ST. LOUIS – The City of St. Louis is suing Missouri in federal court to prevent the state takeover of the city police department.
The lawsuit was filed Monday, according to our news partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A spokesperson for Mayor Tishaura Jones confirmed the suit to FOX 2 News.
The city and Board of Aldermen President Megan Green are listed as plaintiffs in the suit.
“While a favorable judgement won’t overturn state control, it would address sections of the law that, left unchecked, set a dangerous precedent. Specifically, clauses that allow for the removal of elected officials from office for exercising our first amendment rights when speaking out against the state takeover of our police department,” Green said in a statement to FOX 2. “Moreover, the law also violates our state’s own constitution by establishing an unfunded mandate—putting a financial strain on the city and undercutting local leaders’ ability to meet our fiduciary obligations.
“In filing this petition, I intend to make certain that our first amendment rights are protected so elected officials can continue to advocate for residents and do our jobs without fear of retaliation while also protecting the financial interests of our city.”
This is a developing news story. FOX 2 will have more information on-air and online as it becomes available.
