St. Louis lawmaker wants state's Guard leader scrutinized

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis lawmaker has urged the governor-elect Jay Nixon to consider replacing the adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard after accusations that the commander has discriminated against women and blacks.

Two federal complaints have been filed that accuse Maj. Gen. King Sidwell and his chief of staff, Col. Glenn Hagler, of discrimination. Also, 13 black Guard members have complained in a letter to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People that Sidwell has "fostered a climate of institutional discrimination."

State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that she wants Nixon to consider replacing Sidwell, who has reapplied for his job and cited the support of numerous Democrats, such as U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, of Lexington, Mo.

"The allegations of systematic racial and gender discrimination by Missouri National Guard Adjutant General King Sidwell merit a swift but thorough investigation by the Department of Defense," said Nasheed, D-St. Louis.

Sidwell has denied discriminating against anyone. He said the two federal complaints concern promotion decisions that were made based on "management needs" and had nothing to do with race or gender.

Sidwell and Hagler acknowledged that some of the issues raised in the NAACP letter involve situations that were "handled poorly" by management.