On Wednesday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that Media Matters is attempting to halt an investigation from the AG’s office into the organization for “allegedly fraudulent solicitation of donations from Missourians amidst its efforts to target X.”
Bailey posted about the motion from Media Matters online. “Media Matters is attempting to shut down Missouri courts. They filed a motion to HALT our investigation and lawsuit into their fraudulent practices,” Bailey wrote.
🚨BREAKING: Media Matters is attempting to shut down Missouri courts. They filed a motion to HALT our investigation and lawsuit into their fraudulent practices.
D.C. courts have no say over Missouri courts.
I have filed a motion to protect our ability to litigate in Missouri.
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) May 8, 2024
“DC courts have no say over Missouri courts. I have filed a motion to protect our ability to litigate in Missouri,” he added.
Baily filed a counter motion to Media Matters’ attempt to stop the investigation, which stated, “How shocking it would be if the Missouri Attorney General asked a state court to issue an order preventing this Court from hearing this case. Yet Media Matters seeks exactly that extreme remedy, just in reverse.”
The case filing from Bailey added, “Media Matters does not dispute that it can raise all its claims and defenses in the ongoing proceeding in Missouri state court. It has already begun doing so. It filed a motion to exercise legal rights guaranteed by Missouri law, which the state court granted. Nevertheless, Media Matters now asks a federal court in the District of Columbia to enter an order that would force the courts of the State of Missouri to stop adjudicating an ongoing case.”
Bailey also called the attempt to block the lawsuit an “attack on federalism” for the country.