Attorney General Bailey Launches Investigation Into City of Columbia Over Reports Of Utilizing DEI Initiatives

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office issued a formal Sunshine Law request to the City of Columbia as part of a broader investigation into decision-making in city programs, hiring, and funding. This move marks a significant step in the Attorney General’s ongoing work to ensure that all Missourians are treated equally under the law.

“We will not allow government at any level to implement systemically racist policies under the false banner of ‘equity,’ a term which city officials have been hesitant to agree upon,” said Attorney General Bailey. “Our laws are clear: race-based quotas in public policy are illegal and unconstitutional.”

The Attorney General’s Office has received multiple reports from Columbia residents alleging discrimination in city programs. The Supreme Court of the United States has made it crystal clear in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc., v. Pres. and Fellows of Harvard Coll., that racial discrimination is strictly prohibited. These reports, if verified, may represent violations of both state and federal law.

“The City of Columbia made it clear in their 2021 Strategic Plan that they intended to adopt a ‘racial equity toolkit’ and a ‘racial equity lens.’ The people of Columbia voted for transparency, but have received ambiguous, potentially racist policies that threaten punishment for city employees who challenge the DEI narrative,” said Attorney General Bailey.

Under Chapter 610, RSMo., the Missouri Attorney General’s Office has submitted a formal request for public records and electronic communications containing terms such as “racial equity toolkit,” “racial equity lens,” and “equity” from key city officials. The request spans from March 1, 2025, to the present.

The Attorney General’s authority to act stems from Chapter 610 of Missouri’s Sunshine Law and Chapter 213 of the Missouri Human Rights Act, which empower the state’s chief legal officer to pursue judicial enforcement and civil rights violations.

“This is about transparency, accountability, and protecting the rule of law,” concluded Attorney General Bailey. “The people of Missouri deserve to know whether their city governments are applying illegal racial quotas behind closed doors. We intend to find out.”

The full Sunshine request can be read here.