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Mark and Patricia McCloskey pardoned by Missouri GOP guv, Internet calls it 'white privilege'

Conservative couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey made headlines after waving guns at Black Lives Matter supporters in June 2020

Conservative Missouri couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who emerged into the limelight for brandishing firearms at Black Lives Matter supporters, have now secured a pardon from the state Governor. The McCloskeys had previously pleaded guilty to charges of assault and harassment. However, they have now been pardoned by Missouri's Republican Governor Mike Parson. The couple's names were included in a list of 12 pardons announced by the Governor's office on Tuesday, August 3, 2021.

At present, Mark McCloskey is even running for Senate in Missouri from the Republican Party. Their rise to fame dates back to June 2020, at the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement across the country. When a rally of BLM protesters was passing in front of the McCloskey residence, the couple walked outside with guns and pointed the weapons at the crowd. They claimed that the protesters had damaged their front gate and violated a no-trespassing sign. Later, Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree harassment, with a $2000 penalty while her husband pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault with a $750 fine. 

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The McCloskeys were promised a pardon by the Governor long back in 2020 when they were charged for the offenses. Their brief tryst with the law propelled them into national spotlight, turning them into overnight celebrities among Conservative Republicans who are against gun control. In fact, the pair was invited to address the Republican National Convention, where they asserted their love for firearms. 

The gun-toting couple from St. Louis showed off a brand new AR-15, barely two days after pleading guilty and agreeing to have their weapons destroyed. "A year ago, the mob came to my door to attack my family — I backed them down. The mob came for me, the media attacked me & prosecutors tried to punish me for defending my family. They dropped all charges, except for a claim I instilled "imminent fear” in the mob. I’d do it again," Mark McCloskey tweeted at the time. 

The pardon will help the embattled personal injury lawyer to smoothly continue his Senate run for 2022. Meanwhile, a major section of social media users is not pleased with the Governor's action. Former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill tweeted, "We have innocent people in prison and this jerk decides these idiots are who he needs to help. Vomit."

One user dubbed the incident as "definition of white privilege", tweeting, "You wanna know the definition of white privilege? Mark and Patricia McCloskey (AKA Ken and Karen), who pointed their guns at BLM protesters, have been pardoned by the Missouri governor and get to go free. Mark even gets to run for Senate."

Washington Post reporter Meryl Kornfield wrote, "Gov. Mike Parson did not pardon: Kevin Strickland and Lamar Johnson, Black men who prosecutors say were wrongfully convicted and have spent decades in prison Gov. Mike Parson did pardon: Mark and Patricia McCloskey, a White couple facing no jail time."

"Like giving a good citizenship medal to Bonnie and Clyde," remarked another user.