State Lawmakers 'Targeted' at State Capitol Tuesday

Just over a year after being shot and on the day that wounded Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was in Washington D.C. for her last State of the Union before resigning from her seat, someone in Missouri was making similar threats to lawmakers.

The Columbia Daily Tribune is reporting that someone peppered offices in the Capitol building with rifle cross hair stickers. Several senators, including 's Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, were targeted.

Chappelle-Nadal released a statement on the vandalism. It reads:

Tuesday (1-24) at the State Capitol, an act of cowardice was perpetrated against a handful of hard-working state legislators. In the strongest voice possible, I condemn these tactics and the person or persons responsible. I find it appalling that anyone would find the image of gun target crosshairs as funny or appropriate to leave on the nameplates of legislative offices. There is no place for this type of behavior in Missouri politics. Indeed, these actions are wrong, unconscionable and do not reflect the citizenry of Missouri. Furthermore, these actions will not deter me and the members of the Missouri State Legislature from doing our jobs to the best of our ability, with honor and dignity.

This is not the time to be distracted from the serious work that must be done on behalf of Missourians. I will not back down from working as hard as possible on behalf of my constituents and the people of Missouri. To that end, I will continue to focus on my work in the Senate Chamber and have every confidence that the Capitol Police and Missouri State Highway Patrol will find the responsible parties and hold them accountable for their actions.

Mother Jones noted that Giffords' criticized Sarah's Palin's campaign for similar tactics putting political opponants in cross hairs prior to her own shooting.