Sowers demands Jo Ann Emerson apologize for encouraging hateful protest

As the House was voting on an unrelated bill, Republican Reps. Tom Latham of Iowa, Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri, Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Greg Harper of Mississippi stood on south balcony off the House floor - an area known informally as "the beach" -- holding pieces of paper that read "kill the bill" to a group of cheering protestors. Some Republican lawmakers waved a "Don't Tread on Me" flag from the balcony, causing the crowd to go wild.

~Politico, 3-21-10, 4:46 PM EST

As a group of several hundred protesters on the lawn of the Capitol shouted "No! No! No!" "Nancy, you will burn in hell for this!" and "Kill the bill!" rank-and-file Republican lawmakers came out to the balcony off the House floor in the midst of a series of procedural votes. Two different trios of GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Tom Latham (Iowa) and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (Mo.), waved signs with the words "Kill" "The" and "Bill" as the crowd cheered.

~Washington Post, 3-21-10, 5:18 PM EST

Saturday, Congresswoman Emerson was involved in encouraging protesters at the Capitol. Instead of contributing to the debate, she offended her office and the people she claims to represent. This supposed moderate chose to incite the same voices that used racial slurs and spat on lawmakers (including Emanuel Cleaver, a fellow member of the Missouri delegation) on the steps of the Capitol.

Sowers said, "I call on Congresswoman Emerson to issue a formal apology for inciting these protests. As an 11-year veteran, I defended the Constitution and the right to protest, but lending support to a group that has spit on and called lawmakers racial slurs is beyond defense. This may make sense to a DC politician trying to grab headlines and score political points. But this is not the kind of representation that the Founders intended, nor what the people of Missouri and America expect."

Shortly after Emerson's protest, Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen told reporters: "I think it is bad taste for people to go and encourage them. I can see this crowd getting out of control and they are being encouraged."

The Sowers campaign couldn't agree more. Congresswoman Emerson must immediately apologize and disavow association with protesters that use hate and racial slurs.