Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Josh Hawley

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Josh Hawley.

Josh Hawley is an American politician and attorney currently serving as the senior United States Senator from Missouri since 2019. A Republican, he previously served as the Missouri Attorney General from 2017 to 2019. He gained national attention for his role in objecting to the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. Hawley defeated incumbent Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill in 2018 and was reelected in 2024.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1995: Bobby Bostic sentenced to 241 years in prison

In 1995, Bobby Bostic, at the age of 16, was sentenced to 241 years in prison for robbery and other crimes.

2013: Beliefs on Personhood and Birth Control

In 2013, Josh Hawley stated his belief that human life and personhood begin at fertilization, before conception, and expressed opposition to forms of birth control that prevent conception by preventing implantation of a fertilized egg.

December 2015: Support for Exemptions from Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies

In December 2015, Josh Hawley supported exemptions for Missouri "businesses and religious groups from participating in same-sex ... marriage ceremonies".

May 5, 2017: Death of Tory Sanders

On May 5, 2017, Tory Sanders, a Black motorist, died while in protective custody in a county jail in Mississippi County, Missouri after he ran out of gas and sought assistance from the police.

December 2017: Greitens Accused of Subverting Missouri's Open Records Laws

In December 2017, Missouri's Republican Governor Eric Greitens and senior members of his staff were accused of subverting Missouri's open records laws by using Confide, a messaging app that erases texts after they have been read, on their personal phones.

2017: Hawley Declines to File Murder Charges in Tory Sanders Case

In 2017, Josh Hawley determined that those who had assaulted Tory Sanders, who died in custody, had not intended his death, and did not file murder charges, leading to criticism.

January 2018: Allegations Emerge Against Greitens

In January 2018, allegations emerged that Governor Eric Greitens had blackmailed a woman with whom he was having an affair. Josh Hawley's office initially stated they did not have jurisdiction.

February 2018: Joined lawsuit challenging Affordable Care Act

In February 2018, Josh Hawley joined 20 other Republican-led states in a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional. Hawley stated he supported protections for preexisting conditions, even as some argued the lawsuit would eliminate insurance protections for people with preexisting conditions.

March 2018: Hawley defends Bobby Bostic's sentence

In March 2018, Hawley defended the 1995 sentencing of Bobby Bostic to 241 years in prison. Bostic had been 16 years old when he committed robbery and the other crimes for which he was later convicted and harshly sentenced.

March 2018: Former Attorneys Criticize Investigation

In March 2018, six former Missouri attorneys released a letter criticizing Josh Hawley's investigation into Governor Eric Greitens' use of the Confide messaging app as "half-hearted".

April 24, 2018: Supreme Court rejects Bostic's appeal

On April 24, 2018, the Supreme Court rejected Bobby Bostic's appeal to overturn his sentence. Hawley argued that Bostic's sentencing did not violate constitutional bans on cruel and unusual punishment.

August 2018: One Nation Commercials Give Hawley Credit

In August 2018, One Nation, a nonprofit connected to Republican campaign strategist Karl Rove, ran commercials giving Josh Hawley credit for identifying the problem of untested rape kits, a claim that was disputed.

September 2018: Response to criticism about Affordable Care Act lawsuit

In September 2018, amid criticism from Claire McCaskill, Hawley's U.S. Senate opponent, about the lawsuit's effect on coverage of preexisting conditions, Hawley's office said that he supported protections for individuals with preexisting conditions. Hawley later published an op-ed explaining his support through a taxpayer subsidy.

December 6, 2018: Inquiry into misappropriation of public funds

On December 6, 2018, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft launched an inquiry into whether Josh Hawley misappropriated public funds for his Senate campaign.

2018: Hawley's U.S. Senate campaign

During Josh Hawley's 2018 U.S. Senate campaign, he violated Missouri's open records law by withholding emails between his out-of-state political consultants and his taxpayer-funded staff.

2018: Support for Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Nomination

In 2018, Josh Hawley's first commercial in his Senate campaign focused on supporting Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. After Kavanaugh was accused of sexual assault, Hawley defended him and accused Democrats of staging an "ambush".

February 28, 2019: Investigation Closed Due to Insufficient Evidence

On February 28, 2019, Jay Ashcroft closed the investigation because there was insufficient evidence that "an offense has been committed" regarding the possible misappropriation of public funds.

June 2019: Role in preventing Michael S. Bogren's appointment

In June 2019, Josh Hawley played a major role in preventing Trump nominee Michael S. Bogren from being appointed as a district judge for the Western District of Michigan, accusing Bogren of "anti-religious animus".

October 2019: Visit to Hong Kong during protests

During the Hong Kong protests in October 2019, Josh Hawley visited Hong Kong and spoke in favor of the protests. He called the city a "police state", which was criticized by Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam.

October 2019: Hawley on Joe Biden and Ukraine

In October 2019, Josh Hawley called for an independent investigation into Joe Biden related to alleged dealings with Ukraine. He also defended Donald Trump's phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

October 21, 2019: Hawley Attacks Washington Post Reporter Greg Sargent

On October 21, 2019, Josh Hawley attacked Jewish Washington Post reporter Greg Sargent as a "smug, rich liberal elitist".

2019: Hawley criticizes NBA

In 2019, Josh Hawley sent a letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver criticizing the league for allowing players to put messages on their jerseys supporting the Black Lives Matter movement but not the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests or law enforcement officers.

June 2020: Criticism of Bostock v. Clayton County Supreme Court Ruling

In June 2020, following the Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County that federal law prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, Josh Hawley criticized the decision, stating it "represents the end of the conservative legal movement".

July 10, 2020: Hawley Criticizes NBA and Wojnarowski Responds

On July 10, 2020, Josh Hawley sent a letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver criticizing the league for allowing players to put messages on their jerseys supporting the Black Lives Matter movement but not the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski responded, "Fuck You," leading to his temporary suspension.

July 2020: Hawley on Supreme Court Nominee and Roe v. Wade

In July 2020, Josh Hawley wrote that to earn his support, a Supreme Court nominee must have publicly asserted that Roe v. Wade was incorrectly decided.

August 10, 2020: China Sanctions Hawley

On August 10, 2020, the Chinese government sanctioned Josh Hawley and 10 other Americans for "behaving badly on Hong Kong-related issues".

September 23, 2020: Hawley Criticizes NBA's Business in China

On September 23, 2020, Josh Hawley criticized Adam Silver and the NBA's business dealings in China, tweeting about "slave labor" and the NBA's financial gains.

December 30, 2020: Claims of election law failures in Pennsylvania

On December 30, 2020, Josh Hawley claimed that "some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws".

2020: Refusal to concede election

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Josh Hawley elevated false claims that President-elect Joe Biden stole the election and attempted to reverse the election result.

2020: Romney's Criticism of Hawley's Actions in the 2020 Presidential Election

In McCay Coppins's 2023 biography of Mitt Romney, Romney: A Reckoning, regarding the 2020 presidential election, Romney stated that Hawley "doesn't see a future of working with him on anything" due to Hawley's obstructions to certifying electoral votes.

2020: Salute to protestors before Capitol riot

On January 6, 2021, before the counting of the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election, Josh Hawley was photographed saluting the protestors with a raised fist outside the Capitol before the riot.

January 4, 2021: Home vandalized and family threatened

On January 4, 2021, Josh Hawley tweeted that his Washington, D.C. home had been vandalized and his family had been threatened by "Antifa scumbags" in an act of "leftwing violence" due to his claims of fraud. He said he was in Missouri at the time.

January 6, 2021: Objected to certification of Electoral College vote

On January 6, 2021, Josh Hawley announced his intention to object to the Senate's certification of the Electoral College vote count. He was the first senator to do so. Hawley said that his attempt to reverse the election result was on behalf of those "concerned about election integrity."

February 2021: Repeated assertion about Pennsylvania election laws

In a February 2021 fundraising email, Josh Hawley repeated his assertion that "some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws".

May 28, 2021: Hawley Voted Against Riot Commission

On May 28, 2021, Josh Hawley voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the January 6th riot.

June 2021: Hawley Calls for Fauci's Resignation

In June 2021, Josh Hawley called for Anthony Fauci to resign from his role as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

2021: Hawley Calls on Biden to Resign After Fall of Kabul

After the 2021 fall of Kabul and the 2021 Kabul airport attack, Josh Hawley was one in "a wave of other Republicans" who called on President Biden to resign.

2021: New York Post Investigation of questionable campaign expenditures

In 2021, a New York Post investigation revealed that Hawley apparently illegally spent such funds. Hawley's office said he had reimbursed the campaign for the inappropriate expenditures.

January 2022: Pennsylvania appellate court supports Hawley's view

In January 2022, a Pennsylvania appellate court supported Josh Hawley's view about election laws.

January 27, 2022: Pennsylvania Appellate Court Ruling on Election

On January 27, 2022, a Pennsylvania appellate court ruling supported Josh Hawley's claim that Pennsylvania election officials had violated the state's constitution; however, this ruling was later overturned by the State Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

July 21, 2022: House Select Committee Broadcasts Video of Hawley Running

On July 21, 2022, the House Select Committee broadcast video footage of Josh Hawley running through the halls of Congress to escape the mob on January 6th, contrasting it with his earlier encouragement of the crowd. The video provoked laughter and commentary.

August 3, 2022: Sole vote against Sweden and Finland joining NATO

On August 3, 2022, Josh Hawley cast the sole vote against the Senate resolution agreeing to Sweden and Finland joining the NATO defense alliance, which passed 95-1. Hawley stated the resolutions were not in America's best interest, with China posing a greater threat than Russia.

November 14, 2022: Hawley Violated Missouri's Open Records Law

On November 14, 2022, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem ruled that Hawley violated Missouri's open records law during his 2018 U.S. Senate campaign by withholding emails between his out-of-state political consultants and his taxpayer-funded staff. Beetem granted summary judgment and fined the AG's office $12,000.

March 2023: Carlson Criticizes Footage of Hawley Running

In March 2023, Tucker Carlson criticized the footage of Josh Hawley running as "deceptively edited," claiming the committee did not show other senators fleeing. FactCheck.org concluded that Carlson's statement was misleading.

December 2023: Reliance on private jets

Between mid-December 2023 and June 2024, Hawley spent $132,000 on private jets in his campaign.

2023: Court Demands Payment for Legal Fees

In 2023, the court demanded that the state pay more than $240,000 for the case's legal fees regarding the open records violation. An attorney suggested Hawley should use proceeds from his book Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs rather than use taxpayer money.

2023: Romney's biography mentions Hawley

In McCay Coppins's 2023 biography of Mitt Romney, Romney: A Reckoning, Romney called Hawley "the smartest person in the room", but said he "doesn't see a future of working with him on anything" due to Hawley's obstructions to certifying electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election.

June 2024: Reliance on private jets

Between mid-December 2023 and June 2024, Hawley spent $132,000 on private jets in his campaign.

January 2025: Proposed Legislation Against Chinese AI Models

In January 2025, Josh Hawley proposed legislation to criminalize the use of Chinese-developed AI models like DeepSeek, with potential penalties including up to 20 years in prison and/or a $1 million fine. The bill also aimed to prohibit academic collaborations with AI researchers in China and obstruct transparency requirements as well as research developments outside proprietary Big Tech environments.