Catherine Hanaway sworn in as Missouri's attorney general
Her appointment follows the resignation of Andrew Bailey to serve in the FBI
With her hand on her son's bible, Catherine Hanaway took her oath of office and was sworn in as Missouri's 45th attorney general during a private ceremony on Sept. 8. Following the resignation of Andrew Bailey in August, Gov. Mike Kehoe appointed Catherine Hanaway to serve as Missouri's next attorney general. Hanaway's selection fills the vacancy created by the federal appointment of Bailey to serve as the co-deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
During a private ceremony at the Missouri Supreme Court, Catherine Hanaway was sworn in as the Show-Me State's 45th attorney general. Photo courtesy of the Missouri Attorney General's Office.
“It is an honor and privilege to serve as Missouri’s 45th attorney general,” said Attorney General Catherine Hanaway. “I view this position as a job to fight crime, protect Missouri families and defend the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution. My commitment is to serve Missourians by enforcing the law as written and upholding the rule of law. There is much to do, and I am ready to begin."
No stranger to Missouri politics, Hanaway previously served in the Missouri House of Representatives. In 2003, she was elected by her peers to serve as speaker of the Missouri House – the first woman in state history to serve in this role. Prior to her appointment as attorney general, Hanaway represented several high-profile clients at Husch Blackwell. One of those clients was Grain Belt Express, which is currently being investigated by the Attorney General's Office. Following the announcement of her appointment, Hanaway said she would recuse herself from the office's investigation into the planned transmission line moving forward.
As Missouri's 45th attorney general, Hanaway is the first woman to hold this position in the history of the Show-Me State. Additionally, she is the first major statewide appointee of Gov. Kehoe's administration. To learn more about Attorney General Hanaway and her work, please visit ago.mo.gov.