Lawmaker who called for hanging to be subject of ethics probe

Sept. 13--JEFFERSON CITY -- Rep. Warren Love, R-Osceola, will be the subject of a probe by a bipartisan panel of lawmakers in connection with a controversial social media post calling for the hanging of vandals who defaced a Confederate monument in Springfield.

In a short speech to the House Wednesday, House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, D-Kansas City, said Love's comment last month about hanging the perpetrators was deeply offensive to African-Americans.

Although Love, who is white, apologized for his comments, McCann Beatty said he also should remove the social media post.

The investigation by the House Ethics Committee comes after several lawmakers called for his ouster.

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JEFFERSON CITY --Despite heated calls for her ouster after she said she hoped President Trump would be assassinated, it appears increasingly unlikely that Democratic state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal will be removed from her post.

Instead, the University City lawmaker is expected to receive harsh criticism from her colleagues and perhaps a formal vote to censure her during the Missouri Legislature's annual veto session.

Lawmakers are back in the capital city Wednesday to consider overriding vetoes issued this summer by Gov. Eric Greitens. Both the House and Senate gavel in at noon.

Among the formalities will be the swearing-in of two new members. In the House, Republican Sara Walsh of Columbia will fill the vacancy created when former state Rep. Caleb Jones resigned to take a post as a top aide to Greitens.

In the Senate, Republican Sandy Crawford of Buffalo will fill the vacancy created when Mike Parson won the lieutenant governor's post.

An informal survey of lawmakers shows there may be little action in the GOP-controlled chambers.

Chief among the eight vetoed bills from the Republican governor is a proposal aimed at shifting $34 million in state funds to help avoid health care cuts affecting 8,000 elderly and disabled Missourians. Greitens called the maneuver a gimmick when he vetoed it.

But, Republicans who control both chambers are facing an uphill battle to round up the votes to override the governor. And, the process of reducing services to the 8,000 residents has already begun.

Under the state Constitution, lawmakers need a two-thirds majority to override a governor's veto. The measure, however, was approved by a significantly narrower margin in the House in the waning minutes of the regular session in May.

Efforts by legislators to call a separate special session also don't appear to have adequate support. Greitens is not planning on using his power to call a special session.

Parson took to Twitter Tuesday night to bemoan the likely lack of action against Chappelle-Nadal, as well as to predict no action on the health care legislation.

"This is deeply disturbing for all Missourians. We owe it to the next generation to set a good example," Parson wrote.

In the House, lawmakers are not expected to take formal action to oust state Rep. Warren Love, an Osceola Republican who was criticized for a social media post last month calling for the hanging of vandals who defaced a Confederate monument in Springfield.

Chappelle-Nadal and Love have publicly apologized for their comments. Chappelle-Nadal quickly removed the Facebook post and has written a letter to all members of the Senate.

She was en route to the Capitol Wednesday morning and could not be reached for comment.

This story will be updated.

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