Welcome to social media, simply the best place to follow a blow-by-blow political beef between a 50度灰视频 alderwoman and ... the 50度灰视频 mayor鈥檚 father?
On Monday, Alderwoman Cara Spencer took heat on Twitter for introducing a bill aimed at getting guns off city streets.
And her main detractor on social media was none other than Virvus Jones, former city comptroller and father of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones.
Spencer, D-8th Ward, recently proposed an ordinance that aims to give police a way to reduce the open carrying of firearms in the city.
Virvus Jones 鈥 50度灰视频鈥 comptroller from 1989 until he pleaded guilty to felony fraud charges in 1995 鈥 argues that Spencer鈥檚 bill will 鈥渞esult in giving the police more selective enforcement power which always ends up in black people being racially profiled.鈥
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I am opposed to your bill which will result in the unconstitutional selective enforcement & stop & frisking of black people who openly carry guns. Contrary to what you believe laws are not color blind. Black people need & deserve equal, not selective protection, under the law.
鈥 Virvus Jones (@VirvusJ)
Furthermore, Virvus Jones said the bill would give police 鈥渦nconstitutional selective enforcement & stop & frisking of black people who openly carry guns.鈥
Spencer responded on Twitter:
鈥淲hat do you recommend? State action-which would criminalize people and shift authority from city to state? Or doing nothing (?). Help me understand how your position is fact-based and not politically motivated,鈥 Spencer posted on Twitter.
What do you recommend? State action-which would criminalize people and shift authority from city to state? Or doing nothing. Help me understand how your position is fact based and not politically motivated.
鈥 Cara Spencer (@CaraSpencerSTL)
After criticizing Spencer鈥檚 bill for the potential harm he sees it causing, he then goes on to label it as 鈥減erformative鈥 and 鈥渟ound & fury doing nothing.鈥
Spencer鈥檚 legislation, which was introduced in mid-May and聽got its first hearing Thursday聽before the aldermanic public safety committee, echoes an ordinance passed in 2014 in Kansas City.
The Kansas City measure takes advantage of a provision of Missouri state law that expanded open-carry rights but still allows cities to restrict the practice to permit holders.
At Thursday鈥檚 hearing, several aldermen expressed initial support for Spencer鈥檚 bill. And several others who support the mayor expressed concern that the bill would unfairly target Black people.
Toward the end of Monday鈥檚 Twitter back-and-forth, Virvus Jones noted: 鈥淚 have seen people openly carrying guns in Ballwin, Chesterfield, St. Charles County & not one person has made one comment.鈥
I have seen people openly carrying gums in Ballwin, Chesterfield, St. Charles County & not one person has made one comment.
鈥 Virvus Jones (@VirvusJ)
According to the Post-Dispatch 鈥,鈥 there were 200 homicides in the city in 2022. There were six homicides reported in 2022 in St. Charles County and none in Ballwin or Chesterfield.
In short, 50度灰视频 represents less than 11% of the population of the metropolitan area but accounts for more than half of the murders.
Spencer rested her Twitter tussle with the following reply to Virvus Jones:
鈥淟et me know when you鈥檙e ready to talk substance rather than deflect and continue to share misinformation,鈥 she wrote. 鈥淯nfortunate you chose to use your position of influence to misguide the public.鈥
I asked for clarification - you opted to gaslight instead. Let me know when you鈥檙e ready to talk substance rather than deflect and continue to share misinformation. Unfortunate you chose to use your position of influence to misguide the public.
鈥 Cara Spencer (@CaraSpencerSTL)
Reached by telephone, Virvus Jones declined to be interviewed, saying, 鈥淲hat I said on Twitter is the same thing I鈥檇 say to you.鈥
Spencer, in a later interview, said she was both confused and disappointed in Virvus Jones鈥 comments.
Spencer said her bill, contrary to Jones鈥 contention, does not create a 鈥渟top and frisk鈥 mentality.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not aimed at any suspicion, (but) only at people who are already openly carrying,鈥 she said.
Spencer said the bill is designed to curb the more flamboyant displays of firearms that can make neighborhoods feel lawless.
鈥淭he difference between carrying a firearm in your pocket or your backpack and the carrying of a firearm in your hand is vast,鈥 Spencer said when the bill was introduced.
As to the 鈥減olitically motivated鈥 aspect of the exchange, Spencer is viewed as Tishaura Jones鈥 most likely, and strongest, challenger in the mayoral race in 2025.
In 2021, Spencer lost to Jones by a margin of roughly 52% to 48%.
鈥淚鈥檓 just disappointed that the father of the mayor, a former alderman, the former comptroller, would use his platform to misinform the public,鈥 Spencer said.
As to Mayor Tishaura Jones鈥 position on Spencer鈥檚 proposed ordinance, a spokesman opted for a decidedly un-hot take:
Said Nick Desideri: 鈥淲e are reviewing the legislation.鈥
Editor鈥檚 note: Corrects the day of the aldermanic hearing on Spencer鈥檚 bill.聽