Catherine L. Hanaway Sworn In as Missouri’s 45th Attorney General

Jefferson City, Mo. (KFMO) - Catherine L. Hanaway officially became Missouri’s 45th Attorney General Monday, taking the oath of office in a private ceremony held at the Missouri Supreme Court Building.

The oath was administered by Supreme Court Judge Ginger K. Gooch, Hanaway’s former law partner. Hanaway follows Andrew Bailey, who stepped down to assume the role of Co-Deputy Director of the FBI, paving the way for her appointment by Governor Mike Kehoe.

Hanaway brings a long history of legal and political leadership to the role. She previously served as Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives, the first and only woman to hold that post, and as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

In the private sector, she was a partner and the first female Chair of the national law firm Husch Blackwell, where she earned distinction in complex litigation. Her agenda as Attorney General emphasizes safety, fairness, and constitutional rights. She pledges to combat crime, uphold consumer protection, shield vulnerable Missourians from fraud and abuse, fight corruption, and defend both the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions. Hanaway also inherits a backlog of public records requests tied to Missouri’s Sunshine Law.

Though the current backlog of 126 pending requests is less than the 224 her predecessor inherited, the situation remains a priority for renewed attention.