Recall opponents harass woman collecting signatures — VIDEO
Opponents of the campaign to recall three state senators have resorted to stalking and harassing a signature gatherer, a video obtained by the Review-Journal shows.
A young woman took the video Tuesday. It shows her being followed by an older man who’s holding literature that says “decline to sign.”
Republicans are attempting to recall Sens. Joyce Woodhouse, D-Henderson, Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas, and Patricia Farley, I-Las Vegas. In Nevada, voters can initiate recalls for any reason, but must gather signatures from 25 percent of voters who actually cast a ballot in the last election won by that politician. Recall supporters are currently gathering signatures. Recall opponents have adopted a slogan of “decline to sign.”
“You are stalking me,” the video shows the signature collector telling the older man who’s following her and holding “decline to sign” literature. “Please leave.”
“You have followed me to three doors now. I know what you’re doing. I want you to leave me alone.”
“No, I’m going to stand right here,” the man said as the signature gatherer stands in the doorway of a home. The video shows a woman joining the man and both refusing to leave the signature gatherer’s side.
“Follow me to another door and I will call the police,” the signature gatherer said. “You are stalking.”
Instead, the man asked, “What house are we gonna go to next?”
“This is harassment,” the signature gatherer said. “This is harassment at its finest.”
According the recall supporters, it’s not an isolated incident. A female canvasser reported that decline-to-sign folks “followed me very closely in a group of three separate cars, circling around me in unison, laughing hysterically outside of their windows while I walked alone in the dark.”
Another female canvasser said recall opponents “screamed at her, drove, screeching her tires in the road as she circled [her] like a vulture.”
Calls to Cannizzaro, Farley, state Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford, D-Las Vegas, the decline-to-sign campaign, and the Nevada Democratic Party were not returned. Woodhouse didn’t reply to an email seeking comment. The number listed for Nevada Senate Democrats didn’t work.
This pattern of intimidation, along with a federal lawsuit filed last week by recall opponents, is evidence that Democrats realize these recall efforts have a real chance of succeeding.
Can you imagine the volume of progressive protests if right-of-center groups were caught stalking and harassing petitioners seeking equal pay, a minimum wage increase, gun control or a tax increase? Disenfranchisement and attacks on core rights cut both ways, Democrats.
Efforts against — or for — the recalls, however, shouldn’t include harassing and stalking young ladies as they walk down the street. Democrats should stop these bully tactics and fire those responsible for starting this war on women in the first place.
“Nevada Politics Today.” I am excited to host the Review-Journal’s new online political show called “Nevada Politics Today.” It will feature video interviews with elected officials, candidates and thought leaders. It will be available each Thursday at reviewjournal.com. U.S. Senate candidate Danny Tarkanian joined us for our first episode, available at https://www.reviewjournal.com/videos/danny-tarkanian-interview/. Let me know what you think and who you‘d like to see on the show.
Victor Joecks’ column appears in the Nevada section each Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Listen to him discuss his columns each Monday at 9 a.m. with Kevin Wall on 790 Talk Now. Contact him at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on Twitter.