Lawmaker ends protest, sorry for overalls 'ruckus'

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A Republican Missouri state senator punished for wearing overalls ended his protest Wednesday, apologized and was reappointed to his committee assignments.

"It was never my intention to come in wearing bib overalls and cause such a ruckus," Sen. Mike Moon said Wednesday. "If I've offended you, I apologize to you."

Moon, a candidate for U.S. Congress who once videotaped himself gutting a chicken to make a political point, wore denim overalls paired with a jacket and tie on the Senate floor earlier this month.

In a letter to the Senate Republican leader, Moon said he wore the overalls to protect his clothing while making pancakes, waffles and eggs for a Capitol breakfast his office sponsored.

Moon on Wednesday said he kept the overalls on after getting compliments during a committee hearing.

There's no formal rule against wearing overalls on the Missouri Senate floor. But many unwritten rules have become fiercely defended "traditions," including the expectation senators dress professionally.

GOP Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz had asked Moon to apologize or face punishment. When Moon refused, Schatz pulled him from almost all of his committee assignments.

That prompted Moon to launch into a filibuster Tuesday to protest what he described as too harsh a punishment. As he continued to block work Wednesday, Moon called Schatz a "dictator."

Republican Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder on Wednesday dubbed the feud "bib gate" and criticized Moon for wasting taxpayer dollars in an attempt to gain name recognition in his congressional bid.

Moon is running for the southwestern Missouri congressional seat currently occupied by Republican Billy Long, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Moon, who previously served in the state House, also drew attention in 2017 for posting the chicken-gutting video after former Gov. Eric Greitens called lawmakers back from "summer vacation" to the Capitol a second time after their regular session adjourned. Moon remarked on the video he was "in the middle of" his summer job processing chickens.