An attorney representing the St. Louis couple who waved their guns at non-violent Black Lives Matter protesters marching near their home last month told TPM on Thursday that he has been having discussions with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows amid the St. Louis prosecutor’s investigation into the incident.
The Trump administration has been keeping “a keen eye” on the situation, lawyer Al Watkins told TPM over the phone. He is part of the legal team representing the couple, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who live in a gated community in the Missouri city.
“I’ve been in direct contact with the chief of staff,” Watkins said when asked if he had heard from the White House regarding the investigation.
The lawyer declined to provide details of their conversations or disclose what action, if any, the administration plans to take in the probe, which is being led by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (no charges have been filed yet).
However, Watkins told TPM it was his opinion that the Justice Department’s resources “will be deployed,” an opinion the lawyer said was borne out of “close observance.”
TPM has reached out to the White House and will update this post upon receiving a response.
Allison Hawk, a spokesperson for Gardner, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She had declined to comment on Wednesday when asked if the Trump administration had contacted the prosecutor, citing an ongoing investigation.
President Donald Trump defended the McCloskeys in an interview on Tuesday, claiming that the couple were “going to be beat up badly” by the protesters, and that Gardner’s investigation was a “disgrace.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) told reporters on Tuesday that Trump had told him the administration was going to get involved in the matter.
“I think you’ll see some sort of actions,” Parsons said.
Gardner issued a defiant statement later that day in response to Trump and the governor’s remarks.
“While they continue to play politics with the handling of this matter, spreading misinformation and distorting the truth, I refuse to do so,” the prosecutor stated.
