July 24, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
On June 17, 2008, approximately fifty-five men, women and children assembled at the Westlake Hotel to protest a $50,000 contribution that the Ventura County Republican Central Committee received from the tobacco industry for the perceived benefit of Tony Strickland’s campaign for State Senate. Many of the protestors had lost family members from lung cancer. All shared a common interest that opposed the tobacco industry’s attempt to sway the local political process by making such a large contribution.
As we entered the only public access to the protest area along Westlake Blvd., the group was challenged by J. Angeles, Chief-of-Staff to State Assemblymember Audra Strickland, who warned us to turn back. “You are atheists,” he shouted. You are not Americans – you are cowards”. And then came the ultimate threat. “If you step foot on this curb, you will go down”. He held his outstretched had in front of him in a manner known to signify “halt”. This conduct was memorialized in a photo that ran in The Ventura County Star newspaper.
Although our group was stunned by hearing such un-American language, and thinking that the agitator could not be seriously making such blatantly illegal threats, in the best tradition of American democracy, we proceeded with our lawful demonstration. It turns out that we misjudged the intent of the public employee we faced, who had every intention of carrying out his threat.
Several members of our group, including Louis J. Pandolfi, a Simi Valley Republican and organizer of the protest, John (Jack) B. Phillips, a minister, senior citizen and Vietnam veteran from Camarillo, and Sandy Quiring, a recent high school graduate from Simi Valley, stepped onto the sidewalk and all three were promptly knocked to the ground by
Mr. Angeles. Sandy, thrown into the shrubs, sustained minor cuts to her arms and Jack suffered a rotator cuff injury. Mr. Pandolfi immediately called 911 and summoned the Sheriffs.
The assaults and batteries were witnessed by not only dozens of citizens present at the event, but also by members of the press.
These were attacks, not only on our persons, but also on our cherished American freedoms. We have all fought or lost loved ones in the struggles to establish and defend our Constitution and its Bill of Rights, including the one so blatantly violated on June 17th, 2008 – the right to express ourselves, protest, and to speak our opinions.
Jack Phillips, 1962 Naval Academy graduate, was awarded the Bronze Star in Vietnam, following a family tradition of service to flag and country going back to the Revolution. Sandy Quiring is from the newest generation of patriots. Sandy just graduated high school and is headed for a Political Science major in college, facing the future with wide open eyes and a desire to immerse herself in the great political process of our Country.
Today, we have said we can not turn our backs on those who have given of themselves over the centuries to defend our Constitutional rights. Today we have said that a mere government employee, someone who is paid hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, someone who works for the taxpayers of our great State who are having so much trouble making ends meet, can not get away with lawlessness in promoting his political beliefs. Women, men and children were prepared to peacefully demonstrate against the tobacco industry in the spirit of democracy.
Today, we have filed criminal complaints against J. Angeles and we have demanded that the Sheriff’s Department investigate the allegations and forward that investigation to the District Attorney for prosecution. In filing these criminal complaints, not only have we presented to the Sheriff our victim statements, but we have also provided the Sheriff with Declarations from eleven witnesses who have prepared their Declarations of Fact under penalty of perjury.
We have put our faith in the fair and impartial legal system in Ventura County; a system to which we have all looked to with pride for many years. Today, we ask that justice be done, not just for the victims of Mr. Angeles violence, but for the free speech and freedom of assembly rights in our Constitution, for which so many have given their last, full measure.
We can do no other on behalf of the American democratic system.
Louis J. Pandolfi
John B. Phillips
Sandy Quiring
1 response so far ↓
1 sh27696 // Jul 26, 2008 at 7:09 am
It blows my mind how often those who wrap themselves in the flag and call themselves Patriots and defenders of the “American Way” of life have so little understanding of the Bill of Rights and the founders hopes and dreams for how this country was to be governed. The founders were of course people who had grievances with theBritish Crown, and Parliment which they at first attempted to address through normal political channels. Having been rebuffed at every turn, they finally broke with Great Britain, declared independence and took up arms. They took none of these actions , without sober thought and lively discussion. it took a generation after indepence was one to set up a federal government, with our present constitution, which could not be ratified and adopted until it had been amended 10 times, the Bill of Rights! Among the guarantees is to freedom of speech, and the right to assemble peacefully. It was the founders intent, that all points of view be brought up during public debate about public policy, because it was their belief, that only after every opinion had been considered, that the best decision could be made on which policy to implement. in the 21st century we would do well to consider, what the founders and framers of the constitution did as they went about the business of setting up our government and the rights and duties of citizens under the protection of that government and constitution.
Obviously Mr. Angeles needs a refresher course in the American Constitution and an anger management program.
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