Sen. Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleySenate votes to confirm Neomi Rao to appeals court Hillicon Valley: Google takes heat at privacy hearing | 2020 Dems to debate ‘monopoly power’ | GOP rips net neutrality bill | Warren throws down gauntlet over big tech | New scrutiny for Trump over AT&T merger Google takes heat over location tracking in privacy debate MORE (R-Mo.) was served a subpoena Friday as he exited the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
The subpoena was served at the request of a Democratic operative and candidate for Missouri attorney general who is suing state Gov. Mike Parson (R) for records of correspondence between Parson and a political nonprofit.
Hawley served as attorney general in Missouri during the time the documents being requested were sent, though the senator is not named in the lawsuit. Lawyers for the senator are attempting to quash the subpoena.
“We got him. After more than two weeks of evading service, Senator Josh Hawley was personally served with the subpoena at CPAC,” Elad Gross, the Democratic candidate for Missouri attorney general who is suing Parson, tweeted.
Gross told The Kansas City Star that a process server confirmed to him that Hawley was served shortly after he exited the stage at the annual conservative summit.
“This is another political stunt by a political candidate,” Kelli Ford, Hawley’s spokesperson, said in a statement to The Hill. “The reality is that Mr. Gross has been evading a court date to discuss the matter.”
“It’s unfortunate that Democrat operatives continue to misuse our courts of law for political purposes. It’s a frivolous request. He isn’t party to the lawsuit,” she noted, echoing a statement released last month.
Gross has a history of criticizing Hawley going back to his campaign last year. He’s also donated money to a series of Democratic politicians and supported former Sen. Claire McCaskillClaire Conner McCaskillLobbying world Dem candidate has Hawley served subpoena at CPAC Annual scorecard ranks GOP environmental efforts far below Dems in 2018 MORE (D-Mo.), whom Hawley defeated in November.
The subpoena was first issued last month to get Hawley’s testimony about the state’s handling of Missouri’s Sunshine Law while he was state attorney general. The law states that “it is the public policy of this state that meetings, records, votes, actions, and deliberations of public governmental bodies be open to the public unless otherwise provided by law.”
— This story was updated March 2 at 11:15 a.m. with additional information