James calls for governor to pardon 'Medicaid 23' – KMBC Kansas City

Kansas City Mayor Sly James said the “Medicaid 23’ should be pardoned by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon.
A group of 23 ministers and activists, most from Kansas City, was convicted last month after staging a Medicaid protest in the Missouri Senate two years ago.The group called on the Missouri Legislature to expand Medicaid in Missouri to provide more health care for the poor.Kansas City’s Rev. Wallace Hartsfield Sr. led the protest in hopes of forcing the Missouri Senate to consider the issue.“They refused to even look at the conversation,” said Ricardo Lucas, one of the Medicaid 23.The agreed-upon plan was for, at some point, the Capitol Police to escort them from the gallery.“Instead of being escorted out, we were pulled to the side,” the Rev. Ester Holzendorf said. “Our IDs were checked and warrant checks were run.”Eventually, the 23 protesters were charged and convicted of trespassing in …
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