Who Is Anthony Ealy? Democrat Arrested Day After Reelection - Newsweek

A Democratic lawmaker was arrested on an assault charge one day after winning reelection to the Missouri House of Representatives, according to local media reports and records reviewed by Newsweek.

On Tuesday, state Representative Anthony Ealy, 32, won his third term to the Missouri House. At 11:57 a.m. the following day, the Jefferson City Police Department (JCPD) arrested him on a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault and disturbance of the peace, according to records on the inmate portal for Cole County that Newsweek reviewed on Friday morning.

According to The Kansas City Star, the assault charge has a maximum penalty of one year in jail, as well as a $2,000 charge, while the disturbing-the-peace charge carries a maximum six-month penalty in jail and a $1,000 fine.

In a statement, Marc Powers, the chief of staff for the House Minority Leader's Office, told ABC17: "Leadership removed Rep. Ealy from all committees in the spring so he could better focus on personal issues.

"There are no plans to restore his committee assignments for the upcoming session."

Newsweek contacted Ealy and the JCPD for comment outside regular working hours.

Police were dispatched to an apartment building in downtown Jefferson City after a report that a man was having some "sort of panic attack or mental health crisis," The Kansas City Star reported, citing a police arrest report.

According to the report, Ealy said "something about a gun" and threatened to kill the person who called the police.

Ealy had allegedly trespassed and threatened a woman and her husband and had done the same thing the night before.

A probable cause statement that Newsweek reviewed said law enforcement responded to a location regarding a disturbance involving threats.

The incident allegedly took place outside a local business.

JCPD officer Lance Coursey said in the report, "Upon arrival, I contacted multiple witnesses who stated the Defendant had been yelling outside a business while a family was making arrangements for a deceased family member."

Coursey added that the victim had approached the defendant in an attempt to de-escalate, and that Ealy then mentioned having a firearm, lunged toward the victim and repeatedly said: "I'm gonna kill you. Call the police. I'm gonna kill you."

An additional victim on the scene corroborated this statement, according to the probable cause statement.

"Based on the Victims' statements and corroborating witness accounts, I believe the Defendant knowingly placed the Victim in apprehension of immediate physical injury by repeatedly threatening to kill him while claiming to possess a firearm and lunging toward him," Coursey said in the probable cause statement.

On Instagram, Ealy shared a photo of himself wearing a "Re-elect Anthony Ealy" T-shirt, with a text overlay that said, "Reelect WE WON YHWH YESHUA."

The post has attracted a mixture of congratulations and comments about his arrest.

Ealy was first elected in 2022, defeating one-term incumbent Annette Turnbaugh, a fellow Democrat.

On Tuesday, he received 68 percent of the vote in his bid for a third term, defeating Republican challenger Dave Thomas.

Ealy represents the 36th District in the Missouri House of Representatives—which covers a portion of Jackson County, including the City of Grandview.

Though born in Philadelphia, Ealy grew up in Grandview, and his 2022 election made him the city's first African American representative and the youngest person to represent the entire district. The state lawmaker is also a licensed attorney and the managing partner of Ealy Law, Notary & Consulting LLC.

According to his campaign website, Ealy served as a judicial intern for the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County and as a legislative fellow for the office of U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver.

Ealy is known for working with local businesses and budgetary matters.

He also works with a number of civic organizations, including the Missouri Bar Young Lawyers Board of Directors, the 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Young Lawyers Board of Directors.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Shakeema Edwards.