Aaron Bernstein/Reuters
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) was served a subpoena at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland Friday, as part of an open-records lawsuit against Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s office. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Hawley was served with the subpoena just moments after he stepped off the stage from his on-stage interview at CPAC. “We got him,” Elad Gross, a Democratic candidate for Missouri attorney general, wrote on Twitter. “After more than two weeks of evading service, Senator Josh Hawley was personally served with the subpoena at CPAC.” Hawley spokeswoman Kelli Ford told the newspaper that the act was a “political stunt by a political candidate.” “The reality is that Mr. Gross has been evading a court date to discuss the matter,” she said.
The subpoena reportedly stems from an open-records legal dispute. Gross is seeking documents from the governor’s office about previous Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, but the state reportedly won’t turn over the materials until Gross signs a $3,600 check. Gross filed a complaint with then-AG Hawley’s office, which sided with the state. Now, Gross wants Hawley to provide “any and all communications, recordings, calendars, notes, and/or other documents involving you, campaign donors, state employees, consultants, and/or others” regarding his request. Hawley is not a party in Gross’ lawsuit.