Missouri official asks court to suspend McCloskeys’ law licenses

A Missouri official is asking the state Supreme Court to suspend the law licenses of the St. Louis couple who waved their guns at racial justice protesters in June 2020.

Missouri Chief Disciplinary Counsel Alan Pratzel, in a court filing, pointed to the McCloskeys’ guilty pleas to misdemeanors connected to last year’s incident in his argument to suspend their law licenses, according to KCUR-FM.

His office is in charge of probing ethical complaints against Missouri lawyers, according to The Associated Press.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges that stemmed from the June 2020 incident. Mark McCloskey — who is running for U.S. Senate — pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault and was ordered to pay a $750 fine, and Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment and was subject to a $2,000 fine.

They also agreed to have their guns taken and destroyed.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) pardoned the couple last month. Pratzel, however, said that while the pardon takes away a person’s conviction, “the person’s guilt remains,” according to KCUR-FM.

Pratzel said the crimes illustrated an “indifference to public safety” and involved “moral turpitude,” which gave grounds for the discipline, according to KCUR-FM.

Mark McCloskey is a wealthy personal injury lawyer who, with his wife, made national headlines after a video went viral last year of the couple waving their guns at protesters outside their home. Mark McCloskey had an AR-15-style rifle, and Patricia McCloskey was armed with a semiautomatic pistol, according to the AP, citing the indictment.

They have since been hailed by Republicans and pointed to as examples of firearms being used for self-defense.

Both Mark and Patricia McCloskey were admitted to the Missouri bar in 1986, according to KCUR-FM. The pair reportedly works together at the McCloskey Law Center and concentrations on personal injury, medical malpractice and defective products cases.

In May, Mark McCloskey announced that he was launching a campaign for the state’s open Senate seat to replace retiring Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).

The Hill reached out to the McCloskeys’ lawyer for comment.

Updated 11:35 p.m.

This article has been corrected to reflect that the official sought to suspend the couple’s law licenses.