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Missouri's Top Lawyer to Defend Senate in Sunshine Lawsuit

Attorney General Chris Koster, who will prosecute the case.
Attorney General's Office
Attorney General Chris Koster, who will prosecute the case.

The state's attorney general will defend the Missouri Senate in a lawsuit filed by a liberal advocacy group over alleged violations of the state's open records law.

Attorney General Chris Koster's office said Monday in a statement the office would provide legal counsel in the case involving administration of official Senate business.

Progress Missouri filed the lawsuit challenging the policy of some Senate committee chairman of prohibiting the group from filming hearings last week. The lawsuit names the Senate and three Republican committee chairmen.

Missouri's Sunshine Law allows public bodies to establish recording guidelines to minimize disruption, but the suit says the filming wouldn't have been disruptive.

Senators on Thursday endorsed a measure that would allow the body to hire private counsel, partly in response to the lawsuit.

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