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Carnahan campaign meltdown caught on tape!

August 10, 2010

KC mayor pro tem assaults MOGOP videographer at Carnahan event

The Missouri Republican Party has released footage of a weekend assault against a MOGOP videographer perpetrated by one of Robin Carnahan’s staunch supporters, a Kansas City area Democrat leader.

The altercation took place on August 7 in a parking lot in front of the Clay County Democrat HQ while Carnahan was speaking inside.  The assailant gets in the face of the videographer and threatens to “knock the [explicative] out of you, boy.” (Watch video of the Carnahan campaign meltdown!)

The assailant has been identified as Bill Skaggs, the Kansas City mayor pro tem and 1^st district councilman and former member of the State House of Representatives (1982-2002).  As reported by the Kansas City Star, Skaggs refuses to apologize and falsely accuses the videographer of being “belligerent.”

“A supporter of Robin Carnahan’s campaign lashed out this weekend, clearly threatening a Missouri Republican Party staff member with physical harm outside of a Kansas City area Democratic office,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican.  “Perhaps Carnahan’s campaign is frustrated that she is down in polls and the issues she supports are incredibly unpopular.  Regardless of the reason, there is absolutely no excuse for threats or intimidation from a campaign or its supporters—particularly an elected official like the mayor pro tem of Kansas City.  Robin Carnahan should immediately take steps to educate her closest supporters about appropriate behavior.”

The MOGOP videographer had been waiting in his car while Carnahan was inside the campaign HQ—because this was a private event inside a Democratic office, he did not make any attempt to enter.  Mr. Skaggs used another vehicle to box him in to his parking space, so our videographer got out of his car and stood on the parking lot.  Skaggs then approached and assaulted the videographer.

This assault took place in front of the Clay County Democratic Headquarters while Carnahan was inside addressing supporters.  And Carnahan’s campaign was made aware of the fact that this supporter was acting inappropriately.  After the event, the MOGOP staffer approached a member of Carnahan’s staff and informed him that his car was being intentionally blocked by a campaign supporter.  The staffer responded that there was nothing he could do before driving off.