As Twitchy has mentioned, Monday is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-Mo.) is observing the occasion by threatening to file a complaint with Capitol Police accusing Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) of stealing a painting in the Capitol complex depicting police as pigs.
Dem lawmaker to file criminal complaint against Republican who removed painting showing police as pigs https://t.co/J0SAnA1PXW pic.twitter.com/M50UalW3a8
— The Hill (@thehill) January 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/Onesty/status/818636608027107333
The painting, the winner of an annual high school art competition, has been on display in a tunnel since June and has garnered plenty of interest recently. Attempts to have it removed had gone nowhere, so Hunter on Friday reportedly took it off the wall and returned it to Clay’s office. On Monday, Clay told reporters Hunter was way out of bounds: “He broke the law. It’s called theft,” he alleged.
Hunter spox Kasper says Hunter returned controversial art to Rep Clay "so it doesn't continue to offend law enforcement across the country"
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 10, 2017
Hunter spox says Clay is "hurting his reputation..with law enforcement" by restoring controversial art depicting police as pigs on CapHill
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 10, 2017
Hunter spox says it's "laughable" that Rep Clay pursued a probe by USCP after Hunter removed controversial art on CapHill
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 10, 2017
The Hill reports that Clay, incensed, “plans to hold an event to put the painting back on the wall on Tuesday morning with fellow Black Caucus members.”
Cong Black Caucus & MO Rep Clay to rehang “Police as Pigs” student art in Capitol tunnel Tues after Rep Hunter removed it Friday
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 9, 2017
CBC notes that Rep Hunter removed pigs as police painting from Capitol tunnel "without permission or proper authority"
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 9, 2017
CBC says rehanging controversial student pigs/cops painting "is a proud statement in defense of the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution"
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 9, 2017
Rep. Lacy Clay says he's going to file a theft complaint with the Capitol Police against Rep. Hunter for taking down cops painting
— Cristina Marcos (@cimarcos) January 10, 2017
So the Congressman’s course of action after finding out about the alleged theft of the painting portraying police as a violent strain of racist subhuman is to alert … the police.
Lacy Clay says he hasn't heard from or spoken to Rep. Hunter yet. He was boarding a plane on Friday when his office told him what Hunter did
— Cristina Marcos (@cimarcos) January 10, 2017
Police who have lobbied to have the painting taken down understandably aren’t happy to know it will be returning to its place in the Capitol complex.
Police officers furious that Missouri Congressman plans to reinstall painting at US Capitol depicting cops as pigs. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/ASV9mdUTKr
— Bruce Leshan (@BruceLeshan) January 10, 2017
Rep Reichert (fmr King County WA Sheriff) fears putting police as pig art back on CapHill wall "could result in death of another..officer"
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 10, 2017
Rep Dave Reichert says he was "pursuing a different way to fix" controversy of "police as pigs" art on CapHill before Rep Hunter removed it
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 10, 2017
Rep Reichert says CapHill police as pigs painting runs afoul of Hse Office Building Cmsn guidelines for art to be displayed on CapHill.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 10, 2017
Reichert on CapHill art: It's offensive to police..it falls outside the bounds
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 10, 2017
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Related:
Ferguson protesters honoring Michael Brown 'eat' Officer Darren Wilson, a roasted pig http://t.co/7moZBi8RZe
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 9, 2015
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