Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey Seeks Increased Budget Post-Election

JEFFERSON CITY — In one of his initial actions following his re-election on November 5, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sought an increase in his office’s budget. The budget proposal, submitted shortly after the election, requests an additional $2.9 million to hire 28 more employees. These new hires, including lawyers, would be assigned to divisions handling constitutional appeals and consumer protection laws.

Andrew Bailey, who was appointed to the attorney general position by Governor Mike Parson in 2022, secured his term by defeating Democrat Elad Gross in the election. Bailey, who overcame a costly primary battle against Will Scharf, has now set his sights on expanding his office’s workforce to address heightened demands.

«With four years ahead, Bailey is urging the General Assembly and the incoming Governor Mike Kehoe to approve his requested budget increase amidst waning state revenue growth,» reported a reliable source. Documents revealed that while Bailey’s office had 294 employees as of June 30, the current spending plan authorizes 416 positions. Bailey argues that the office’s budget should rise from $31.5 million to $50 million to achieve its objectives.

Despite multiple inquiries, a spokesperson for Bailey did not provide further details about the proposal. In the past, the Republican-majority legislature has debated increases to the attorney general’s budget. Upon taking office, Bailey’s predecessor, Eric Schmitt, requested $500,000 for additional attorneys to enforce COVID-19 regulations, an effort that faced legislative resistance.

Bailey has attracted scrutiny for allocating Missouri’s resources to participate in high-profile national court cases. In June, he petitioned to delay former President Donald Trump‘s sentencing in New York until after the November election, a request denied by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bailey’s budget request includes hiring six attorneys, an investigator, and an administrative staffer for the criminal appeals division, and additional attorneys for governmental affairs and consumer protection law enforcement. He is also seeking four lawyers for the solicitor general’s division, tasked with defending the state in constitutional challenges, and an investigator for the Medicare fraud unit.

As Bailey prepares to be sworn in for a full term in January, the Missouri General Assembly will deliberate on the spending proposal during their spring session.