Missouri senator's death wish for Trump brings Lt. Gov. to Springfield as expulsion looms

A Missouri state senator's Facebook post hoping for President Donald Trump to be assassinated could set off expulsion proceedings if she does not resign.

Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, traveled to the Greene County Sheriff's Office in Springfield on Friday to speak to local reporters about Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal's comment, in which she said, "I hope Trump is assassinated!"

"We had a sitting senator in the state of Missouri that asked for the president of the United States to be executed, to be assassinated," Parson said. "And it doesn't matter what the last name of the president is, whether it be Trump, Obama, Clinton, Bush. The office of the presidency of the United States is much larger than anybody's last name."

Parson, the current president of the Missouri Senate and a former state senator himself, was but one voice in a chorus of folks on the left and the right calling for Chappelle-Nadal to quit. If she doesn't — and she told the News-Leader "Hell no!" when asked whether she'd resign — her peers could force her out in a special session, Parson said.

Chappelle-Nadal has said she was frustrated about Trump's reaction to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and has compared herself to other previous transgressors.

"Legislators cheat on their wives and are not asked to resign," she told the News-Leader on Thursday. She did not respond to an inquiry Friday but was active on Twitter, sharing posts of solidarity and what appeared to be racist messages sent to her over Twitter.

Parson was not impressed by Chappelle-Nadal's response.

"Her attempts to deflect criticism and avoid the blame are unacceptable," Parson said while reading from a statement. "She may have been angry when she wrote those words, but anger is not a valid excuse. The comments she made are indefensible."

Parson referred to a section of the Missouri Constitution pertaining to punishment for lawmakers guilty of "contempt and disorderly conduct," then gave Chappelle-Nadal an ultimatum: Resign by the date of the upcoming veto session (Sept. 13) or face expulsion from the Senate.

"It is my hope that she will heed to the calls to resign, rather than force her fellow lawmakers to make the decision for her," Parson said.

Parson also said Attorney General Josh Hawley's office had been asked to provide a legal opinion of the section in the state constitution, which says two-thirds of the Senate could vote for expulsion of another member.

An expulsion would be a first for Missouri, Parson said, "but if there was ever a time to do it, now is the time."

A Senate spokeswoman said research was being conducted on the technical aspects of the process.

The Missouri Constitution also allows the House and Senate to arrest, fine and jail its own members (with maximums of $300 and 10 days, respectively).

However, this provision does not appear to apply, as it refers to lawmakers who commit "disorderly or contemptuous behavior in (the Senate's) presence during its sessions." The Senate was not in session when Chappelle-Nadal posted the comment.

Given the Republican supermajority and the condemnation of fellow Democrats, it is a real possibility that Chappelle-Nadal would be on the wrong end of an expulsion vote if the Senate decides to take that up.

The lieutenant governor said he was not sure whether Chappelle-Nadal's comment was a criminal offense. The Secret Service is reported to be investigating.

Federal law makes it a crime to threaten the president. This statute does not appear to reflect the internet era, as it covers any "conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier ... any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm" upon the president or a successor.

A change.org petition calling for the senator to resign has been created by a "Jeremy D" from Illinois, as has a petition for her to not resign. It is unclear who started the supportive website, istandwithmaria.com, as the domain's registration is protected.

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