Missouri representative arrested for death threats after securing reelection 

A Missouri representative has been arrested for trespassing and threatening a couple one day after being reelected.

Missouri Rep. Anthony Ealy Jr., 32, of Grandview, was arrested Wednesday morning in Jefferson City for allegedly threatening a woman and her husband.

Ealy, a Democrat, was elected to his first term in 2022 and is Grandview’s first black representative. He’s also District 36’s youngest representative, which includes Grandview and part of south Kansas City.

Ealy is accused of mentioning a gun and telling the husband he was going to kill him, according to Fox 4. He had also done the same thing the night before, and the victim plans to press charges.

Ealy seemed to be having a panic attack or mental health crisis during the incident, Fox 4 reported. The chief of staff for Rep. Ashley Aune, who represents part of Platte County, said Ealy had been removed from all committee assignments last spring due to personal issues.

The representative was reelected Tuesday with more than 68% of the vote.

No bond has been set for Ealy, and the Cole County Sheriff’s Department is recommending misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree assault and disturbing the peace.

Ealy will not be prevented from being seated when the next General Assembly convenes – which will likely be in January – solely based on a misdemeanor arrest, a spokesperson for the Missouri House of Representatives told Heartlander News in an email.

When asked if there are any ethics concerns regarding Ealy, the source explained that for the House Ethics Committee to consider Ealy’s arrest as an issue, a complaint must be filed. Complaints are confidential, so it cannot be confirmed whether one has been filed, the spokesperson added.

(Photo credit: Cole County Sheriff’s Department)