New Missouri attorney general to start next month as Bailey heads to FBI

A new Missouri attorney general was named this morning, following an announcement yesterday that Andrew Bailey is headed to the FBI.

Catherine L. Hanaway is scheduled to start as the state's attorney general on Sept. 8, when Bailey is slated to be sworn in as co-deputy director of the FBI, according to a news release from the office of Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe.

"The role of attorney general is incredibly significant for state government, serving as the chief legal officer of the state, and there is not a more qualified person to serve Missourians as our next attorney general than Catherine Hanaway,” Kehoe said in the release. "Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s appointment as the co-deputy director of the FBI is another testament to President [Donald] Trump’s commitment to enforcing law and order, as Andrew has been a fighter for our state and nation throughout his entire career."

Hanaway, who becomes the first woman to hold the attorney general role, is a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP in St. Louis. She's the former speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

"It is a humbling honor to be selected for this role, and a duty I do not take lightly,” Hanaway said in the release. “Attorney General Bailey has done an incredible job fighting for Missourians, and I am eager to get to work on behalf of Missourians to uphold the rule of law, protect the Constitution and ensure a strong future for our state.”

Bailey announced his resignation as Missouri's attorney general in a news release yesterday afternoon. In his new role as co-deputy director of the FBI, he would serve alongside Dan Bongino, according to media reports.

Missouri statute dictates Kehoe has the authority to appoint Bailey's successor to complete the remainder of his four-year term.

Bailey was reelected as Missouri attorney general in November 2024 after being appointed to the job by Gov. Mike Parson in 2022. A U.S. Army veteran, Bailey's career has included roles as assistant attorney general for Missouri and general counsel to the governor's office. 

“It has been a humbling privilege to serve as the 44th attorney general of the state of Missouri, and I am forever grateful to the people of Missouri for the opportunity to represent our state and your families," Bailey said in the release. “I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to serve as the co-deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump and U.S. Attorney General [Pam] Bondi for the privilege to join in their stated mission to 'Make America Safe Again.'”