JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is suing the Missouri Attorney General’s Office for allegedly violating open-records laws.
The national group claims the office violated the Sunshine law when now-U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley was in charge.
The Democrats say the office withheld emails between Hawley’s official staff and political consultants during the Republican’s 2018 campaign.
He defeated former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in November.
Hawley’s Senate spokeswoman Kelli Ford called the lawsuit “a joke.”
A spokesman for current Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt says he’s dedicated to enforcing the Sunshine law and will review the lawsuit.
USDA export numbers compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation show U.S. beef exports in 2018 topped both volume and value records that were set in 2017. Pork export volume came up just shy of the 2017 record and the value also fell one percent. Strong demand in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Asian region helped drive beef exports seven percent higher in 2018, coming in at 1.35 million metric tons. Export value climbed to $8.33 billion, 15 percent higher than in 2017.
Two separate government agencies will come together to regulate the new market of lab-grown meat. The Washington Examiner says the Food and Drug Administration and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service will share regulation of the products. Scientists will create products by multiplying animal cells to mimic traditional chicken, pork, beef, and fish. The products will have to be approved by both agencies before they’ll be allowed in stores.
The Congressional Research Service is looking into whether or not President Trump can legally withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement on his own. Politico says it’s a question the trade world would like an answer to sooner rather than later. Can the president withdraw without Congressional support? Politico says the answer is unclear.
