Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s decision to withdraw from a lawsuit against the state highway patrol has earned a sharp rebuke from his potential 2024 rivals, with candidates from both parties demanding he return campaign donations connected to companies suing the state.
Bailey cited an unspecified conflict of interest for not being able to defend the Missouri State Highway Patrol in a lawsuit filed nearly two years before he took office by companies accused of operating illegal gambling devices — Torch Electronics and Warrenton Oil.
The state will now be defended by private counsel.
The attorney general’s decision quickly drew criticism over the fact that his campaign has received thousands in contributions in recent months from political action committees connected to the chief lobbyist for both companies.
