Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) suggested Friday that he was prepared to forgive a St. Louis couple if charges were brought against them for brandishing firearms against a group of protesters outside their home.
Speaking on “The Marc Cox Morning Show” on 97.1 FM in St. Louis, Parson was asked about an investigation that Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner launched against Mark and Patricia McCloskey. The two were seen in widely shared images from June pointing guns at a group of protesters walking down their street as part of a demonstration.
The McCloskeys said in a police report that they felt threatened by the protesters and feared that they would be attacked or their property destroyed. But Gardner said he would investigate the events and noted at the beginning of his investigation that “we will not tolerate the use of force against those who exercise their First Amendment rights.”
Parson strongly rejected the impetus for the investigation, saying the McCloskeys “did what they should legally do.”
“A mafia has no right to collect their property. They had every right to protect themselves,” he said.
When asked if he would consider a pardon if charges were filed, Parsons said, “I think that is exactly what would happen.”
“Right now, that’s how I feel,” he said. “You won’t know until you hear all the facts. But right now, if it’s about going after them for doing a legal act, then yes, if that scenario ever happened, I don’t think it’s going to happen anytime in the jail “.
“We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be attacked for exercising their constitutional rights,” Parson added in a tweet linking his comments.
The McCloskeys got widespread attention in late June after the video captured the two firearms targeting protesters who had been marching past their residence on their way to Mayor Lyda Krewson’s (D) home to demand their resignation. after reading aloud the personal information of the activists. in a live broadcast.
The couple told St. Louis police that protesters invaded a private street and were “afraid of [their] lives. “A protest leader has disputed his claims, saying the street door was open and the protesters were peaceful.
Gardner’s investigation into the events has drawn intense criticism from Republican officials, including the senator. Josh Hawley
Joshua (Josh) David HawleySt. The Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters appears as a guest star during the Trump campaign virtual event. Twitter says 130 accounts attacked in this week’s cyberattack. Lawmakers are targeting Twitter after a massive attack. PLUS (R-Mo.) And President Trump
Donald John Trump, Pelosi and Blumenaur condemn Trump’s “heinous abuses of power” against Oregon protesters. Federal agents deployed in Portland had no riot control training: NYT Trump administration sought to block funding for CDC, contact tracing, and testing on new relief law: MORE report. In an interview last week, Trump said the investigation was a “disgrace” and that the couple had a right to protect their property. Parsons has also noted that he has discussed the matter with Trump and the ways the president could potentially intervene.
Additionally, Hawley asked the Justice Department to initiate a civil rights investigation at Gardner’s office to determine if his investigation of the McCloskeys violates his “constitutional law.”
Gardner has rejected criticism of Trump and Parsons. She said in a statement on Thursday that “as they continue to play politics in handling this matter, spreading misinformation and distorting the truth, I refuse to do so.”
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