LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A volunteer with Rand Paul's Republican U.S. Senate campaign apologized Tuesday for stepping on the head of a liberal activist who tried to confront the tea party candidate with a fake award.
Paul supporter Tim Profitt said video of the scuffle made it appear worse than it was and he chided police for not stepping in. Lauren Valle, the 23-year-old activist with the group MoveOn.org, said her face was swollen and her neck and shoulder were sore after she was wrestled to the ground by Paul supporters Monday night when she tried to give the candidate an "employee of the month" award.
Valle was roughed up before the debate between Paul and Democrat Jack Conway. The race is one of the most closely watched and hotly contested in the midterm elections.
"I'm sorry that it came to that, and I apologize if it appeared overly forceful, but I was concerned about Rand's safety," Profitt told The Associated Press.
Video recorded by WDRB shows Valle's blonde wig being pulled off before she's pinned to the ground. Profitt then pushes his foot down on her head.
"I think that this is an extreme example of the kinds of sentiments that people are feeling in many races across the country," Valle said. "I think that tension is incredibly high."
Paul's campaign dropped Profitt as campaign coordinator in Bourbon County in central Kentucky and banned him from future events.
Profitt said he was interviewed by a Lexington police detective Tuesday, but that he had not been charged.
"A friend of mine went up to three policeman before Rand got there, and told them about the girl who was standing there with that wig on and that she was getting ready to do something," Profitt said. "The policemen looked at him and said that's not our job."
Paul campaign manager Jesse Benton said Profitt's actions were unacceptable and would not be tolerated.
"The Paul campaign has disassociated itself with the individual who took part in this incident, and once again urges all activists - on both sides - to remember that their political passions should never manifest themselves in physical altercations of any kind."
Paul's campaign called the altercation "incredibly unfortunate" and expressed relief that the woman was not injured.
Conway said he was shocked to see the video footage.
"We can disagree on issues, and I don't know what preceded the incident, but physical violence by a man against a woman must never be tolerated," Conway said in a statement. "It is my hope that steps have been taken to ensure this kind of thuggish behavior never happens again in this campaign."
Poster Comment:
Thrown under the bus for stomping a lib.
#1: Skip Intro To: hondo68, *Tea Party On Parade* (#0)
When you guys take over you'll be able to do this and more without apologizing to anyone.
Skip Intro posted on 2010-10-26 16:09:01 Reply Private Reply
#2: Ibluafartsky To: hondo68 (#0)
After that he had to clean the shit off his shoes!
Ibluafartsky posted on 2010-10-26 16:20:37 Reply Private Reply
#3: Fred Mertz To: Ibluafartsky (#2)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-26 16:24:38 Reply Private Reply
#4: Ibluafartsky To: Fred Mertz (#3)
Ibluafartsky posted on 2010-10-26 16:25:37 Reply Private Reply
#5: Hondo68 To: Skip Intro (#1)
There's no indication that she was ever searched by the police, so there is no way of knowing if she had a knife, belt bomb, AIDS saliva, or other lethal weapon on her. It was prudent to stop her before she reached the future Kentucky senator.
She looks like the kind of hoe that would test HIV positive.
Hondo68 posted on 2010-10-26 16:32:54 Reply Private Reply
#6: WhiteSands To: Ibluafartsky, I-would-like-to-see-a-bullet-in-his-forehead-fred (#3)
”I'd like to see _________ with a bullet in his forehead . “
Fred Mertz posted on 2005-07-09
If anyone wants the cache of Fred's Post number 45 , let me know.
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 16:37:48 Reply Private Reply
#7: WhiteSands To: Skip Intro (#1)
Skippy is a proven liar and racist.
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 16:52:32 Reply Private Reply
#8: Murron To: Fred Mertz (#3)
You are such a dispicable, slimmy toad..
I take it you think highly of yourself because it's not manly to physically strike a woman, but it's honky dory to attack and verbally abuse them with words of humiliation and degradation, whether written, or oral...
SPIT! I couldn't see you being brave enough to take a woman on anyway, because more than likely, you'd be pickin your ass outta your nostrals if you did...
Murron posted on 2010-10-26 17:57:17 Reply Private Reply
#9: Nebuchadnezzar To: Skip Intro (#1)
That's right. Pay-back is a bitch.
Nebuchadnezzar posted on 2010-10-26 17:57:52 Reply Private Reply
#10: WhiteSands To: Murron (#8)
Fred is not opposed to violence.
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 18:10:54 Reply Private Reply
#11: Capitalist Eric To: hondo68 (#0)
You ain't seen NOTHING yet...
Capitalist Eric posted on 2010-10-26 18:29:13 Reply Private Reply
#12: Capitalist Eric To: Skip Intro (#1)
Who, exactly, is "you guys?"
Capitalist Eric posted on 2010-10-26 18:30:57 Reply Private Reply
#13: sneakypete To: hondo68 (#0)
23?????? How the hell did she get that ugly in just 23 years?
sneakypete posted on 2010-10-26 19:56:04 Reply Private Reply
#14: Skip Intro To: Capitalist Eric (#12)
#9, for starters.
Skip Intro posted on 2010-10-26 19:57:30 Reply Private Reply
#15: sneakypete To: hondo68 (#5)
BullBarack! There was never any danger of her getting close enough to Paul to have harmed him. For one thing,she was being watched by the very people that put her on the ground.
Besides,in THIS country people don't get assaulted and robbed for what they MIGHT do.
She had every bit as much right to show up and oppose Paul as his supporters had to be there to support him.
sneakypete posted on 2010-10-26 19:59:31 Reply Private Reply
#16: Hondo68 To: sneakypete (#15)
According to a reporter who was with the film crew they were at Rand's car, so she got close. You're right though, they had no right to jump her unless she did something violent.
www.fox41.com/Global/story.asp?S=13391662
Hondo68 posted on 2010-10-26 20:10:57 Reply Private Reply
#17: WhiteSands To: hondo68 (#16)
Nothing she did can justify what happened to her.
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 20:13:51 Reply Private Reply
#18: Rhino To: hondo68 (#5)
Under this policy we should shell Tea Bagger rallies because they might have weapons and call for revolution.
Rhino posted on 2010-10-26 20:18:53 Reply Private Reply
#19: Hondo68 To: Rhino (#18)
I'm backing off of that one, see #16 above. She did nothing to justify getting jumped and stomped. There was reason to be suspicious, but not to act. I was wrong, and I admit it.
Hondo68 posted on 2010-10-26 20:52:49 Reply Private Reply
#20: sneakypete To: hondo68 (#19)
Good for you! It is becoming rarer and rarer to see somebody man up and admit they were mistaken.
sneakypete posted on 2010-10-26 21:09:29 Reply Private Reply
#21: Ibluafartsky To: sneakypete (#20)
You being a prime example of one who hasn't.
Ibluafartsky posted on 2010-10-26 21:13:08 Reply Private Reply
#22: WhiteSands To: sneakypete (#20)
Good for Hondo68
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 21:13:44 Reply Private Reply
#23: Fred Mertz To: Murron (#8)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-26 21:25:36 Reply Private Reply
#24: Fred Mertz To: WhiteSands (#10)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-26 21:26:23 Reply Private Reply
#25: Skip Intro To: Fred Mertz (#23)
She seems to be morphing into Mad Dog.
Skip Intro posted on 2010-10-26 21:27:49 Reply Private Reply
#26: Fred Mertz To: Skip Intro (#25)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-26 21:30:24 Reply Private Reply
#27: Ibluafartsky To: Skip Intro, Fred Mertz, Mad Dog, Mad Dog (#25)
Much better than being senseless assholes, like faggot freddie and you, skidmark.
Ibluafartsky posted on 2010-10-26 21:31:39 Reply Private Reply
#28: WhiteSands To: Fred Mertz (#24)
Fred Mertz is anti US Constitution, violent and a racist.
I-would-like-to-see-a-bullet-in-his-forehead-fred supports political violence.
”I'd like to see _________ with a bullet in his forehead . “
Fred Mertz posted on 2005-07-09
If anyone wants the cache of Fred's Post number 45 , let me know.
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 21:36:03 Reply Private Reply
#29: Fred Mertz To: Ibluafartsky (#27)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-26 21:36:46 Reply Private Reply
#30: Fred Mertz To: WhiteSands (#28)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-26 21:37:56 Reply Private Reply
#31: Fred Mertz To: WhiteSands (#28)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-26 21:39:42 Reply Private Reply
#32: Ibluafartsky To: Fred Mertz (#29)
You even post like a faggot!
Ibluafartsky posted on 2010-10-26 21:43:06 Reply Private Reply
#33: WhiteSands To: Skip Intro, Murron (#25)
Skippy the racist, liar is afraid of you Murron.
As is Fred the racist.
Ask Fred if his top has answered yet?
“Am I a liberal or a conservative?”
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 21:44:20 Reply Private Reply
#34: WhiteSands To: Fred Mertz (#31)
Fred Mertz is anti US Constitution, violent and a racist.
I-would-like-to-see-a-bullet-in-his-forehead-fred supports political violence.
”I'd like to see _________ with a bullet in his forehead . “
Fred Mertz posted on 2005-07-09
If anyone wants the cache of Fred's Post number 45 , let me know.
WhiteSands posted on 2010-10-26 21:45:08 Reply Private Reply
#35: Murron To: Skip Intro, fred mertz (#25)
I know exactly who I am, I'm a loner that just doesn't give a damn what you think, but it's posters like you, fred, war..ect, you just can't seem to function on your own, alone, you gotta be a part of gang of faggots, a tag team of queers, with your noses up each other's butts.
I mean really, a grown man on the internet bleating 'mammy'...'mammy'...'mammy'...and you think I'm strange?....LMAO...
Proceed girls....
Murron posted on 2010-10-26 22:46:15 Reply Private Reply
#36: Mad Dog To: Skippy the drive up window commando boy Intro, freddy the fudge packing racist bitter drunk mertz, Murron, Ibluafartsky (#25)
If you two drooling slack jawed losers, (skippy the drive up window commando boy and freddy the fudge packing racist bitter drunk), added all of your balls together, you'd still be four balls short of being men.
What's it like for you foul little losers to know that you are out manned even by infant girls?
What's matter skippy boy did the big 'ol mean M make you and your girlfriend freddy cry?
What a disgusting couple of whiny losers you are.
LOL!
Of course that's YOUR problem pussies.
Keep up the good work M!
Maybe if we get lucky, one or even both of these little creeps will put themselves out of our misery?
Hope springs eternal afterall.
LMAO!!!!!!!!!
Mad Dog posted on 2010-10-26 22:47:10 Reply Private Reply
#37: Murron To: Mad Dog (#36)
I think I'll go throw up now....
Murron posted on 2010-10-26 22:56:21 Reply Private Reply
#38: sneakypete To: Ibluafartsky (#21)
Yukon,you are one of the biggest sick jokes on the internet. PeeWee Herman is more of a man than you are. You are wrong more often than anybody else on the two boards I visit,and you have yet to ever admit being wrong even once.
As for me,anyone who is familiar with my posting history knows I have admitted to being wrong several times.
sneakypete posted on 2010-10-26 23:31:20 Reply Private Reply
#39: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#38)
I'm still waiting for you to admit that you are wrong on fag "marriage". ;)
A K A Stone posted on 2010-10-26 23:36:55 Reply Private Reply
#40: Mad Dog To: Murron (#37)
It kind of pisses me off to insult regular homosexuals by lumping them in with these sorts of whiny losers.
Whatever two consenting adults do in private is of no interest or importance to me, and nobody's business except theirs. Where I get pissed is when they TRY to make their perversions "normal". We will ALL stand before the final judge someday and answer for our own sins after all. I see it as THEIR problem.
But these little creeps are such stereotypical sissies that it's difficult to call them anything else, especially given their love of homosexual jargon, and their specious claims of being "males".
I hate even calling them pussies, because that might be considered insulting to women, who by a vast vast VAST margin are tougher and more "manly" than these two little punks could ever be.
I know what you mean, I feel like hurling myself now ...
Mad Dog posted on 2010-10-26 23:49:19 Reply Private Reply
#41: Murron To: Mad Dog (#40)
Murron posted on 2010-10-27 00:28:16 Reply Private Reply
#42: e_type_jag To: Fred Jerx (#30)
Racist hypocrite cracka like you calling someone else (not related to you) a cracka??
:)...I'll chalk it up to the effects of the coming D Day event.
e_type_jag posted on 2010-10-27 02:10:53 Reply Private Reply
#43: Liberator To: e_type_jag, Fred Cracka (#42)
Still cracks me up :-D
Liberator posted on 2010-10-27 02:59:58 Reply Private Reply
#44: Liberator To: Mad Dog, Skid Mark, Freddy (#36)
LMAO
Liberator posted on 2010-10-27 03:01:30 Reply Private Reply
#45: Liberator To: Murron, Skip Intro, fred mertz (#35)
Niiiice pwnage.
Both gender-confused cross-dressers are too numb and/or stupid to feel the pain of that clock-cleaning.
MEMO TO SELF: "Don't PO Murron."
:-)
Liberator posted on 2010-10-27 03:05:59 Reply Private Reply
#46: sneakypete To: A K A Stone (#39)
Keep waiting.
Since you hate them so much,why do you object to them being able to marry?
sneakypete posted on 2010-10-27 06:21:04 Reply Private Reply
#47: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#46)
I don't hate them. I just am not in favor of them corrupting institutions that have been around for thousands of years to satisfy their forced attempt to fit in.
A K A Stone posted on 2010-10-27 07:02:54 Reply Private Reply
#48: Fred Mertz To: A K A Stone (#47)
Fred Mertz posted on 2010-10-27 09:51:33 Reply Private Reply
#49: Hondo68 To: Fred Mertz, A K A Stone (#48)
And you love Muslime fags.
Hondo68 posted on 2010-10-27 11:03:28 Reply Private Reply
#50: Skip Intro To: Murron (#35)
Once you start calling everyone here a cunt the change will be 100%.
Nice people you hang with.
Skip Intro posted on 2010-10-27 12:44:58 Reply Private Reply