David Gregory (politician)
David Gregory | |
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Member of the Missouri Senate from the 15th district | |
Assumed office January 8, 2025 | |
Preceded by | Andrew Koenig (politician) |
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 96th district | |
In office January 3, 2017 – January 4, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Mike Leara |
Succeeded by | Brad Christ |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican |
Residence(s) | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
David Gregory is a Missouri politician and litigation attorney, who first represented the 96th district in the Missouri House of Representatives 2017-2023.[1] He is a Missouri senator representing District 15. He is the founder of The Injury Counsel, a law firm based out of St. Louis, Missouri.
Political career
Missouri House of Representatives
Gregory was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2016, representing the 96th District which covers South St. Louis County. Throughout his career, he was endorsed by the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police and other notable individuals like David Steward and professional athletes like Ozzie Smith, Bernie Federko, Deron Cherry and Neil Smith.[2][3][4]
In his first term as State Representative, David audited the Department of Revenue and found $36 million in potential savings for Missouri taxpayers.[5] To implement his findings, the then Director of the Department of Revenue, Ken Zellers created an ongoing initiative called, Strike Force Gregory.[3] He was named Freshman Legislator of the Year for outstanding work on preventing government waste, fraud and abuse.[6]
In 2019, Gregory co-sponsored the bill that ended abortion in Missouri.[7]
In 2021, he announced his intentions to investigate ways to counter anti-competitive practices in the meat-packing industry that negatively impact Missouri cattlemen.[8]
Missouri Senate
Gregory was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2024, representing the 15th District which covers west St. Louis County.
In December 2024 Gregory pre-filed a bill that would create the Missouri state felony of trespassing for any illegal alien who knowingly enters and remains in the state, punishable by imprisonment for life,[9] and authorizing bounty hunters to enforce federal immigration policy.[10] Gregory stated that the bill essentially creates a state ICE program to force cooperation with ICE.[11] President of the Missouri NAACP, Nimrod Chapel, called the bill "draconian and racist" while executive director of Revolución Educativa, Edgar Palacios, called it "horrendous".[12] House Republicans did not present a corresponding bill and Speaker Jon Patterson expressed a "lack of enthusiasm" for a bounty proposal, saying that the issue is being addressed at the federal level.[13]
Committee assignments (past)
- Judiciary, Chairman
- Budget
- Special Committee on Government Accountability, Chairman
- Rules, Administrative Oversight
Elections
Auditor
Gregory was a contender for the 2022 Missouri State Auditor Election. He is a Republican candidate.[14]
Missouri Senate
Gregory is a candidate for Missouri Senate in the 15th district.[7] He won a three way Republican primary with expenditures around $450,000.[15]
Historical preservationists and his Democratic opponent criticized Gregory's plans to tear down at least one historic building in Jefferson City to build "Paige's Castle" as a second home with Airbnb accommodations.[16]
In October, Gregory demanded television stations stop airing an attack ad that claimed Gregory wrote Missouri's abortion ban. Gregory and state Senator Nick Schroer, the writer of the legislation, denied that Gregory wrote the legislation.[17]
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David J Gregory | 3,944 | 62.5% | ||
Republican | Dan Reuter | 2,366 | 37.5% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David J Gregory | 18,166 | 100.0% |
Ran unopposed
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David J. Gregory | 4,427 | 100.0% |
Ran unopposed
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David Gregory | 12,071 | 58.8% | ||
Democratic | Erica Hoffman | 8,458 | 41.2% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David J. Gregory | 3,909 | 100.0% |
Ran unopposed
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David Gregory | 14,180 | 59.9% | ||
Democratic | Erica Hoffman | 9,475 | 40.1% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Scott Fitzpatrick | 378,915 | 64.7% | ||
Republican | David Gregory | 206,868 | 35.3% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David Gregory | 9,099 | 40.7% | ||
Republican | Mark A. Harder | 7,628 | 34.2% | ||
Republican | Jim Bowlin | 5,607 | 25.1% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David Gregory | 56,093 | 51.6% | ||
Democratic | Joe Pereles | 50,841 | 46.8% | ||
Libertarian | Jeff Coleman | 1,733 | 1.6% |
Legal career
Gregory is a conservative lawyer and litigation attorney in multiple states with his headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the founder of The Injury Counsel law firm.[18] He has represented MLB & NHL players, professional fighters, corporations and other notable public figures.[19]
In 2019, he won a business fraud lawsuit with a $1.63 million jury verdict, and, in 2021, an animal abuse case for $1.3 million.[20][21]
In 2020, Gregory was among a group of attorneys who represented Church of the Word, a non-denominational Christian church, which had sued County Executive Sam Page and acting St. Louis County Health Department Director Dr. Emily Doucette over restrictions related to COVID-19.[22] The lawsuit was dismissed as moot by the U.S. District Court in St. Louis as the City had already updated its COVID guidelines to allow religious services to be held with social distancing practices and a limit of 25% of the capacity allowed under a church’s fire code.[23]
In 2024, he sued Page on behalf of seniors to enforce a Senior Property Tax Freeze program.[19][24]
Gregory has been selected to Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars.[25] He is a member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum and America’s Top 100 Attorneys.[26][27]
Life and education
David is a lifelong Missourian and he lives in Chesterfield with his wife, Paige. He has an accounting degree, a Masters of Business Administration, and a Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University.
References
- ^ "Representative David Gregory".
- ^ Ryan, Monica (5 August 2021). "State Rep. David Gregory running for Missouri State Auditor". FOX 2.
- ^ a b Hays, Brady (13 September 2022). "Exit interview". The Missouri Times.
- ^ Hancock, Jason (November 12, 2021). "GOP auditor hopeful scores endorsements from Missouri billionaire, legislative leader". Missouri Independent.
- ^ "Gregory's audit of Department of Revenue highlights $36 million in cost-savings". 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Outstanding Freshmen 2018: Rep. David Gregory". 11 September 2018.
- ^ a b Suntrup, Jack (2024-10-11). "Missouri state Senate candidate demands TV stations stop running abortion claim". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Manley, Emily (2 March 2021). "Lawmakers plan to investigate high beef prices affecting Missouri cattlemen". FOX 2.
- ^ "Available Bill Text". www.senate.mo.gov. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Keller, Rudi (2025-01-28). "Missouri bill putting a bounty on undocumented immigrants faces fierce resistance • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
- ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
- ^ Bayless, Kacen (6 December 2024). "Missouri Republican proposes $1,000 bounty program to turn in undocumented immigrants". The Kansas City Star.
- ^ Hancock, Jason (January 30, 2025). "Missouri House speaker says 'bounty hunter' immigration bill has little chance of passing • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
- ^ Ryan, Monica (5 August 2021). "State Rep. David Gregory running for Missouri State Auditor". FOX 2.
- ^ Keller, Rudi (2024-08-07). "Incumbent Missouri senators survive primary challenges across the state • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Suntrup, Jack (2024-09-17). "St. Louis County candidate plans 'castle' for Jeff City, drawing local criticism". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
- ^ Suntrup, Jack (2024-10-11). "Missouri state Senate candidate demands TV stations stop running abortion claim". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ^ Beardslee, Keith (17 April 2020). "The Injury Counsel Law Firm Obtains Undisclosed Settlement for Victim of Horrific Traffic Accident". STLtoday.com.
- ^ a b Staff (5 October 2023). "Former Rep. David Gregory is becoming the next conservative superlawyer". The Missouri Times.
- ^ Beardslee, Keith (June 15, 2021). "David Gregory recently won a stunning $1.64 million jury verdict". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- ^ Beardslee, Keith (December 20, 2021). "Attorney David Gregory Secures Million Dollar Landmark Judgment in Animal Abuse Case". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- ^ "St. Louis County church files lawsuit calling coronavirus restrictions on churches unconstitutional". ksdk.com. 2020-05-21. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ Kohler, Jeremy (2020-06-02). "Judge dismisses church's lawsuit against St. Louis County, but it could be refiled". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ Asbury, Kyla (April 19, 2024). "Mo. attorney sues St. Louis County exec to help seniors get tax break". St. Louis Record.
- ^ "Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney - David Gregory". Super Lawyers.
- ^ "David J. Gregory". America's Top 100 Attorneys.
- ^ "Million Dollar Advocates Forum - Member Directory". www.milliondollaradvocates.com.