Representative Abruptly Ends Testimony of Missouri NAACP President
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Representative Abruptly Ends Testimony of Missouri NAACP President

Date: February 14, 2017
By: Jack Morrisroe
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HB 550, HB 552, HB 676

Intro: 
After Missouri's NAACP President was abruptly cut off by the chairman of the House Litigation Committee, he agreed to hold a second hearing.
RunTime: 0:43
OutCue: SOC

Wrap: After less than two minutes, Republican Representative Bill Lant ended Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel's testimony under threat of ending the hearing. Chapel said Lant's actions were not democratic. 

Actuality:  CHAPEL1.WAV
Run Time: 00:07
Description: And that if we are to participate in a democracy, how can we hold a hearing and then refuse people the right to be heard at that hearing.

The measures would make it more difficult to win a case of employment discrimination on the basis of race and other factors, not including sexual orientation.

The Missouri AFL-CIO, Legislative Black Caucus, and the LGBT organization PROMO all sent statements against Lant's treatment of Chapel.

Lant later said there will be a second hearing for the measures.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.

Intro: 
A Republican Representative said the Missouri NAACP President was cut off because he did not follow committee rules.
RunTime: 0:44
OutCue: SOC

Wrap: Southeast Representative Bill Lant said the NAACP President did not speak directly to the measures.

Actuality:  LANT.WAV
Run Time: 00:08
Description: We were to stay on subject, that we were to keep it brief. He wasn't on subject and he had no intention of staying brief.
Before he was finished, Chapel spoke about universities and grocery stores in favor of the measures and said the bills would legalize discrimination in the aftermath of protests in Ferguson and Columbia.

The measures would make discrimination lawsuits based on race and other factors more difficult to win.

Lant later said he had prevented the exchange of ideas and viewpoints essential to the legislative process and that he would hold another hearing.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.

Intro: 
The representative who quickly ended the Missouri NAACP President's testimony will hold a second hearing.
RunTime: 0:34
OutCue: SOC

Wrap: Republican Representative Bill Lant said Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel was not speaking on the bill at hand. Chapel disagreed.

Actuality:  CHAPEL2.WAV
Run Time: 00:06
Description: As soon as I said Jim Crow, I was invited to leave. That's more than ironic. It's pretty sad.

The measure would make a discrimination lawsuit based on race and other factors more difficult to prove.

Speaker of the House Todd Richardson and Lant both said in separate statements that there will be a second public hearing on the discrimination measures. Chapel said he will speak again.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.