Rudi Keller
Rudi Keller covers the state budget, energy and the legislature for the Missouri Independent. He’s spent 22 of his 30 years in journalism covering Missouri government and politics, most recently as the news editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune. Keller has won awards for spot news and investigative reporting.
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The Senate Freedom Caucus is demanding tax cuts in exchange for not blocking stadium funds for the Royals and Chiefs, while Democrats retaliated for slights during the regular session by derailing the routine work of signing bills. The tensions don't bode well for next week's special session.
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The report from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey didn't include a "disparity index" showing whether police stopped drivers in minority groups more frequently than white drivers.
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When lawmakers return to Jefferson City in June to debate Gov. Kehoe's plan to finance stadium projects for the Chiefs and Royals in Kansas City, more than 60 groups slated for funding want him to revisit spending for items spiked in the Missouri House.
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A new Missouri law allows the attorney general to challenge temporary injunctions, a move inspired by a pending abortion-rights case. But a lawsuit filed Friday argues that the law violates the constitution in multiple ways.
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A Boone County judge on Monday will hear a motion by Deandra Buchanan to reopen his 2002 triple murder case, with the ultimate goal of showing he should be given a new trial. Buchanan says his original case violated his due process rights.
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The initiatives would use Missouri’s law governing motor vehicle sales — which requires new cars, trucks and motorcycles to be sold through franchised dealers — to force Tesla out. It's part of an effort to fight back against CEO Elon Musk for his lead role in federal layoffs and budget cuts.
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Lee's Summit Republican Sen. Mike Cierpiot's bill would repeal a 1976 ban on charging customers for new power plants as they are built to meets future energy needs. Critics say it’s a cash grab by utilities who will undoubtedly raise rates.
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Approximately 25,000 lawsuits in Cole County, Missouri, allege that Roundup causes cancer and the label failed to warn consumers of the risk. A public relations campaign seeks to "convince both the jury pool and the legislature" that the lawsuits are illegitimate, argues an attorney seeking access to the documents.
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House Speaker Pro Tem Chad Perkins says Cole County Circuit Judge Cotton Walker has too often decided cases in ways that buck GOP priorities. The legislature can't directly fire Walker, but the bill could rearrange how his position is funded.
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Andrew Bailey was questioned about his lawsuit against Starbucks that claims diversity hiring initiatives have caused higher prices and longer waits. “I’m just curious if white-served coffee tastes a little bit better,” one Ferguson Democrat asked.