Lieutenant Governor Parson calls for resignation of Sen. Chappelle-Nadal

Lieutenant Governor Michael Parson has released a statement, asking for the resignation of Sen. Chappelle-Nadal after she made a Facebook post hoping for the assassination of President Trump.

“I am calling on Senator Chappelle-Nadal to do the right thing and resign from office. However, if she does not do so by veto session, I will, in my position as President of the Missouri Senate, immediately seek her expulsion pursuant to Article III, Section 18 of the Missouri Constitution,” said Lieutenant Governor Parson.

This statement comes after a string of reaction from political leaders in Missouri.

You can read the full statement below:

“Senator Chappelle-Nadal’s troubling remarks expressing her hope that the President of the United States would be assassinated is a violation of the principles of our state, and it is conduct unbecoming of an elected official.

Her attempts to deflect criticism and avoid blame are unacceptable. She may have been very angry when she wrote those words, but anger is not a valid excuse – the comments she made are indefensible. As a former Sheriff, I am unfortunately very familiar with this line of reasoning. I arrested many people who tried to escape blame by saying they did not mean what they did, or that anger clouded their judgment. Nevertheless, they still had to accept the consequences of their actions, and Senator Chappelle Nadal must do the same.

I cannot say with certainty if her remarks meet the standard for prosecution under federal law; that is for the Secret Service and the Federal Prosecutor to determine through their ongoing investigation. What I can say is that her remarks are inexcusable and do not fit with the values of the State of Missouri.

I am calling on Senator Chappelle-Nadal to do the right thing and resign from office. However, if she does not do so by veto session, I will, in my position as President of the Missouri Senate, immediately seek her expulsion pursuant to Article III, Section 18 of the Missouri Constitution.

This is not a decision that has been made lightly. I believe that Senator Chappelle-Nadal’s remarks and her unwillingness to take responsibility for what she said make it clear that she is no longer fit to serve our state. As a senior Senator, she should know that the people of Missouri expect better, and it is my hope that she will heed the call to resign rather than force her fellow lawmakers to make this decision for her.

I will be seeking an official legal opinion from the Attorney General’s Office to ensure Article III will fully apply to this situation.

It is quite evident that both Democrats and Republicans are in agreement she should resign from her office, and do not believe in her remarks.”