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McIntosh, who was appointed to the judicial post by former Gov. Jay Nixon in 2015, was criticized for her involvement in a 2019 push by her lobbyist husband, Richard McIntosh, to allow college students accused of sexual assault to hire attorneys and ask questions under cross-examination about their victims’ sexual history or drinking activities.

Emails obtained by the Associated Press showed Richard McIntosh indicated that his wife played a role in crafting language for the legislative effort, which would have resulted in the either the victim or the accused being able to transfer their cases to the commission where she served as an administrative judge.

He suggested in a November 2018 email that House staff add the “AHC language that I sent you from Audrey yesterday� to the proposed law change. He listed both his and his wife’s personal contact information in an October email to the House bill sponsor and staffers.

At the time, the McIntosh’s son had recently been expelled from Washington University.

The failed effort was aided by wealthy 51ºÚÁÏ businessman and Washington University trustee David Steward, who co-founded World Wide Technology. McIntosh lobbied for World Wide Technology for two decades before his contract was canceled earlier this year.

The changes to the proposed Title IX legislation were jettisoned after the revelations of the apparent conflict of interest arose.

Title IX is a 1970s federal law designed to ensure gender equity at colleges and universities that receive federal support.

Parson replaced McIntosh with Katie Jo Wheeler, who recently served as deputy director for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Wheeler, an attorney who received her law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, previously served as general counsel for the department.