WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressman who was spat on by a protester on Capitol Hill is declining to press charges.
Missouri Democrat Emanuel Cleaver was making his way through a group of angry protestors when the incident occurred. It was one of several ugly incidents in a day of protests against President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul measure, which faces a House vote on Sunday.
Cleaver, who is black, was also one of several lawmakers who faced racial epithets as they walked to the Capitol to vote.
A spokesman for Cleaver says the man who spit on the lawmaker was arrested by Capitol Police and said Cleaver won’t press charges.
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