State Rep. Margaret Donnelly, D-Richmond Heights and a candidate for attorney general, followed through with her promise today by filing suit in the Cole County Circuit Court to stop the Missouri Ethics Commission from closing candidate “hardship” hearings to the public.

The hearings are for candidates seeking to retain the donations they collected during the six months when donations of any size were allowed. As of July 19, the Missouri Supreme Court restored the state’s 12-year-old system of campaign contribution limits.

Donnelly had been among the critics when the Missouri Ethics Commission announced last month that the hearings would be closed.

“There should be no mystery about what is happening in these hearings. Candidates who claim hardship are seeking an unfair advantage by asking to keep contributions that exceed state limits,” said Donnelly. “Voters deserve to have access to these proceedings, and candidates for public office shouldn’t be allowed to hide behind closed doors. The Commission’s choice to close the hearings to the public is a blatant violation of the Sunshine Law.”

Candidates had to notify the commission by Nov. 26 as to whether they were returning the overlimit donations, or seeking to keep them. Candidates had until Dec. 3 to formally notify the panel that they wanted a “hardship” hearing.

The Ethics Commission has not said who has sought such a hearing.

Donnelly returned her over-the-limit contributions several months ago.