Rep. Love Faces No Immediate Consequences for Facebook Post

Intro:	The Missouri Representative who said monument vandals should be quote 'hung from a tall tree with a long rope' will not face consequences from a House committee
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Wrap: After a three-hour disciplinary meeting, committee members voted to reprimand Republican Representative Warren Love for his Facebook post. But he was given the opportunity to decide whether to accept the decision, and he declined.

Representative Love apologized for how the post was perceived by many black Missourians and legislators as a call for lynching, but refused to admit any wrongdoing.

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Description: I apologized for saying a statement that was a colloquial statement that basically called for punishment to the full extent of the law. I don't know what else I can do.

Democrats said Love should be condemned by the House and face punishment for his post.

Jack Morrisroe, Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:	Missouri Democrats said the House should not allow a Representative who called for violence to avoid consequences.
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Wrap: The House Ethics Committee will not be able to enforce any punishment or disciplinary actions against Republican Representative Warren Love. His Facebook post said vandals of a Confederate monument should be quote 'hung from a tall tree with a long rope.'

That's because Love was given the opportunity to decide whether he would accept the punishment, and he did not.

House Democratic Leader Gail McCann-Beatty said Love's post was a public hope for lynching.

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Description: And when a call for political violence comes from an elected official, that official has forfeited the moral authority to hold office.

Love apologized for the post's perception by many Missouri lawmakers as racist, but he refused to admit his post was wrong.

Jack Morrisroe, Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:	Missouri's House Ethics Committee allowed a Representative to not accept their decision to punish him. That appears to go against the committee's rules.
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Wrap: Representative Warren Love wrote in a Facebook post that vandals of a confederate monument should be quote 'hung from a tall tree with a long rope.' Love initially said he would accept the committee's decision.

However, when a majority said they would recommend taking away his committee positions, he was given the chance to refuse that sentence. And he did.

After other disciplinary actions were not approved, the meeting ended with no punishment for Love.

The Ethics Committee rules do not appear to require that a Representative approve of his or her punishment once it is decided.

House Democratic Leader Gail McCann-Beatty said she would ask House leadership to quote 'follow the will of the committee' and take away his positions. House Speaker Todd Richardson has not taken action against Love since the August post.

Jack Morrisroe, Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

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Wrap: I'm Jack Morrisroe in Jefferson City with details on a Representative allowed to refuse his punishment from an ethics committee.