By: Teresa Mull

Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson is pardoning the St. Louis couple who brandished firearms on their property as Black Lives Matter protestors paraded through their private, gated neighborhood last summer.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey were charged as felons by prosecutor Kim Gardner for brandishing their weapons. Gardner, in turn, received $116,000 in support from George Soros.

A grand jury had handed down an indictment with the additional charge of tampering with evidence.

“Every single human being that was in front of my house was a criminal trespasser,” Mark McCloskey said in response to the charges. “They broke down our gate. They trespassed on our property. Not a single one of those people is now charged with anything. We’re charged with felonies that could cost us four years of our lives and our law licenses.”

Gov. Parsons, when asked if he would pardon the McCloskeys, said shortly after the incident:

Oh, by all means I would and … I think that’s exactly what would happen. You know, right now, you know, that’s exactly what I feel. You don’t know until you hear all the facts and all that, but right now, if this is all about going after them because they did a lawful act, yeah, if that scenario ever happened, I don’t think they’re gonna spend any time in jail.

Parsons also said he had spoken to President Trump about the case, and he “…would do everything he could within his powers to help with this situation, that he would be taking action to do that.”

The husband-wife attorneys “pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in court … and agreed to give up the guns seized during the investigation,” reports NPR.

Gov. Parsons has made good on his promise and pardoned the couple this week.

Mark McCloskey said in a statement:

“As many of you know, Patty and I faced political prosecution for having the audacity to defend our lives and property from an angry mob. Today we are incredibly thankful that Governor Mike Parson righted this wrong and granted us pardons.”

Teresa Mull ([email protected]) is editor of Gunpowder Magazine.