JEFFERSON CITY • The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on Monday filed a lawsuit against the Missouri attorney general’s office, alleging the office violated the Sunshine Law by denying Democrats public documents when then-Attorney General Josh Hawley was running for U.S. Senate.

The lawsuit, filed in Cole County Circuit Court, asks the court to order the release of records the Democrats requested. The Democrats asked in September 2017 and March 2018 for emails between staffers in Hawley’s office and paid campaign operatives, the lawsuit says. They did not receive any documents.

Hawley’s office told the DSCC there were no responsive records.

But, in the closing days of the November 2018 election, the Kansas City Star reported that political consultants Gail Gitcho and Timmy Teepell directed taxpayer-paid staff in Hawley’s office.

The article confirmed that there were, in fact, records of communications between political consultants and the attorney general’s office. The attorney general’s office also produced documents to Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office in December that prove there were responsive records, the lawsuit says.