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Legislators Investigate KOMU for Banning Lapel Flags

State legislators threatened to investigate a University owned TV staion that barred its reporters from wearing lapel flags on the air.

Several of Missouri's republican representatives contacted the news director of University of Missouri owned KOMU to express their disaproval.

Representative Matt Bartle said that the policy may violate reporters' constitutional rights.

The news director said in an e-mail to KOMU staff that the legislators' complaints are politically motivated.

He says that his decision to ban the flags is a matter of journalism ethics.

A state legislator claimed that a University owned TV station that barred its reporters from wearing lapel flags may be violating reporters' constitutional rights.

The news director at University of Missouri owned KOMU received e-mails from several republican legislators urging the station to reconsider its policy.

Several legislators indicated they would investigate the policy when it came time to review the University's budget.

Republican Representative Matt Bartle said he thinks the policy is a result of foolish decision making

The news director wrote in an e-mail to his staff that legislators' complaints against the station for having barred reporters from wearing lapel flags are politically motivated.

He said that he banned the flag wearing for ethical reasons.