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• State Rep. McCord says he allowed smoking in state office 

State Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, has run afoul of a law prohibiting smoking in state buildings.

McCord acknowledged Tuesday that he and others had been smoking in his legislative office suite in violation of state law.

"The answer is yes," he said. "People have smoked in my office. That started back in January. Some secretaries asked if they could smoke in the office (instead of going out in the cold). I said, 'That's up to you,' I should have told them no. ... It really doesn't matter what I think of it. That's the provision of the law."

McCord confirmed he had smoked, too.

"I have smoked before," he said. "I don't smoke much, but I have smoked before."

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