Lobbyist who targeted how Missouri colleges handle sexual assault seeking KC contract
Kansas City is in the market for a new statehouse lobbyist. And among those in the hunt for the job is the man who led the controversial push to transform laws governing how Missouri colleges handle cases of sexual assault and harassment.
Richard McIntosh gained widespread attention earlier this year for helping craft legislation aimed at shifting the balance of rights and protections away from the accuser and toward the accused in the system called Title IX, the federal law that bars discrimination in higher education on the basis of sex.
It was later revealed by The Star that McIntosh became involved in the issue because his son was accused and subsequently expelled from Washington University in St. Louis last year through the school’s Title IX process.
While records about the Kansas City lobbying contract are not yet public because the evaluation process is ongoing, sources with knowledge of the bids said McIntosh’s firm is one of at least four that applied.
The lobbying job involves leading advocacy efforts on behalf of Kansas City for its priorities in the legislature and executive branch, as well as counseling the city council and mayor on strategy.
McIntosh’s firm, Flotron & McIntosh, represents clients ranging from Corizon Health, which provides health care to Missouri and Kansas prisoners, to the St. Louis Blues hockey team.
But over the last year McIntosh became best known for his work crafting legislation that, among other provisions, would have allowed appeals of Title IX cases to go to the Administrative Hearing Commission – a panel that addresses disputes with state agencies and where McIntosh’s wife serves as presiding and managing commissioner.
To counter vehement resistance from the state’s higher education community and help advance his legislation, McIntosh created a nonprofit funded by one of his lobbying clients – St. Louis billionaire David Steward – that eventually hired 29 statehouse lobbyists.
The revelation of McIntosh’s personal stake in the legislation proved to be its demise, inspiring opposition that killed any chance of passing a Title IX bill during the 2019 session.
McIntosh didn’t respond to a request for comment about his interest in the Kansas City contract.
In a recent interview with the right-wing website Breitbart, McIntosh said his son was expelled after being accused of sexual assault by a former girlfriend.
He said his family has a five-year window to sue the university, and one of the lawmakers who helped him draft the legislation is quoted saying he plans to reintroduce it during the 2020 session.
This story was originally published November 14, 2019 at 11:45 AM.
