Dillon Seckington, Jonathan Ketz
Jul 11, 2024
Jackson County Republican Legislator Sean Smith says he’s done nothing improper in the property assessment case.
LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Jackson County Republican Legislator Sean Smith says he’s done nothing improper in the property assessment case.
Our interview with Smith comes just two days after Clay County Judge Karen Krauser ruled Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey can be deposed by the defendants in the case, Jackson County, Mo. The state is suing the county, claiming leaders dramatically and illegally increased property assessments in 2023.
According to court documents, Judge Krauser’s order is partially because of a meeting Smith’s and Bailey’s campaigns had on April 27th. The two of them were also present.
Order for sanction against Missouri AG in Jackson County assessment case
Smith is running for Congress in the 5th Congressional District while Bailey is running to continue being the state’s Attorney General. Judge Krauser says a designee of Bailey’s staff later testified that the lawsuit was mentioned during that meeting.
“I don’t know why they would say that,” Smith said in an interview with FOX4 Thursday.
“The only person that was with him… he was out campaigning as well. He had one person with him. That’s his campaign manager, his handler, and they popped in. If the case was discussed, it was me telling him, ‘I appreciate the work he’s doing.'”
The other meeting in question was virtual, on May 29th of this year with the state’s co-counsel Travis Woods of Folsom, Calif. The meeting came after Smith was deposed.
“I don’t think so, but I’m not an attorney, so I don’t know,” Smith said when asked whether the conversations he and Bailey have had jeopardize this case.
“Our office is weighing legal options to correct the mistake we believe the judge made in this case,” a spokesperson for Bailey’s office said in a statement sent to FOX4 Thursday.
“It is not proper for the Court to issue sanctions based on two Republican candidates for political office who have a campaign-related meeting. The Court has instituted a functional gag order on Attorney General Bailey that is no different from what the New York judge did to President Trump in New York. Jackson County is misleading as to the facts and the law because they know they violated Jackson County residents’ legal rights, and they have no leg to stand on. We look forward to obtaining justice for all Jackson County residents who were unlawfully taxed.”
Because Missouri sued the county legislature as well, Smith is a defendant in the case even though he supports what Bailey and the plaintiffs are doing. Smith says he’s been relying on County Counselor Bryan Covinsky’s office for legal representation. That won’t be the case for much longer though.
“So, I will be hiring my own counsel,” Smith continued.
“I will be dismissing as my counsel the county counsel, and as soon as I find the right attorney, I’m actively seeking that person now… as soon as I have the right attorney, I will be representing myself, which you know, I will have my own attorney. To me, that removes this idea of a conflict.”
“Since the case is ongoing, the County cannot comment on the specifics,” County Spokesperson Marshanna Smith said.
“We believe the Judge’s Order speaks for itself and the County stands by the filings it made in support of the Judge’s Order.”
There’s no word when Bailey could be deposed. The assessment trial picks back up again on August 9th.