Senator Josh Hawley asked the Department of Justice Thursday to open a civil rights investigation on St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and her office for violating the rights of local residents Mark and Patricia McCloskey.
The McCloskeys made headlines after they defended their home from a mob of hundreds of Black Lives Matter activiststs who broke into the gated community in June.
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Gardner has sent police to their home at least twice with search warrants.
This morning I have asked the Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation into the St Louis Circuit Attorneys Office. Targeting law abiding citizens who exercise constitutionally protected rights for investigation & prosecution is an abuse of power https://t.co/lg9GbisWgd
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 16, 2020
FOX 2 Now reported:
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Senator Josh Hawley is calling for a federal civil rights investigation into St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner after claiming she is “targeting the McCloskey family for using firearms to defend themselves and their property against a mob of protesters”.
Hawley sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr Thursday morning accusing Gardner of abusing her power in handling the investigation.
“This is an unacceptable abuse of power and threat to the Second Amendment, and I urge you to consider a federal civil rights investigation into the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to determine whether this investigation and impending prosecution violates this family’s constitutional rights,” Hawley wrote.
The McCloskeys were seen pointing firearms at protesters as they walked past their home the night of June 28. The protesters were on their way to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson’s home in response to Krewson reading the names and addresses of people calling for the police to be defunded.
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