The Republican who is running against our local Congressman, Sam Farr, has been threatened.
Risely Receives More Death Threats
Risley said that he was shaken by the latest threat, but that he's not getting out of the race. However, the death threats seem to be succeeding at shutting down the campaign, at least temporarily.
"At first. I thought it was a nut," Risley said. "Today, when they hung the sign out of a car when I was traveling to work that said, 'Bang, you're dead," I got to tell you, this morning, I'm a little uncomfortable for the first time. And I don't scare easy."
A Bush campaign office was broken into and trashed in Florida, another in Michigan and just today I read that one in Spokane, Washington has been ransacked.
Bush's campaign office in Spokane burglarized, vandalized
Now I discover this letter from the Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman Governor Marc Racicot to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. It was sent via fax at 10:15 a.m. today, 10.11.04.
The letter asks Sweeney to put an end to protest activities that have led to injuries, property damage, vandalism and voter intimidation at Bush-Cheney '04 and Republican Party offices around the country.
* * * * *
Letter To AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
Mr. John Sweeney
President
AFL-CIO
815 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
October 11, 2004
Dear Mr. Sweeney:
Over the past several weeks, acts of violence and vandalism have occurred at Republican and Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters across the country. In addition to the injuries, property damage and disruption associated with these acts, these events have created a threatening and intimidating atmosphere abhorrent to our democratic process.
On October 5th, according to news reports, witnesses, police reports and admissions of your members, the AFL-CIO, as part of a national strategy, protested at more than a dozen of our campaign and party headquarters across the country. In many locations, the protestors attempted to enter, or entered, campaign or party facilities. As one protestor said, "Actually, we're storming into an office." In Orlando, Florida, injuries and damage were sustained. Protestors forced their way into the facility, fracturing the arm of one staffer, and vandalized the office. In Michigan, protestors entered a headquarters and engaged in activities apparently intended to disrupt volunteers trying to make phone calls.
Protests by your organization come on the heels of several other incidents at Bush-Cheney '04 offices around the country, including a break-in at our Seattle office where laptop computers were stolen from the Washington State Bush-Cheney ’04 executive director and the state Republican Party 72-hour director.
Just last night in Canton, Ohio, a Bush-Cheney '04 staffer was forced to lock herself in an office while another break-in was in progress. The facility was seriously damaged and property was stolen.
Additionally, gun shots have been fired into Bush-Cheney '04 offices in West Virginia, Florida and Tennessee, windows broken in West Virginia and campaign staffers threatened. In Wisconsin, a supporter of the President had a swastika burned into his front yard simply because he had a Bush-Cheney '04 lawn sign.
We urge your support in helping us ensure the safety of all individuals working on our campaign and others as we are making every effort to secure the safety of all participants in the political process.
I hope you will put an end to protest activities that have led to injuries, property damage, vandalism and voter intimidation. We will hold you and your organization accountable for the actions of your members and urge you to immediately discontinue any coordinated protest efforts that result in damage to our facilities, or injury to people who may hold different political views than your members, but who share an equal right to be involved in the political process without suffering violence, intimidation and threats.
Respectfully,
Gov. Marc Racicot, Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman
* * * * *
Bush-Cheney '04 has created a hotline for victims of voter intimidation to report what happened. The hotline, 1-888-303-7125, will begin operation at 11:00 a.m. today.
If you know of anything similar in your area, please send it so I can post it to this thread.
Can someone tell me if the violence is going both ways? Are Democratic offices and candidates also being threatened?
Serving Freedom
and Liberty
