Gov. Mike Parson

Missouri governor says pardon likely if St. Louis homeowners charged

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says he is prepared to exercise his pardon powers if prosecutors bring criminal charges in the case of a St. Louis couple who brandished firearms at a group of protesters outside their home. Parson, a Republican, told a St. Louis radio station Friday that he thinks a pardon is “exactly what would happen” if Mark and Patricia McCloskey are hit with charges in the June 28 incident captured on video and seen by millions. He later added that based on what he knows about the case, “I don’t think they’re going to spend any time in jail.” The McCloskeys, who are both attorneys, displayed guns as Black Lives Matter protesters walked onto the private street where they live. The protesters were headed to the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. State prosecutor Kim Gardner launched an investigation, saying, “we will not tolerate the use of force against those exercising their First Amendment rights.” St. Louis police seized a rifle from the couple’s home pursuant to a search warrant. Parson told 97.1 FM the McCloskeys “did what they legally should do,” according to The Hill newspaper. “A mob does not have the right to charge your property,” he said, according to the paper. “They had every right to protect themselves.” Parson linked to the interview on Twitter and added the comment, “We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be targeted for exercising their constitutional rights.” Gardner has not disclosed whether she intends to file charges, but several leading Republicans — including President Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Parson — have criticized her for even deciding to investigate the couple. Parson cited Missouri’s “castle doctrine” law that justifies lethal force for those protecting their homes. Hawley is seeking a U.S. Department of Justice investigation of Gardner. A spokeswoman for Gardner declined comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

This is playing out exactly as we predicted.  This self-serving, anti-gun, pro-criminal, liberal Democrat St. Louis City prosecutor Kim Gardner (D) has bitten off more than she can chew.  Sure, she’s getting her 15 mins of fame, and adoration from the criminal community.  But, she’s failing at her job.  So, kudos to Gov. Mike Parson (R-MO) for basically saying he’ll pardon the McCloskeys if any charges are brought against them, and to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) for asking the DOJ to investigate Ms. Gardner.  After all, she FAILED to do her job when cops arrested 35 rioters during the post-George Floyd riots in St. Louis.  She just let them all go, without bringing any charges….which is her flipping job!  Instead, she’s going after law-abiding gun owners who were rightfully exercising their 2nd Amendment rights in protecting their home from the mob.

Trump may intervene in case of St. Louis couple wielding guns at protesters, Missouri governor said

The governor of Missouri says President Trump has promised to “do everything he could within his powers” to shield a St. Louis couple who wielded guns at protesters in their gated community from prosecution, even as an attorney for the client says charges are imminent. Gov. Mike Parson said he spoke to Trump Tuesday and was reassured that the president– who previously has retweeted a photo of the couple, Mark and Patricia McCloskey holding up guns in front of their house in the June 28 incident–“understands the situation in Missouri.” “He understands the situation in St. Louis and how out of control it is for a prosecutor to let violent criminals off and not do their job and try to attack law-abiding citizens,” Parson said at a press conference. “The conversation I had with the President, said that he would do everything he could within his powers to help with this situation,” Parson added. Parson and Trump’s conversation comes days after police served a search warrant at the McCloskey’s home in the upscale Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, in the same area where the city’s Democratic mayor, Lyda Krewson, lives. Nearly 500 protesters marching for racial equality and against police brutality were headed towards Krewson’s residence during the June 28 incident, after she read off the names and addresses of individuals petitioning to defund the police. Mark and Patricia McCloskey came out of their house, brandished their guns, and demanded the protesters leave because they were trespassing. The couple later told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that they were fearful that the protesters would “kill us” and “burn down the house.” Police seized the rifle that Mark was holding in the now-viral video of the incident, while a handgun that Patricia was holding was turned over to St. Louis Police Saturday by the couple’s attorney Albert Watkins. The handgun had been in Watkins’s possession as evidence that it was inoperable when she pointed it at protesters “in defense of themselves and their home at [the] time of the march,” Watkins told Fox News. Watkins says he anticipates state charges against the couple “as early as today,” he said on Wednesday, but views Trump’s interest in the case as a positive. “The President has been restrained to date and has been kept up to date in virtually real time,” Watkins said, “His support behind the scenes was vital to permitting local police to step back from prior directives to be ‘hands off’ protesters. “The support of the Executive Office appears to have motivated The Governor to garner a heightened degree of appreciation for implications and rights at risk in this situation,” Watkins said. Parson shared an article about the McCloskeys on Facebook Tuesday with the caption “Missourians have the right to protect their homes.” In a separate post, Parson lambasted city prosecutors, saying it’s “appalling” that they are “targeting the McCloskey’s for defending their home.”

Exactly! And well said, Governor.  This is what happens when you have anti-gun, liberal Democrat nazis like this local St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (D) in power.  They go after law-abiding gun owners, like the McCloskeys, who are just trying to protect their family and their home.  Instead, Ms. Gardner should be going after these protestors who, by contrast, BROKE the law and jumped the gate (almost tore it down) of this gated community and harassed homeowners, etc.  But, don’t hold your breath, folks.  This is the same city attorney who, after the riots in St. Louis following the George Floyd death, released the 35 or so rioters.  The cops arrested them for violence and vandalism, etc..and she just turned them loose.  In case you’re wondering..  Yes, she’s a black, Democrat female.  We’ll let you decide if that’s relevant in today’s racially charged environment.