The Republican National Committee is reportedly sending "menacing texts" to voters in Missouri, ordering them to retract their signatures from a ballot petition to suspend Republicans' recently passed Congressional gerrymander that deletes a Democratic seat in Kansas City.
Missouri is one of a handful of Republican-controlled states that redrew their maps in a demand from Trump. However, voting rights activists responded by gathering signatures for a ballot measure to repeal it. If that measure qualifies, the altered map is automatically suspended until and unless voters approve it.
According to the liberal voting rights group Democracy Docket, "The manipulative text, sent out last week, is just the latest tactic Republicans are using in their madcap effort to prevent Missourians from putting the GOP’s gerrymander plans to a statewide referendum."
The text, paid for by the Republican National Committee, stated, “Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has declared TENS OF THOUSANDS of petition signatures IMPROPERLY COLLECTED. Did you accidentally sign this? Text back or call 417-612-9044 to withdraw your signature before it’s too late.”
The text is referring to a declaration by the GOP Missouri elections chief that all signatures gathered for the referendum in the weeks before he approved it were invalid and even against the law.
All of this comes as the Missouri gerrymander also faces a lawsuit in state court by the Campaign Legal Center, which argues it violated the state constitution, impermissibly discriminated against racial minorities, and was not apportioned correctly.
