West Virginia state Senate candidate, a veteran, brutally beaten
Source: MSNBC
West Virginia state Senate candidate Richard Ojeda was brutally beaten during a cookout Sunday just two days before his primary and nearly run over with a pickup truck, Ojeda told NBC News.
Jonathan Stuart Porter, 41, was in custody Sunday. State Trooper Zachary Holden told NBC News he was being held on suspicion of malicious assault, malicious attempted assault and felony destruction of property.
In an interview from his hospital room in Charleston, Ojeda, 45, a Democrat and military veteran whose primary contest is Tuesday, said he had been at a barbecue in the mountains about 60 miles southwest of Charleston when Porter asked for a bumper sticker.
Ojeda, who said he has known Porter since they were kids, placed one on the rear bumper of Porters truck. Then Porter asked for a second one on the vehicles front grill.
Thats all I remember, Ojeda said. When I woke up, my head was on a tree stump covered in blood. Everyone was looking at me.
Read more: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/west-virginia-state-senate-candidate-veteran-brutally-beaten
Violence against democrats.
MH1
(17,573 posts)Could this be more a local feud sort of thing than a "violence against Democrats" thing?
After reading the article, Ojeda doesn't think so, but it might be more a specific policy approach (er, corruption) than a party thing:
To Ojeda, however, it was clearly premeditated and it was all about politics.
Citing what he described as the intense poverty, corruption and nepotism that plagues the region and his campaign for transparency and good government Ojeda said: The moment you start asking questions, you become public enemy number one.
IF he's right - IF - it's hard to imagine that Porter decided to do this all on his own. Hmm.
7962
(11,841 posts)doesnt want his golden goose taken away?
All speculation for now. Hopefully there will be a followup story
Ready4Change
(6,736 posts)I can think of people I've known, but not been in agreement with, or felt safe around.
7962
(11,841 posts)The guy must be nuts, since they've known each other for years!
lark
(23,061 posts)Since it's a Dem, crickets.
... my son asked me if I heard about this yesterday evening. It was hard to believe since I had been on DU all day and night for days. I guarantee you it was political. Back-country political, which is right-wing political. There's some strange psychology going on in the hills. I know, I lived through it for a while. There's almost no figuring it out, either. Hope a sharp investigator gets the case and his hands on the perpetrator.
red dog 1
(27,771 posts)I wonder what Porter's political leanings are?
I hope he gets serious jail time, and not a "slap on the wrist"