How an FBI probe has upended Kansas City politics — and what we still don’t know
For the past six months, whispers of a federal investigation echoed inside and around City Hall, the 29-story skyscraper in downtown Kansas City.
Now, the outlines of the widening investigation have come into view, forcing the city’s top executive to launch his own internal inquiry. At the same time, his office refuses to answer questions about the probe.
Over the last month, The Star spoke with three former city employees who were interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation last year. Those employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution, described being asked a wide range of questions about government contracts and campaign donations.
One focus of the probe centered on Mayor pro tem Ryana Parks-Shaw and her husband, Michael Shaw, the city’s director of public works, the sources said. That element of the investigation was first reported by FOX 4, which tied the inquiry to whether the couple used their authority for financial and professional gain.
But the sources who spoke with The Star also detailed a host of other questions from the FBI, a sign that the exact target of the investigation is unclear.
The sweeping investigation appears to date back to January 2025 — when City Manager Mario Vasquez says he first became aware of interviews by the FBI. He also confirmed that the city received a federal grand jury subpoena demanding records six months ago.
However, Mayor Quinton Lucas said last week that he was unaware of the investigation, an extraordinary disconnect at the highest levels of City Hall. When pressed by The Star, his spokesperson defended that position in a statement.
“The Mayor is not informed of every subpoena or investigation at the City, nor should he be to maintain confidentiality and due process for all parties involved,” said spokesperson Megan Strickland. “The Mayor has confidence in the City’s administrative officials and will await further comment until learning further facts, if any, relating to currently unsubstantiated allegations.”
In the wake of the federal probe, the city has refused to answer basic questions about the subpoena and the allegations that have roiled Kansas City politics.
“The City Manager will not make further comment regarding any external investigations that may be ongoing,” said Sherae Honeycutt, a city spokesperson, who said Vasquez’s office would launch an internal review in response to the report of the FBI investigation.
“The City is committed to accountability, ethical conduct and maintaining the public’s trust,” Honeycutt said. “We want to emphasize the importance of due process. Conclusions should not be drawn before the facts are fully reviewed.”
The dearth of information has upended City Hall over the past several days as speculation runs rampant about the exact focus of the probe. The Star has requested copies of the subpoena and communications about the federal inquiry.
A spokesperson for the FBI’s Kansas City office said he could neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation, citing the federal agency’s longstanding policy not to comment on potential investigations.
Inside the FBI probe
One source who spoke with The Star met with the FBI last summer to discuss concerns about a city composting program. That conversation expanded into a discussion about campaign donations, contracts and apparent conflicts of interest between Parks-Shaw and her husband.
That source provided The Star with two documents that detail campaign donations to Parks-Shaw and occasions when Shaw signed contracts for those donors as the city’s public works director. Those documents were also provided to the FBI, the source said.
Another source, who also met with the FBI last summer, framed the questions as wide-ranging without a cohesive narrative. That source said the FBI also asked about Parks-Shaw, however.
A third source, who met with the FBI last spring, said agents asked about Parks-Shaw and the motivations behind certain city contracts, such as potential political motivations behind contract approvals and the alleged steering of contracts in an unfair or open way.
The investigation threatens to upend the race for mayor and comes as Parks-Shaw has launched a campaign to succeed Lucas when his term expires in 2027. Parks-Shaw did not return a call for comment for this story.
The mayor pro tem, speaking inside council chambers, blasted revelations about the FBI investigation during last week’s City Council meeting.
“Yesterday, I was made aware of recent headlines containing egregious and misleading accusations designed to generate attention rather than inform the public,” she said. “I have not been contacted by any federal officials regarding any investigation. Should I be contacted, I will cooperate fully.”
While Lucas conveyed surprise at the investigation, speculation about a federal probe had been mounting for months.
Council member Eric Bunch, who represents Kansas City’s 4th District, said in an interview that he first heard rumors of an FBI investigation and a potential subpoena last fall.
“It was rumors,” Bunch said. “It wasn’t something that I felt compelled to act on or inquire about, because I knew, you know, I knew that those things would probably go through city manager or city attorney.”
Bunch acknowledged that it was frustrating to first learn about the probe through a media report, but added that sometimes investigations are confidential.
“(The) allegations are serious. They need to be followed up on and the public needs to be reassured that this is a government that works,” Bunch said, before adding that “due process is critical here.”
When asked about the city’s refusal to answer follow-up questions about the probe, Bunch said he would reach out to Vasquez and the city’s law office “to understand why we’re not sharing more information and being more transparent on this matter.”
Meanwhile, council member Wes Rogers, who represents the 2nd District, said in an interview that he was not aware of the investigation or the subpoena before last week. But he said he had heard rumors.
“There’s been chatter,” said Rogers, who is also running for mayor in 2027. “But I hear chatter about stuff all the time and I try to mind my own business.”
The 10 other members of the City Council, including Parks-Shaw, did not respond to The Star’s requests for comment about the investigation.
