In a letter sent to the Missouri Senate Tuesday, Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson called on members to convene in a special session and vote to expel Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal after she posted on Facebook saying she hoped the president would be assassinated.
Parson, a Republican, said he wanted the session to run in conjunction with a veto session. He said the body of the senate has the power to expel a member under Article III, Section 18 of the Missouri Constitution, which reads, in part:
Each house ... may punish its members for disorderly conduct; and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all members elect, may expel a member; but no member shall be expelled a second time for the same cause.
Both sides of the aisle have called for the Democratic Senator to relinquish her seat. Governor Eric Greitens said he believes the Senate should vote to remove Chappelle-Nadal from office, while U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill and U.S. Congressman Lacy Clay — both Democrats — made statements calling for her resignation last week.
The state senator has one year left on her term, and will not be able to run for re-election next year due to term limits.
Earlier in the day, Chappelle-Nadal was removed from all committee assignments by Senate Democratic Caucus leader Sen. Gina Walsh. She was a member of eight committees: veterans and military affairs; public assistance; seniors, families and children; judiciary and civil and criminal jurisprudence; government accountability; education; health and pensions; and public employee retirement.
