Former Rep. denies she hired undocumented workers
A former state representative denied the accusation that she knowingly employed illegal immigrants during a heated exchange Wednesday evening at the Special Committee on Immigration.
At last week’s hearing, Rep. Maria Chapelle-Nadal, D-University City, said that a former representative with a hog farm had told her in a previous conversation that some of the workers on her hog farm were undocumented.
Chapelle-Nadal didn’t name the lawmaker, though she was referring to Rep. Kathy Chinn, R-Clarence.
“I remember the conversation vividly,” Chapelle-Nadal said at tonight’s hearing. “She made the point that it would be very hard for some of the farmers to survive without immigrant labor.”
She said “it was understood” that Chinn employed illegal immigrants.
After being invited by the committee to speak, Chinn rebuked those statements during brief remarks at the beginning of the hearing.
“Your statements are totally false,” she said. “I told you if we were not careful, we were going to make it more difficult for small businesses to remain in business. It had nothing to do with hiring someone who was not legal.”
Several Republican committee members admonished Chapelle-Nadal for last week’s remarks. Committee Vice-Chairman Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, even said personal accusations would not be tolerated, “even if that requires altering the composition of this committee.”
Chinn said similar accusations arose in the closing weeks of her 2006 re-election campaign, which she lost by a two-point margin.
Chinn said she asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate those claims, and it found no evidence of illegal immigration.
Way to go Bob!
Maria is an embarassment. She has said things much worse than this repeatedly, but somehow it always seems to escape notice. Hopefully more incidents like this will get coverage.
So Chinn called the Highway patrol after making sure no illegals were working and that is her proof? You may want to check to see if you might have a predisposition to tossing out any evidence you dont like. And apparently attempting to destroy the credability of the person who points out the hippocracy.
Do all Republicans in MO follow the “kill the messenger” strategy from Gov Blunts office? Anyone remeber how Scott Eckersly was the evil one who they claimed was on drugs and and was getting on to “group” websites. Oh well I guess character assasination is the first tactic used.
Give ‘em hell-o Maria!
Chapelle-Nadal is the poster child for idiot legislators. Anyone who has seen her in action in Jefferson City knows this to be entirely accurate. JohnJohn obviously has never seen her in action which explains why he has the poster child for idiot legislators hanging on his wall.
Maria Chappelle-Nadal is what is wrong with st. louis politics. St. Louis has a history of sending uneducated, out of touch, quite frankly blovial morons to Jeff City. Maria loves to stand up and blather on about subjects she has no clue. She should be in some sorority house not the state house
I have never had anything short of a very positive interaction with maria, both in Jeff City and back in St. Louis. She has always followed her word and she has the courage to stand up to some of the more moronic members of the house (read Ed Emery).
Perhaps those who hate her so much can give us a reason why, or maybe they can just call her some more names, since that is the best way to get constructive change in this state.
I have studied JohnJohn’s posting and have come to this conclusion…without a doubt, the most ignorant posting I have ever read on Political Fix. JohnJohn-there is a difference between believing and hating. That’s all I got.
Again with the name calling …
I simply pointed out a similar attempt at discrediting someone without any evidence like Blunt attempting to discredit Eckersly. It may have been bad form for her to name names in that forum, but to pretend to be outraged when someone points out a possible crime. Seems like the hating is coming from your end..
Personally I’d like to hear more about the context of the discussion.
Since the Chinn is no longer an office holder, I think it less likely that Maria would have a political motivation to lie.
Care to add any facts to the discussion? Or do you have some more name calling to do?
It appears Sara, Jeff, and JasonB are pretty informed about the inside track in Jeff City. And Joy is connected enough to either have the unfortunate coincidence of a name, or know who Roy Temple is.
Jo, I wonder if these posts come from the same person, do you track IP addresses?
Maria is one of the most honest, genuine and hard working representatives I have ever met. I dont think her job is to make you happy.
Point of Order!
Now is it bad that these people are here, without papers (read illegally) or not?
Those on the right say that it is… bad that is. Those on the left say that it’s not… that these people should not be treated like… well like they are breaking the law. That it’s ok that they are here and that they should be able to stay here.
Yet… here we have someone on the left saying that it’s a bad thing IF a fellow rep hired them.
What’s up with this?
Can any business call the Highway Patrol and have them come out and screen their workers on site? Or is that only for Republican state legislators?