A political beating in New Orleans?

Since the liberal media have raised the question of political incivility and potential violence, one would expect them to be deeply interested in what might well be a politically-motivated beating. Except, of course, the victim is a Republican -- Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's chief campaign fundraiser, Allee Bautsch, and her boyfriend, Joe Brown, who were leaving a GOP fundraising event. Earlier in the day, protests against the Southern Republican Leadership Conference were held in New Orleans

It is widely speculated that the attack was politically motivated. Earlier on the day of the fundraiser, there was a large protest against the South Republican Leadership Conference happening that weekend, although the demonstration (which involved some violent undertones against Republicans - here is a picture of a poster from one of the primary organizers which depicts a dead, skeletal elephant, for instance) apparently disbanded some time before the attack took place. There were initially reports that Bautsch claimed assailants said, "Let's get them, they have Palin pins on." However, Human Events has confirmed with Jindal's office that the pair were not wearing Palin pins. Hayride of Louisiana has been covering the story extensively.

We don't yet know if the attacks were, in fact, politically motivated. We really should reserve judgement until all the facts are in (to set a good example for the liberal press, you know.) All we can say is the circumstances are highly suspicious and the event, tragic.

Much more on the Louisiana political blog, The Hayride, inluding information on organizers of the anti-GOP protests, and this fascinating description of a suspect from the NOPD (via the Times Picayune):

New Orleans police say that the incident began about 11:45 p.m. when a group of three to five men made "derogatory comments" to Bautsch and her boyfriend. When the man described as the male victim "turned toward" the group of men, at least one of the men struck him repeatedly. The woman "fell to the ground and screamed," the news release said.

Police released a description of one suspect, saying he was in his 20s, looked "dirty," and wore his hair in an auburn-colored ponytail. The man was 6 feet, 1 inch tall with a thin build, police said. He wore a light-colored T-shirt and dark pants.

Officers in the area responded and requested EMS assistance. The woman used her purse as a pillow while waiting for help. Once she was in the ambulance, the woman realized her purse was missing, the release said.

There is confirmation that this was a politically motivated attack, and that the female victim was intentionally stomped.

http://thehayride.com/2010/04/the-brennans-beatdown-piecing-together-a-story/

"UPDATE, 12:40 p.m.: Fox News has finally picked up the story. Megyn Kelly just did an interview with Allee Bautsch’s mother Della Berning, in which several pieces of information came out.
Ms. Berning did NOT want to discuss the political nature of the attack, though she de-emphasized rather than disputed the political angle. She did, however, confirm that from the time Brown and Bautsch left Brennan’s they were subjected to insults by a group of people who were lingering around, and as they turned the corner onto St. Louis Street and entered an area a little darker and more secluded than Royal Street where Brennan’s is, they were attacked.
She also said, without going into specifics of what was said, that “it was all about money.”
Allee Bautsch has seven screws in her leg and five surgical scars. She didn’t just fall down, she was stomped on.
Ms. Berning also said something we’d like to emphasize. She didn’t want to talk about politics; she noted that what’s important is finding out who did this. That is what we’re most interested in as well. We think, based on all the research and reporting we’ve done, that the answer to this crime is to be found in the people who were protesting at that Brennan’s event, and we want to shine light on the organizers of that protest in an effort to force evidence to the surface.
This isn’t a left-right thing, at its core, unless members of an anarchist commune can be accurately described as members of the mainstream left in America. Frankly, we think anarcho-communists ought to be just as despised by Democrats as Republicans; white supremacist groups are, after all. If you think Republicans are worse company than people like the Iron Rail Gang, then you’re part of the problem."

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=36559

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