[St. Louis Post Dispatch] With five written words Thursday morning, one of Missouri's most controversial state lawmakers spawned a U.S. Secret Service investigation, potentially endangered her own political career -- and flung St. Louis squarely into the middle of America's raging racial-political debate in the wake of the unrest in Charlottesville, Va."I hope Trump is assassinated!" Missouri state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, wrote during a morning Facebook exchange, referring to Republican President Donald Trump.
She quickly deleted her post, but not quickly enough. By mid-afternoon, the political verdicts of her own party were rolling in:
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.: "I condemn it. It's outrageous. And she should resign."
U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis: "(C)alling for the assassination of the President is a federal crime. ... (She is) an embarrassment to our state. She should resign immediately."
Missouri Democratic Party Chair Stephen Webber: "The ... Party will absolutely not tolerate calls for the assassination of the President. I believe she should resign."
Missouri Senate Democratic Caucus leader Sen. Gina Walsh: "(She) should be ashamed of herself for adding her voice to this toxic environment."