JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The Missouri Democratic Party is appealing the dismissal of its lawsuit challenging a governor’s ability to appoint a lieutenant governor.
The appeal was filed Tuesday. The party has argued that ambiguity in Missouri’s constitution and law mean lieutenant governors can only be elected, not appointed.
A Cole County Circuit judge ruled last week the party did not have standing to challenge Gov. Mike Parson’s recent appointment of Mike Kehoe as Missouri’s lieutenant governor. The judge also said governors have the constitutional ability to fill the executive branch’s No. 2 position, a matter that has been open to debate for the past several decades.
Both Parson and Kehoe are Republicans.
The party has asked the case skip the Court of Appeals and go directly to the state Supreme Court.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI