head coach. Woods will replace Ryan Beard, who didn’t coach in the Xbox Bowl after accepting the head coaching position at Coastal Carolina. Woods’ hiring is expected to be announced on Dec. 19.

The Springfield News-Leader is bringing you live updates from Frisco, Texas. Follow for live updates.

Watch Missouri State vs Arkansas State on ESPN+

Missouri State vs Arkansas State in Xbox Bowl live score

This section will be updated throughout the game

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Arkansas State	14	10	7	3	34
Missouri State	7	0	0	21	28

Final — Arkansas State 34, Missouri State 28

Jacob Clark to Jmariyae Robinson for a touchdown

Clark to Robinson for a 16-yard score with 1:54 left. Bears have to get the onside kick.

Missouri State has first-and-goal at the 16

A 59-yard pass to Dash Luke has the Bears in position to strike at the two-minute warning. Bears at the ASU 16.

Arkansas State misses field goal

The Bears have a pulse again? MSU ball at its 20 with 3:20 left.

Missouri State muffs punt when it just got a pulse

Dash Luke muffs a punt with 3:50 left, and the Red Wolves recover. Dang.

Jacob Clark throws pretty TD to Dash Luke

A dime down the middle of the field to Dash Luke goes for a 47-yard touchdown. Luke has 110 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions. Clark is up to 23-31 for 274 yards and three scores. Two-point conversion ruled short.

Missouri State forces Arkansas State punt

Bears ball at their own 48.

Arkansas State recovers strip-sack

From the ASU 34, Clark is hit and he fumbles. Red Wolves ball with 9:01 left and this one is ovah.

Arkansas State knocks in field goal

A 32-yard field goal with 12:43 left extends the Red Wolves’ lead back up to three scores.

Jacob Clark hits Ramone Green for TD to open fourth quarter

A beautiful ball from Jacob Clark to Ramone Green for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Bears cut Arkansas State’s lead to 31-15 with 14:52 left in the game. The Bears go for two and get it. It’s suddenly a two-score game.

Missouri State in scoring position

The Bears are at the Red Wolves’ 15, facing third-and-11, to begin the fourth quarter.

Missouri State takes over at its own 10

This game is sloooooooow. Bears need to make this score respectable or something on this drive.

Devin Spencer runs for 25-yard touchdown

Arkansas State went 65 yards in less than two minutes. Devin Spencer runs in a touchdown from 25 yards out. Bears down 31-7 with 10:23 left in the third.

Arkansas State, Missouri State trade punts

Red Wolves ball at their own 35.

Arkansas State takes 24-7 lead into halftime

Jacob Clark is 13-16 for 115 yards and a touchdown, but he’s been sacked four times, and there have been a pair of untimely penalties. Red Wolves have eight tackles for a loss. Defense is struggling to get stops and has been giving up big plays, allowing four passes of 21 yards or more.

Missouri State, Arkansas State trade punts

Bears ball at their own 24 with 69 seconds left in the half.

Arkansas State back in the endzone

This game is in danger of getting away from the Bears. Jaylen Raynor hit Hunter Summers for a 39-yard diving completion. The Wolves score two plays later on a four-yard touchdown pass. It’s 24-7 Wolves with 6:14 left in the half.

Missouri State penalty, sack allowed kills another drive

Jacob Clark scrambled for 15, but it was called back because of a hold. He was sacked for the second time right after. Arkansas State returns the punt 35 yards to the MSU 44.

Arkansas State boots 54-yard field goal

The Bears kept the Wolves out of the endzone for the first time tonight, but Clune Van Andel boots a 54-yard field goal. Wolves up 17-7 with 12:40 left in the half.

Jacob Clark to Dash Luke for a Missouri State TD

Jacob Clark rolls out to his left, gets a corner to bite and throws a 39-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Dash Luke to get the Bears on the board. Arkansas State up 14-7 with 17 seconds left in the quarter.

Arkansas State strikes with deep touchdown

A deep ball from Jaylen Raynor to Corey Rucker is perfect, and he goes 71 yards to the house. The Bears’ defense isn’t looking good. It’s 14-0 with 2:51 left in the first quarter.

Missouri State moved the ball, but Arkansas State got to Jacob Clark again

The Bears got to the Red Wolves’ 36, but were flagged for holding. Their drive stalls after Jacob Clark was sacked. Wolves ball at their five.

Arkansas State quickly drives down the field for a score

The Bears struggled to tackle, and the Red Wolves took advantage. They go 55 yards in five plays to take an early 7-0 lead just four minutes in.

Missouri State goes three-and-out to start the game

The pass rush is getting after Jacob Clark with his makeshift offensive line. They’re immediately forced to punt. Wolves ball at their 45.

Missouri State vs Arkansas State pregame notes

8:03 p.m. — Missouri State will receive the opening kick.

7:56 p.m. — Nick Petrino’s offensive line is expected to be pretty thin tonight. Cash Hudson is playing, despite it looking like he’s portal-bound. But they could be down a couple more with Ebubedike Nnabugwu and others expected to be out.

7:34 p.m. — Here’s your next Missouri State football coach, which I was able to confirm. SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods will be announced as head coach on Friday morning after a Missouri State Board of Governors meeting.

7:29 p.m. — Hello, Springfield. Nice to talk to you again. What a moment for Missouri State as it participates in its first bowl game. The joy on the supporters’ faces has already made this a special night.

What time does Missouri State vs Arkansas State start?

Date: Thursday, Dec. 18
Time: 8 p.m. CT
Location: Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Texas

The Bears and Red Wolves are scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 18, from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

What TV channel is Missouri State vs Arkansas State on today?

TV channel: ESPN2
Streaming: ESPN+

Missouri State will take on Arkansas State on ESPN2 with Jorge Sedano, Rodney McCloud and Victoria Arlen on the call. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+.

Watch Missouri State vs Arkansas State on ESPN+

Missouri State vs Arkansas State predictions in Xbox Bowl

Wyatt Wheeler: Missouri State over Arkansas State
Matt Hayes: Missouri State over Arkansas State
Jordan Mendoza: Missouri State over Arkansas State
Paul Meyerberg: Arkansas State over Missouri State
Erick Smith: Arkansas State over Missouri State
Eddie Timanus: Arkansas State over Missouri State
Blake Toppmeyer: Missouri State over Arkansas State

Missouri State vs Arkansas State odds, spread for Xbox Bowl

Odds courtesy of BetMGM on the morning of Monday, Dec. 15

Spread: Arkansas State -1 1/2
Over/under: 56 1/2
Moneyline: ARST -115, MOST -105

College Football Playoff schedule 2025-26

First round: Dec. 19 and 20
Quarterfinals: Dec. 31 and Jan. 2
Semifinals: Jan. 8 and 9
National championship: Jan. 19

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com

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Missouri

BetMGM bonus code CUSE: Extended $1500 TNF bonus in Missouri!

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

BetMGM bonus code CUSE: Extended 00 TNF bonus in Missouri!

On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the momentum of BetMGM Sportsbook’s official launch in Missouri continues to build. As the legal sports betting era takes hold across the Show-Me State, new users can capitalize on BetMGM Missouri’s premier welcome promotion: the BetMGM bonus code CUSE unlocks a $1,500 First Bet Offer in MO, providing one of the most significant safety nets available in the national market.

This launch-specific offer represents a major deviation from the standard promotions typically found in established markets. By activating the BetMGM bonus code CUSE today, Missouri bettors secure insurance on their very first wager, allowing them to explore the platform’s extensive markets with peace of mind, as their initial bet will be refunded in bonus bets if it loses.

BetMGM Bonus Code CUSE Sets a High Bar for Missouri:

The BetMGM Bonus Code Missouri’s updated terms and conditions can be viewed here.Official BetMGM Bonus Code.

The timing of this rollout is perfect for local fans, as the St. Louis Blues continue their season and the NFL enters the critical Week 16 stretch. While some sportsbooks offer small, fixed-sum “bet and get” deals, the BetMGM Missouri structure is designed for a high-ceiling play. If your first bet up to $1,500 loses, BetMGM will refund your entire stake in bonus bets.

Key Deal Terms:

Bonus Code: CUSE
Offer (Missouri Only): $1,500 First Bet Offer (Stake refunded as bonus bets if you lose).
Value Differential: Offers a significantly higher ceiling for first-time users compared to standard fixed-bonus deals.
Launch Date: December 2025 (Live Now).

Thursday Night Football: Rams vs. Seahawks Matchup Details (NFL Week 16):

The biggest stage for Missouri bettors tonight is Thursday Night Football, featuring a pivotal NFC West clash between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.

Betting Odds:

Spread: Seahawks -1.5
Over/Under: 42.5
Moneyline: Rams +110 | Seahawks -120
All odds above subject to change.

Xbox Bowl: Missouri State vs. Arkansas State Matchup Details:

Adding to the excitement is the Xbox Bowl at the Ford Center at The Star. This game marks a historic milestone as the Missouri State Bears make their FBS bowl debut against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

Betting Odds:

Spread: Arkansas State -1
Over/Under: 54.5
Moneyline: Missouri State -104 | Arkansas State -105
All odds above subject to change.

By using the BetMGM bonus code CUSE to wager on any of these markets—whether backing the Rams (+110) or taking the Bears (-104) in their bowl debut—your first bet is protected. If your pick hits, you keep the cash; if it falls short, your stake returns as bonus bets.

How to Activate the BetMGM Bonus Code CUSE:

$1500 BetMGM Bonus Code Instructions. — BetMGM Bonus Code unlocks the sports betting bonus when you follow these simple steps.BetMGM Missouri.

Sign Up: Click through to the BetMGM app or site and register your new account in Missouri.
Enter Code: Ensure the BetMGM bonus code CUSE is entered in the designated field during registration.
Deposit: Fund your account with a minimum deposit of $10.
Place Your First Bet: Wager on any market, such as Rams vs. Seahawks or the Xbox Bowl.
Get Your Bonus: If your first bet loses, BetMGM will refund your stake (up to $1,500) in bonus bets!

Conclusion: BetMGM Missouri Delivers a Premier Launch Offer!

The arrival of BetMGM in Missouri brings a top-tier betting experience to the state. By engaging the BetMGM bonus code CUSE during this launch week, sports fans can lock in a massive $1,500 safety net, ensuring the strongest possible start to the legal betting era in Missouri.

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See BetMGM.com for Terms. 21+ only. MO Only. New Customer Offer (If applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. Please gamble responsibly. Minimum $10 deposit required. Bonus bets expire in 7 days. One new player offer. Add’l terms.

If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.

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