St. Louis Gun-Toting Case Gets Very Political

Looks like the St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters have two high-profile defenders: a governor and a president, the Washington Post reports. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson offered a whole-hearted defense Tuesday of Mark and Patricia McCloskey and said President Trump was also "getting involved" in their case. Declaring that the pair had "every right to protect their property," Parson said Trump "doesn't like what he sees and the way these people are being treated" and added that Attorney General William Barr will likely "take a look" at the case with Trump. "The president said that he would do everything he could within his powers to help with this situation and he would be taking action to do that," said Parson.

But St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who is prosecuting the case, had little positive to say about Parson and Trump getting involved. She said in a statement that they "came after me for doing my job and investigating a case. While they continue to play politics with the handling of this matter, spreading misinformation and distorting the truth, I refuse to do so." She also said it was "unbelievable" that Parson "would seek advice from one of the most divisive leaders in our generation to overpower the discretion of a locally elected prosecutor." USA Today reports that Gardner hasn't yet decided whether to charge the McCloskeys, who exchanged words with protesters June 28 while brandishing a handgun and a long rifle outside their St. Louis home. (Trump says "more white people" are killed by police.)