Clay Urges Justice Dept. to Expand Federal Probe to Cover Municipal Courts in St. Louis City & County, New Data Indicates Low-income, Minority Residents Serving as ATM Machines for Local Government

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 28, 2014                

MEDIA CONTACT:

STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029

Clay Urges Justice Dept. to Expand Federal Probe to Cover Municipal Courts in St. Louis City & County - New Data Indicates Low-Income, Minority Residents Serving as ATM Machines for Local Government

WASHINGTON. DC – Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri is urging the U.S. Department of Justice to expand an ongoing federal probe of the St. Louis County Family Court to include municipal courts in both the City of St. Louis and throughout St. Louis County.  Clay, the senior Member of Congress for the St. Louis region, asked newly appointed Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta to expand the DOJ investigation after reviewing troubling data provided in a new report by the nonprofit civic group, Better Together.

“The very disturbing findings in the Better Together report indicate that municipal courts in both the City of St. Louis and many jurisdictions in St. Louis County often function as little more than municipal ATM machines," said the Congressman. “They repeatedly victimize local residents, many of whom are African American, who have modest resources that might be better spent on essentials for their families.”

Congressman Clay’s letter to DOJ states in part, “One particularly troubling fact is that municipal courts in the St. Louis region accounted for 46% of all fines and fees collected statewide. However, the St. Louis region only makes up 22% of all Missourians.  The apparent targeted and prolific collection of fees and fines from this specific population is unconscionable.  Additionally, there have been media reports and community-wide allegations of severe and extreme measures taken to collect the fees and fines.  These municipalities cannot continue to financially survive largely and disproportionately on the backs of the African American community.”

The full report by Better Together, is available at www.bettertogetherstl.com

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