Texas man punched an election worker who told him to remove Trump hat at voting site, police say

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 6:46 PM EDT, October 25, 2024


A Texas man who wore a hat supporting former President Donald Trump punched an election worker who told him that wearing items endorsing a candidate are prohibited at voting sites, a sheriff said Friday.

The election worker, identified as a 69-year-old man, was treated at the scene Thursday and returned to his election post at a San Antonio library on Friday, officials said. The suspect was arrested on felony charges of assaulting an elderly person and could face additional charges, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said.

The alleged assault happened at the end of the first week of early voting in Texas, where long lines have stretched outside some polling places. Both the sheriff and county elections administrator urged voters to stay calm and patient during sometimes long waits to vote during what they described as a contentious election. “Thankfully there was nothing life-threatening about what occurred, but it was still an ugly incident,” Salazar said.

The suspect, identified as Jesse Lutzenberger, remained in jail Friday evening, according to Bexar County records. Jail records did not list an attorney and a phone number for Lutzenberger’s home could not immediately be found Friday.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/2024-election-worker-assaulted-texas-voting-8b601acad1bb0d3cdb780d8e6dc2cb69

[Cha]

1. TY Kick for "Felony Charges"!

[orangecrush]

15. Same

FAFO

[Dave Bowman]

2. They are not just weird, they are raving mad.

[sakabatou]

3. How long until TFG congratulates Lutzenberger?

[orangecrush]

18. They might even meet in person!

[Mysterian]

4. Don't plea this fucker down

Give him the felony and take away his guns.

[calimary]

12. DEFINITELY take away his damn guns!!!

[JohnnyRingo]

31. How do you know he has firearms?

hahaha I couldn't help myself.

[calimary]

48. Wouldn't surprise me if he slept with a few of 'em.

[birdographer]

5. This is who they are

and many are so proud of it. I'm ashamed of them and for them. When did they break, and what broke them?

[Dem4life1234]

44. I mean they were always there

These are the same ones pouring ketchup on students protesting in lunch counters.

They were always there.

[surfered]

6. Sounds like a typical Trump supporter. He's going to be disappointed when Trump doesn't pay his legal fees.

Just like all those Jan 6th insurrectionists

[FakeNoose]

7. If he sits in jail, he can't vote ... so there's that

With any luck, he'll still be in jail when Chump is declared the loser.

[surfered]

8. Good one

[LisaL]

14. He already early voted before he punched election worker.

NT

[JohnnyRingo]

32. Then what was he doing there?

Did he just go to the precinct to call someone out?
Then additional charges should indeed be filed and the sentencing judge should be aware of it.

[LeftInTX]

59. He put his hat back on after he voted, but still in

voting area.

[Ms. Toad]

53. He can likely vote absentee.

Being confined to jail. But otherwise eligible is expressly listed as a reason for absentee voting in Texas

[LeftInTX]

60. He had already voted and it's too late to order absentee.

[Ms. Toad]

62. I hadn't researched the details for this case.

Just responding to the suggestion that being in jail would prevent him (or anyone) from voting in Texas.

As to deadlines, it isn't applicable here - but most states have an emergency process for events that happen after the regular absentee ballot deadline has passed, but before election day. In Texas, it is possible to request an emergency absentee ballot as late as 5:00 PM the day of election day. It isn't applicable here because it applies to a new personal illness or disability (day of) or the death of a relative (deadline - day before the election). In Texas, at least, imprisonment after the deadline passes isn't a basis for an emergency absentee ballot.

Just dropping the information here, in case anyone ends up in a situation where they are eligible for an emergency ballot after the regular deadline has passed. (Some form of emergency absentee ballot is available in every state but Texas.)

[et tu]

9. should be prosecuted

as a hate crime.

[Trueblue1968]

27. If i could, i would give the hateful vioent thug 15 years in the slammer

[Beachnutt]

10. I hope the election worker files a civil suit for pain and suffering

and any medical bills that he may incur as a result of being assaulted.

[hadEnuf]

11. One of these days a MAGAT asshole is going to punch the wrong person

and they are going to get dropped.

[DENVERPOPS]

13. They are just like their prime Mentor

A BULLY ..........and they never pick on someone who would be an even match.....it is more reinforcing to their gross masculine insecurities to pick on a woman, small man, or elderly person.

[Dem4life1234]

46. Or even children

[Dem4life1234]

45. They are stupid but yet hip enough to know who to try it with!

I would love to see more articles posted about someone who stood their ground against one of these thugs, but news is always being posted about them hurting someone and never followup with what happened to the maggot.

Where are the stories of people fighting back? Or maybe it's just these thugs know who to attack and prey on the weaker? Why didn't the crowd go in on him after attacking that worker? Best believe if this happened in Colombia with the crowd I swear to God!

[DENVERPOPS]

47. Exactly

So I am standing near the end of a long line at Starbucks with my friend. He has continued training for over 20 years in five different martial arts. He is 5'6" and about 140 lbs. A big guy at the front of the line is giving crap to the counter person, mostly because she was a minority. My friend, hands in pockets steps out of line and just stares at him. The guy comes up to my friend, and literally gets right in his face. He says: You got something to say????? My friend, hands still in his pockets, un-intimidated and smiling says:
You got a couple of friends you want to bring?????? I guess, like you said, the bullies seem to have an uncanny ability to know who to mess with and who not to mess with......LOL the guy just walked off. Everyone in the line was laughing at him being called out......

[moniss]

16. Likely to be pardoned

by Abbott and the elderly man will be charged with harassment by Paxton. That's how upside down Texas is.

[Bluethroughu]

17. Good, let him sit in jail.

Punched an elderly person, for asking to remove election material...must be first time voter.

I hope he gets a charge for interfering in an election....I'm sure the lines had to wait while this was being investigated, and scared everyone.

[iluvtennis]

19. The MAGA asswipes think the rules don't apply to them.

[liberalmediaaddict]

22. They think they can act just like Trump

And never be held accountable for bad behavior. Only Trump can get away with committing crimes.

[dalton99a]

20. Kick

[Sucha NastyWoman]

24. Part of his sentence should be

Requirement to work every day as an election clerk fo the full voting period.

From opening to closing, as many election workers do.

[Ms. Toad]

54. A big NO on that.

You really want someone like that making decisions about who is eligible to cast a vote?

[JohnnyRingo]

34. I see they made him take his hat off. hahaha

The irony is sweet.

[mwb970]

35. Gee, and he looks so smart too.

[Orrex]

21. Damn, in Abbott's Texas I thought they'd give you the keys to the state for that.

[idahoblue]

23. Is he not allowed to wear political garb?

I think that is 1st amendment rights. Not sticking up for a trumpet but it is important to pick the right fight. In Idaho, voters can wear their tshirts, hats and buttons. However, they are required to cast their vote then leave, loitering with political messages is not allowed.
The jerk should be charged with felony assault, it is not his right to attack workers who are just doing their job.

[LudwigPastorius]

25. It is not legal in Texas.

It is considered electioneering, and the decisions on what clothing or button messages constitute electioneering is up to the local voting clerks and election judges.

[efhmc]

29. I did not know this and once had a dem button on my blouse. It was raining and the person just told me to close my

rain coat and I did and went on to vote.

[LeftInTX]

50. He was told to remove his hat.

[Boomerproud]

26. Ohio has the same rules. No candidates names on your person

It's to prevent this kind of thing from happening.

[markodochartaigh]

28. In 21 states, no.

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/in-21-states-your-polling-place-attire-could-prevent-you-from-voting/

From Democracy Docket, Marc Elias excellent site.

[PortTack]

37. Yes, it is the law in several states

[jcboon]

56. Bill

Some states don't allow people to wear political paraphernalia inside the polling area. Virginia allows people to where it when they come in to vote, but they are not allowed to stay inside the polling area after doing so.

[DiverDave]

57. Im shocked that Idaho

Doesn't allow loitering after voting.
Only for repuklicans though.

[TBF]

61. I don't know what y'all do in Idaho, but this is ILLEGAL in Texas

could've charged him w/a misdemeanor just for wearing the hat, but he punched an elderly poll worker. Now he's being charged with a 3rd degree felony. Very fine people, indeed.

Here is the legal info -- https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/advisory2023-01.shtml

[Bengus81]

64. Not legal in Kansas either. No signs within 250 feet of a polling place

and no political "advertising" at a voting location. Hats,shirts,pants etc are NOT allowed. They were turning some Trump humpers away a week or so ago.

[Klarkashton]

30. Beware of anyone wearing a maga hat in public.

They are looking for confrontation.

[mwb970]

33. Any story that starts with "A Texas man..." is likely to be disgusting.

And sure enough. I have a very bad impression of Texas as a backwards MAGA state.

[Paladin]

40. And there it is: The inevitable shit-canning of the entire state of Texas.

Thanks for nothing.

[OldBaldy1701E]

41. Ahh, don't feel bad.

According to some of the reasoning I have seen on this very site, because I am a southerner, I am ignorant, unable to be progressive and liberal, and a gun humper.

[Paladin]

42. I don't feel bad. I feel superior.

Feel free to join me.

[PortTack]

36. This is just how stupid maggots are. It's called electioneering and has been the law for decades.

They think they are victims …yes, victims of a country and brave ppl that are willing to stand up for the rule of law.

[bedazzled]

38. Some scum wearing a maga hat walked out of the polling place in west palm beach when we voted yesterday

Chest puffed out. Looking like he was so proud. No metal detectors so I guess the poll workers were afraid he would shoot them. Probably the greatest accomplishment of his rancid life.

[no_hypocrisy]

39. MAGAts believe what TSF tells them:

that they're the ones despised, not him.

In instances like this, it's multi-layered: first, they don't like being told what to do; next, they can't proselytize for their Savior; next, if they can't proselytize, then you're attacking their Savior; and finally, an attack on their Savior is a personal attack on them. It's sort of political evangelism.

[Dem4life1234]

43. Maggots are so violent

And yes in some warped world they think they are the victims and everyone else must cater to them.

Extremely unlikable creatures.

And I think the problem in this country, there is not a strong left presence to check their asses, so they think they can get away with it. They know exactly who to try it with.

[The Grand Illuminist]

63. That is the problem.

We are not fighting back harder.

[Mysterian]

49. OH! His beloved MAGA hat!!

Like telling Hitler to take off his swastika.

[C0RI0LANUS]

51. The lunatic is smirking for his Bexar County Jail mugshot

(Photo: Bexar County Sheriff's Dept)

[ificandream]

52. Hope this schmuck doesn't get a light jail sentence.

[Ms. Toad]

55. And this is why Dem observers are trained

Not to worry about election workers who let electioneering great be worn. To risky to push it with folks who decline to remove it on the first request.

[stollen]

58. Gutless wonder

If I'd witnessed the abuse, I'd be in the perpetrator's face in a hot minute.