Kacen J. Bayless
@kacen.bsky.social
Democracy Insider at The Kansas City Star. kbayless@kcstar.com
Missouri wants to seize assets owned by China to collect a historic $24B judgment, an extraordinary move aimed at holding the country accountable for COVID-19.
But legal experts have cast doubt on Missouri’s ability to collect anything. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
But legal experts have cast doubt on Missouri’s ability to collect anything. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri wants to seize China’s assets. But will it actually collect $24B judgment?
The judgment has been widely touted as historic. But some legal experts cast doubt on Missouri’s ability to collect.
www.kansascity.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Missouri wants to seize assets owned by China to collect a historic $24B judgment, an extraordinary move aimed at holding the country accountable for COVID-19.
But legal experts have cast doubt on Missouri’s ability to collect anything. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
But legal experts have cast doubt on Missouri’s ability to collect anything. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri's governor floated a plan to eliminate the income tax, a move that would drastically change how the state funds operations & services.
While short on details, the stark acknowledgment has drawn parallels to a budget fiasco in Kansas #moleg #ksleg
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
While short on details, the stark acknowledgment has drawn parallels to a budget fiasco in Kansas #moleg #ksleg
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri governor wants to eliminate income taxes. Some fear KS-like budget crisis
The stark acknowledgment has drawn parallels to neighboring Kansas, which experienced a budget disaster roughly a decade ago.
www.kansascity.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Missouri's governor floated a plan to eliminate the income tax, a move that would drastically change how the state funds operations & services.
While short on details, the stark acknowledgment has drawn parallels to a budget fiasco in Kansas #moleg #ksleg
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
While short on details, the stark acknowledgment has drawn parallels to a budget fiasco in Kansas #moleg #ksleg
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kacen J. Bayless
Local hemp shops in Kansas City have experienced significant growth, but they are now facing challenges due to a new federal ban. Here's the story via @kacen.bsky.social
Read more at: www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Read more at: www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Local hemp shops have boomed in KC. Now they’re grappling with new federal ban
The new federal legislation marks another salvo in a protracted fight over the unregulated hemp industry.
www.kansascity.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Local hemp shops in Kansas City have experienced significant growth, but they are now facing challenges due to a new federal ban. Here's the story via @kacen.bsky.social
Read more at: www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Read more at: www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
New: Trial over fate of 90K signatures to strike down redistricted Missouri map delayed — again
The delay, won by an opposition group backed by national Republicans, comes as the campaign races to collect signatures to force a statewide vote #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The delay, won by an opposition group backed by national Republicans, comes as the campaign races to collect signatures to force a statewide vote #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Trial over 90K signatures to strike down redistricted Missouri map delayed — again
“They are absolutely terrified of, you know, the people of the state having a chance to weigh in,” the campaign’s director told The Star.
www.kansascity.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:44 PM
New: Trial over fate of 90K signatures to strike down redistricted Missouri map delayed — again
The delay, won by an opposition group backed by national Republicans, comes as the campaign races to collect signatures to force a statewide vote #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The delay, won by an opposition group backed by national Republicans, comes as the campaign races to collect signatures to force a statewide vote #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Together, the two agreements reveal a financial arrangement totaling half a million dollars that City Hall never previously disclosed after Platt’s highly-publicized firing in March.
City officials have repeatedly refused to answer questions about the agreements.
City officials have repeatedly refused to answer questions about the agreements.
NEW: Kansas City quietly agreed to pay former City Manager Brian Platt $500K in two confidential agreements signed in the wake of his exit as the city’s top executive.
The documents, obtained by The Star, mark the first public disclosure of the full payout www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The documents, obtained by The Star, mark the first public disclosure of the full payout www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Kansas City quietly agreed to pay $500K to fired city manager Brian Platt
Two documents mark the first public disclosure of the payouts as city officials have refused to answer questions about the settlement.
www.kansascity.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Together, the two agreements reveal a financial arrangement totaling half a million dollars that City Hall never previously disclosed after Platt’s highly-publicized firing in March.
City officials have repeatedly refused to answer questions about the agreements.
City officials have repeatedly refused to answer questions about the agreements.
NEW: Kansas City quietly agreed to pay former City Manager Brian Platt $500K in two confidential agreements signed in the wake of his exit as the city’s top executive.
The documents, obtained by The Star, mark the first public disclosure of the full payout www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The documents, obtained by The Star, mark the first public disclosure of the full payout www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Kansas City quietly agreed to pay $500K to fired city manager Brian Platt
Two documents mark the first public disclosure of the payouts as city officials have refused to answer questions about the settlement.
www.kansascity.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:40 PM
NEW: Kansas City quietly agreed to pay former City Manager Brian Platt $500K in two confidential agreements signed in the wake of his exit as the city’s top executive.
The documents, obtained by The Star, mark the first public disclosure of the full payout www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The documents, obtained by The Star, mark the first public disclosure of the full payout www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kacen J. Bayless
Kansas City has quietly agreed to pay $500,000 to Brian Platt, the city manager who was recently fired. Here's the breaking news story via @kacen.bsky.social
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Kansas City quietly agreed to pay $500K to fired city manager Brian Platt
Two documents mark the first public disclosure of the payouts as city officials have refused to answer questions about the settlement.
www.kansascity.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Kansas City has quietly agreed to pay $500,000 to Brian Platt, the city manager who was recently fired. Here's the breaking news story via @kacen.bsky.social
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
ICYMI: “Redistricting is now a bare-knuckles fight all over the country and people are trying things that have never been done before,” said @chuckhatfield.bsky.social. “We are down in the alley with broken bottles and chains right now — that’s what’s going on." www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Inside mysterious push to block signature-gathering against Missouri redistricting
The source of the contract remains a mystery. But its existence has raised alarm as Missouri gears up for a potential statewide vote.
www.kansascity.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
ICYMI: “Redistricting is now a bare-knuckles fight all over the country and people are trying things that have never been done before,” said @chuckhatfield.bsky.social. “We are down in the alley with broken bottles and chains right now — that’s what’s going on." www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
NEW: Inside mysterious push to block signature-gathering against Missouri redistricting
The source of the contract, obtained by The Star, remains a mystery. But its existence has raised alarm as Missouri gears up for a potential statewide vote. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The source of the contract, obtained by The Star, remains a mystery. But its existence has raised alarm as Missouri gears up for a potential statewide vote. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Inside mysterious push to block signature-gathering against Missouri redistricting
The source of the contract remains a mystery. But its existence has raised alarm as Missouri gears up for a potential statewide vote.
www.kansascity.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:55 PM
NEW: Inside mysterious push to block signature-gathering against Missouri redistricting
The source of the contract, obtained by The Star, remains a mystery. But its existence has raised alarm as Missouri gears up for a potential statewide vote. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The source of the contract, obtained by The Star, remains a mystery. But its existence has raised alarm as Missouri gears up for a potential statewide vote. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
NEW: The former Ray County sheriff, whose tenure was dogged by a maelstrom of misconduct allegations that led to his resignation, now faces criminal charges.
Another extraordinary revelation for the mostly rural county near KC.
w/ @cronkb.bsky.social www.kansascity.com/news/local/c...
Another extraordinary revelation for the mostly rural county near KC.
w/ @cronkb.bsky.social www.kansascity.com/news/local/c...
Ex-Ray County sheriff indicted for using excessive force, falsifying reports: ‘Troubling’
Former Ray County Sheriff Scott Childers is accused of violating the civil rights of several people. Here’s what a federal grand jury has accused him of.
www.kansascity.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:48 PM
NEW: The former Ray County sheriff, whose tenure was dogged by a maelstrom of misconduct allegations that led to his resignation, now faces criminal charges.
Another extraordinary revelation for the mostly rural county near KC.
w/ @cronkb.bsky.social www.kansascity.com/news/local/c...
Another extraordinary revelation for the mostly rural county near KC.
w/ @cronkb.bsky.social www.kansascity.com/news/local/c...
NEW: Jackson County residents will be tasked with choosing their assessor after a landslide vote that required the post to be elected instead of appointed.
The runaway election was fueled in part by yearslong fury over an increase in property assessments. www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The runaway election was fueled in part by yearslong fury over an increase in property assessments. www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Jackson County’s assessor will be elected after landslide vote fueled by tax fury
But Tuesday’s runaway election won’t immediately change who’s in charge of assessments.
www.kansascity.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:05 AM
NEW: Jackson County residents will be tasked with choosing their assessor after a landslide vote that required the post to be elected instead of appointed.
The runaway election was fueled in part by yearslong fury over an increase in property assessments. www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
The runaway election was fueled in part by yearslong fury over an increase in property assessments. www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kacen J. Bayless
Missouri under fire after Gov. Kehoe touted SNAP aid that wasn’t new: ‘Shameful’ A story by @kacen.bsky.social and Laura Bauer.
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri under fire after Gov. Kehoe touted SNAP aid that wasn’t new: ‘Shameful’
“It was, quite frankly, shameful,” said one Kansas City lawmaker.
www.kansascity.com
October 31, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Missouri under fire after Gov. Kehoe touted SNAP aid that wasn’t new: ‘Shameful’ A story by @kacen.bsky.social and Laura Bauer.
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kacen J. Bayless
“It was, quite frankly, shameful,” said one Kansas City lawmaker.
Missouri under fire after Gov. Kehoe touted SNAP aid that wasn’t new: ‘Shameful’
“It was, quite frankly, shameful,” said one Kansas City lawmaker.
bit.ly
October 31, 2025 at 7:30 PM
“It was, quite frankly, shameful,” said one Kansas City lawmaker.
New: Missouri’s new congressional map carves 70K minority residents out of Kansas City district.
An internal review, obtained by @KCStar, offers the most detailed demographic data & shows the district will have the largest drop in minority voters. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
An internal review, obtained by @KCStar, offers the most detailed demographic data & shows the district will have the largest drop in minority voters. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri’s new map carves 70,000 minority residents out of Kansas City district
An internal review of the map shows that the 5th District will see an 8.5% increase in white residents and a 9.1% decrease in minority residents.
www.kansascity.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:29 PM
New: Missouri’s new congressional map carves 70K minority residents out of Kansas City district.
An internal review, obtained by @KCStar, offers the most detailed demographic data & shows the district will have the largest drop in minority voters. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
An internal review, obtained by @KCStar, offers the most detailed demographic data & shows the district will have the largest drop in minority voters. #moleg www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
New: Jackson County will not pursue charges against people who signed a petition to repeal Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map twice, pointing to confusing messaging from GOP state officials. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Why Jackson County won’t charge people who signed anti-gerrymander petition twice
The announcement came roughly a week after Missouri GOP officials deployed maneuvers to stifle a campaign that seeks to strike down the state’s congressional map.
www.kansascity.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:04 PM
New: Jackson County will not pursue charges against people who signed a petition to repeal Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map twice, pointing to confusing messaging from GOP state officials. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
New: Inside Missouri governor’s closed-door talks as Kansas City Royals eye stadium move #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Inside Missouri governor’s closed-door talks as Royals eye stadium move
The meetings, revealed in records obtained by The Star, illustrate the significant role the governor is playing in the fight over both teams.
www.kansascity.com
October 23, 2025 at 1:00 PM
New: Inside Missouri governor’s closed-door talks as Kansas City Royals eye stadium move #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kacen J. Bayless
Inside Missouri governor’s closed-door talks as Royals eye stadium move. A story via @kacen.bsky.social
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Inside Missouri governor’s closed-door talks as Royals eye stadium move
The meetings, revealed in records obtained by The Star, illustrate the significant role the governor is playing in the fight over both teams.
www.kansascity.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Inside Missouri governor’s closed-door talks as Royals eye stadium move. A story via @kacen.bsky.social
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kacen J. Bayless
As the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in on Trump’s National Guard deployments, the president’s decision to order guard members to cross state borders into non-consenting states underscores fears about encroachments on state sovereignty
My dive for @stateline.org
stateline.org/2025/10/22/t...
My dive for @stateline.org
stateline.org/2025/10/22/t...
Trump’s National Guard deployments raise worries about state sovereignty • Stateline
As President Donald Trump prepares to send out-of-state National Guard members to Chicago and in Portland, Oregon, other cities are bracing for the arrival of troops in anticipation that the deploymen...
stateline.org
October 22, 2025 at 12:02 PM
As the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in on Trump’s National Guard deployments, the president’s decision to order guard members to cross state borders into non-consenting states underscores fears about encroachments on state sovereignty
My dive for @stateline.org
stateline.org/2025/10/22/t...
My dive for @stateline.org
stateline.org/2025/10/22/t...
New: More than half a million Missouri residents who rely on SNAP will be unable to access their payment next month due to the federal government shutdown. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
More than 650K Missourians will lose food assistance next month amid shutdown
States across the country are likely to be impacted, but neighboring Kansas had not yet made a similar announcement.
www.kansascity.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:42 PM
New: More than half a million Missouri residents who rely on SNAP will be unable to access their payment next month due to the federal government shutdown. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri lawyer wants to repeal Chiefs, Royals stadium funding — to give money to Medicaid #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri lawyer wants to repeal stadium funding — to give money to Medicaid
Two proposals take direct aim at Missouri’s stadium funding package intended to keep the Chiefs and Royals inside state lines.
www.kansascity.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Missouri lawyer wants to repeal Chiefs, Royals stadium funding — to give money to Medicaid #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kacen J. Bayless
The connections of Young Republicans to Kansas politicians are under scrutiny following a scandal involving a racist text. Here's the latest via @bymatthewkelly.bsky.social
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Young Republicans’ ties to Kansas politicians scrutinized after racist text scandal
GOP officials are facing tough questions about their connections to staffers associated with hateful messages revealed this week.
www.kansascity.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:16 PM
The connections of Young Republicans to Kansas politicians are under scrutiny following a scandal involving a racist text. Here's the latest via @bymatthewkelly.bsky.social
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
“The whole thing’s outrageous,” said Chuck Hatfield, the campaign's attorney. “We have state officials in a full-blown tantrum about the right of the people to overrule these congressional districts.” #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri says 100K signatures to repeal voting map aren’t valid. That’s not all
The legal actions illustrate a remarkable attempt to thwart Missourians from striking down the map that splits Kansas City.
www.kansascity.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
“The whole thing’s outrageous,” said Chuck Hatfield, the campaign's attorney. “We have state officials in a full-blown tantrum about the right of the people to overrule these congressional districts.” #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
New: After thousands of Missourians signed onto a campaign to repeal the state’s gerrymandered map, statewide officials have deployed a barrage of maneuvers to crush the effort.
Inside the GOP push to halt the referendum campaign. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Inside the GOP push to halt the referendum campaign. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri says 100K signatures to repeal voting map aren’t valid. That’s not all
The legal actions illustrate a remarkable attempt to thwart Missourians from striking down the map that splits Kansas City.
www.kansascity.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:23 PM
New: After thousands of Missourians signed onto a campaign to repeal the state’s gerrymandered map, statewide officials have deployed a barrage of maneuvers to crush the effort.
Inside the GOP push to halt the referendum campaign. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Inside the GOP push to halt the referendum campaign. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
New: Kansas City International Airport has joined a growing list of airports refusing to air a video of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
KCI refuses to air Kristi Noem’s TSA video blaming shutdown on Democrats
Kansas City International Airport’s denial comes as major airports across the country have also refused to play the video at security lines
www.kansascity.com
October 14, 2025 at 7:04 PM
New: Kansas City International Airport has joined a growing list of airports refusing to air a video of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown. #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
UPDATE: After this story published, a Missouri judge approved SOS Denny Hoskins’ version of the abortion ban's ballot language, finding his second of three potential tries “fair and sufficient” for the ballot.
The ACLU says it will appeal the ruling. #moleg #mogov
The ACLU says it will appeal the ruling. #moleg #mogov
New: Missouri’s ‘Let Politicians Lie Act’ takes center stage in fight over abortion #moleg #mogov www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Missouri’s ‘Let Politicians Lie Act’ takes center stage in fight over abortion
The ongoing legal fight is largely by design, marking the latest salvo in Republican officials’ yearslong effort to halt abortion access.
www.kansascity.com
October 7, 2025 at 9:31 PM