The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal challenging sanctions against a couple who pointed loaded firearms at Black Lives Matter protesters who were walking past their St. Louis home.
Patricia and Mark McCloskey sparked national outrage in 2020 — and praise from former President Donald Trump — after pointing a handgun and an AR-15 assault-style rifle at racial justice demonstrators who were heading to the home of the St. Louis mayor to protest the police killing of George Floyd.
Missouri Gov. Michael Parson (R) pardoned the couple last year after they pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and harassment charges and were fined. But the state body that polices attorney misconduct sought to rescind their law licenses.
The Supreme Court of Missouri initially agreed to suspend the couple’s law licenses indefinitely, but then stayed the suspensions and placed the two lawyers on probation for a year during which time their behavior would be monitored.
The McCloskeys argued that the court ruling violated their Second Amendment rights and that they were “exercising lawful rights to bear arms in defense of their person, family and home.” They referred to the staunch support from Trump.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear their appeal.
Mark McCloskey, who is currently a candidate for the U.S. Senate in the GOP primary, has replaced the rifle he was forced to surrender:
He is also promoting guns during his campaign for Senate, even in the wake of a series of deadly mass shootings. On Friday, he tweeted a photo of his wife pointing her gun at protesters — the same incident for which there were charged:
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