JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 A federal judge Monday dismissed lawsuits against three Missouri senators who falsely accused a Kansas man of possibly being involved in a deadly shooting at a rally celebrating the .
U.S. District Judge John Broomes ruled the defamation cases should not be handled in Kansas, where plaintiff Denton Loudermill Jr. lives.
The ruling follows Broome鈥檚 decision in September to toss out a similar lawsuit from Loudermill focusing on similar social media posts by U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee.
In each of the cases, Broome ruled the case has little connection to Kansas.
Loudermill鈥檚 attorney earlier told The Associated Press the case against Burchett would be refiled in Washington, D.C., where Burchett was located when he posted his message.
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Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who agreed to represent the three lawmakers, praised the decision.
鈥淨uestions of Missouri law belong in Missouri courts, not in remote courts in other states. We have said that from Day One,鈥 said Bailey, an appointee of Gov. Mike Parson who is running for a full, four year term next month.
The trio in Missouri included Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Republican from Warrensburg who is running for secretary of state in the Nov. 5 general election. Sen. Rick Brattin, of Harrisonville, and Nick Schroer, of Defiance, also were accused of defamation for reposting a photo of Loudermill in handcuffs shortly after the shooting outside Union Station in downtown Kansas City.
A radio DJ attending the February parade, was killed and more than 20 others were injured, many of them children.
Loudermill鈥檚 lawsuits said he was handcuffed amid the chaos when he was slow to leave a secure area. Eventually he was able to leave, but people had already begun taking pictures of him and posting them on social media.
鈥淭he publication of the false representation that plaintiff was an 鈥榠llegal alien鈥 and a 鈥榮hooter鈥 was not made in good faith nor was it made by defendant with any legitimate interest in making or duty to make such assertions,鈥 the lawsuit against Brattin states.
The lawsuits sought a minimum of $75,000 from each defendant for damages Loudermill said he has suffered since his image was linked to the shooting.
Hoskins鈥 post on X, formerly Twitter, blamed President Joe Biden and political leaders of Kansas City for making the shooting possible.
鈥淔act 鈥 President Biden鈥檚 open border policies & cities who promote themselves as Sanctuary Cities like #Kansas City invite illegal violent immigrants into the U.S.,鈥 Hoskins posted.
Schroer linked to a Burchett post that said, 鈥淥ne of the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade shooters has been identified as an illegal Alien.鈥
鈥淐an we get any confirmation or denial of this from local officials or law enforcement?鈥 Schroer wrote on X. 鈥淚鈥檝e been sent videos or stills showing at least 6 different people arrested from yesterday but officially told only 3 still in custody. The people deserve answers.鈥