An Alan Grayson supporter who attended a Daniel Webster rally on Friday, had his campaign sign snatched from his hands in a confrontation which U.S. Congressman Grayson (District 8) says, is part of a national trend toward violence by right-wing thugs against Democrats.
In a video released on Monday, you can see the Webster supporter, identified as Bruce O’Donoghue, a major Republican supporter walk up to, Lance Parker, an Grayson supporter and assault him. O’Donoghue grabs the campaign sign from Parker, cursing and shoving him in the process. Another Webster supporter then intervenes, retrieves the sign from O’Donoghue and returns it to Parker.
The incident took place at the intersection of East Colonial Drive and north Bumby Avenue on Friday. Parker has filed a formal complaint with the Orlando Police Department and according to an official of OPD, the matter is still under review.
In a released statement Grayson said that, “We have seen a wave of political violence by the right wing, sweeping over America. Fox talk show host Bill O’Reilly instigated the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Glenn Beck disparaged a little-known charitable foundation in California on his show, and soon there was an armed attack against it.”
Noting that the impulse to violence is not new, Grayson drew attention to the growing election violence of the “right-wing thugs” against Democrats such as in Kentucky, a supporter of Rand Paul stomped on the head and neck of a peaceful protester; Florida Congressional candidate Allen West harrassed a Democratic tracker and Alaska GOP Senate candidate, Joe Miller’s private security force handcuffed and detained a reporter.
“This is the same impulse to violence that killed President Kennedy. It’s the same impulse to violence that killed Robert Kennedy”, Grayson said. “It’s the same impulse to violence that killed Martin Luther King. The same impulse to violence killed Schwerner, Cheney and Goodman, civil rights workers whose only “offense” was registering Mississippians to vote.”
Grayson called for an end to the violence on the part of the right-wing.
Webster’s campaign has made no comment on the incident.
See Video of Bruce O’Donogue confrontation with Grayson supporter here.
Twenty paid Grayson goons and a camera crew go to a Webster rally to disrupt it and Grayson is shocked, shocked, that a Webster supporter might take exception to that. Politician heal thyself.