Maria Chappelle-Nadal
Maria Chappelle-Nadal | |
|---|---|
 Chappelle-Nadal in 2013 | |
| Missouri State Senator from District 14 (University City) | |
| Assumed office 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Rita Heard Days |
| Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 72nd district | |
| In office 2005–2011 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Maria Nicole Chappelle-Nadal October 3, 1974 University City, Missouri, USA |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence(s) | University City, Missouri |
| Alma mater | Georgia State University |
Maria Nicole Chappelle-Nadal (born October 3, 1974) is a Democrat from University City, Missouri, who represents District 14 in the Missouri State Senate. She is also a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives from District 72, a position which she held from 2005 to 2011. In 2010, Chappelle-Nadal was elected to the Senate to succeed fellow Democrat Rita Heard Days of St. Louis. She is a graduate of Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Democrat party activist
Chappelle-Nadal was one of Missouri's superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Uncommitted at first, she declared her support for Democratic candidate Barack Obama on the same day that the commonwealth of Puerto Rico held its Democratic presidential primary. Chappelle-Nadal's mother is Puerto Rican.[1]
Alleged threats to "stab" fellow Legislator Sen. Jamilah Nasheed in 2011
In April 2011 while attending a Lil Wayne concert in St. Louis, Sen. Jamiliah Naheed accused Sen. Chappelle-Nadal of threatening to stab her. The two politicians had been at odds for several weeks after Sen. Chapelle-Nadal, referred to a bill sponsored by Rep. Nasheed which would give the governance of the St. Louis police department back to the city. Sen. Chappelle-Nadal said that any black politician that would support the bill was nothing more than a "house slave". Rep. Nasheed fired back by calling Sen. Chappelle-Nadal, "mentally unstable." [2]
Rep. Nasheed was attending as the guest of a lobbyist with AT&T. During the concert the two legislators made contact in a private suite belonging to utility company, Ameren UE. While mingling amongst the lobbyist in a private suite, Sen. Chappelle-Nadal and Rep. Nasheed had some type of disagreement that ended with Sen. Chappelle-Nadal allegedly told Rep. Nasheed that, "if she had a knife, she would cut my fucking throat." Rep. Nasheed took to social media that night and "tweeted" the comment from Sen. Chappelle-Nadal to her followers.[2]
Sen. Chappelle-Nadal did not deny an encounter took placed but denied she threatened to shank or stab anyone. Sen. Chappelle-Nadal reported to the St. Louis River Front Times, "I was trying to enjoy the concert, but she kept harassing me," Chapelle-Nadal tells Daily RFT. "Finally she cornered me. I never said I would cut her throat, though I did mention a stabbing. I said that if I were really as unstable as she says I am, I would have stabbed someone by now, like the time she stabbed someone when she was with the 'Switchblade Sistas' -- a high-school gang." When questioned on her association with the "Switchblade Sistas", Rep. Nasheed offered, "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"[2] Sen. Nasheed admitted her past history of youth gang involvement and explained that, "I talk to kids about it all the time. I caution them against that lifestyle. I'm not ashamed."[2]
Role in 2014 Ferguson unrest
Chappelle-Nadal was very active during the protests over the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in August 2014. During the protests, Chappelle-Nadal was among the protesters who were tear-gassed by law enforcement officials. She was highly critical of Governor Jay Nixon's actions and decisions during the protests, carrying a sign of the Governor with the words "MIA [Missing in Action] Again" on it.[3][4][5]
Sen. Chappelle-Nadal utilized twitter to call out Gov. Jay Nixon for the use of tear gas on protestors in Ferguson on 14 August 2014 when she tweeted "You don't know shit bc (because) you never communicate. FUCK you governor." at 1:43 am. Sen. Chappelle-Nadal quickly followed up that communication when she shared, "FUCK you, governor, I am calling your bullshit" at 1:56 am. Sen. Chappelle-Nadal defended her language in an interview where she said “The reason why I used profane language is because he has allowed us to get tear-gassed for three days,”[6]
29 September 2014 Sen. Chappelle-Nadal used social media to "tweet" that "Rumor, not verified: I've been told the Grand Jury has concluded its process. Please ask the right questions for verification." regarding the investigation into Officer Darren Wilson (ref. the shooting death of Michael Brown). Sen. Chappelle-Nadal spoke with Channel 4 news about her tweet and defended her words.[7]
During the Ferguson, Missouri riot of November 24, 2014, Sen. Chappelle-Nadal appeared on MSNBC and called for a "race war": “And I have to tell you, this is St. Louis’s race war. We didn’t have a race war like other cities throughout the country. This is our race war. And people have to be open, and they have to be honest. And they have to earnest. And they have not been earnest for decades. ...I know people in my own party, in my own government structure who disregard things that we say, and how we feel. And we are not going to allow it anymore." [8]
Accusing others of being in the KKK
On 20 September 2014 Sen. Chappelle-Nadal reported on her socialmedia "twitter" account that "My intern was run over by KKK".[9][10] It is unclear if Sen. Chappelle-Nadal was present at the protest in Ferguson which was aimed at shutting down public streets. Her old adversary Jamilah Nasheed was on the scene and given the background of threats [2] From the incident the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports the "driver was arrested, along with a protester who damaged the man’s car. A third man was taken into custody when he ignored police orders to get out of the roadway. The police reported no injuries, but some protesters alleged on social media that some of them were hurt, and criticized police for not calling for ambulances or medical assistance".[11]
References
- ^ "Mo. Superdelegate to Support Obama". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c d e Chad Garrison (11 April 2011). "State Senator Accused of Threatening Missouri Rep. During Lil' Wayne Concert". Daily RFT.
- ^ "State Senator To Ferguson Police: 'Will I Get Tear-Gassed Again?'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Jay Nixon breaks his silence, faces crucial test in Michael Brown case". MSNBC. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Misinformation about situation in Ferguson spreading on social media". KMOV. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
- ^ Andrew Kaczynski. "Missouri State Senator Says She Tweeted "F*ck You" At Governor Because She Was Tear-Gassed". BuzzFeed.
- ^ Matt Sczesny (September 30, 2014). "Sen. Chappelle-Nadal defends tweet about grand jury rumor". KMOV.
- ^ "Missouri Senator declares "This is our race war"". MSNBC. November 24, 2014.
- ^ sundance (September 21, 2014). "The KKK Comes To Ferguson ? Ridiculous 'Incitement To Riot' By Missouri State Senator Maria Chappelle Nadal…". The Last Refuge.
- ^ Will (September 28, 2014). "When "just words" lead to actions". both sides now . . . .
- ^ Denise Hollinshed (September 20, 2014). "Three arrested in Ferguson after protester says he was struck by car". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
External links
- Missouri House of Representatives - Maria Chappelle-Nadal official MO House website
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Maria N. Chappelle-Nadal (MO) profile
- Follow the Money - Maria Chappelle-Nadal
Members of the Missouri Senate | ||
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102nd General Assembly (2023-2024)
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