http://www.freelancestar.com/News/FLS/2004/042004/04092004/1325167
GOP hopeful jailed
Presidential candidate charged in encounter with Fredericksburg police
By KARI PUGH
Date published: 4/9/2004
Man has run-in with city police
A two-time presidential candidate known for his cowboy hat and
unconventional politics is campaigning behind bars after being arrested in
downtown Fredericksburg.
Robert Edwards Haines, 57, is charged with threatening to assault a police
officer and kill his canine partner during a run-in Wednesday afternoon on
Caroline Street, city police spokesman Jim Shelhorse said.
It is unclear why the Republican resident of Manchester, N.H., is in the
Fredericksburg area.
But for the past two weeks, he's been seen around town handing out fliers
proclaiming "Robert Haines for President of the U.S.A." City police have
"escorted him away" from several places after people complained he was
bothering them, Shelhorse said.
One week ago, Haines was charged with public drunkenness outside a bar
downtown, Shelhorse said.
On Wednesday, police started receiving complaints that he was pestering
shoppers in the 900 block of Caroline Street.
According to Shelhorse, he was grabbing women when they went by and inviting
them to a private, female-only meeting.
Officer Brian Bettis arrived about 12:30 p.m., and asked Haines to move on.
He told the candidate that his white Lincoln had been parked for four hours
in two-hour parking, and he was going to get a ticket, Shelhorse said.
"At that point, Mr. Haines decided he wanted to debate his [public
drunkenness] arrest last Friday night," Shelhorse said. "He became loud and
told Officer Bettis he was going to kick his ***** and cut off his dog's
head."
At that point, the man took off his coat and cowboy hat and put his fists
up, Shelhorse said. Officers sprayed him with cayenne pepper spray, and he
surrendered.
Haines was held without bond yesterday in the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
His latest campaign for president is not his first--and neither is his stint
in jail.
Haines ran unsuccessfully against President Bill Clinton in 1996. He was
convicted of felonious assault on the campaign trail in 1995 for pointing a
rifle at a man in Manchester, according to court records.
In November, Haines was arrested in New Hampshire on a parole violation
stemming from that conviction. He was released from prison on Dec. 23, said
Jeff Lyons, spokesman for the New Hampshire Department of Corrections.
Haines' platform for the presidency relies on right-wing ideas about
abortion, family, immigrants and national security. In his flier, he says he
would hire military veterans as a "Silent Force" to launch an "all-out,
covert war on drugs and terrorism at their sources."
One bit of good publicity Haines touts in his campaign literature is a 1994
incident in which he says he wrestled with a gunman who fired shots at the
White House.
"He certainly seems to think the Bush White House is vulnerable to his
campaign," Shelhorse said.
--
Yang
a.a. #28
AthD (h.c.) conferred by the regents of the LCL
a.a. pastor #-273.15, the most frigid church of Celcius nee Kelvin
EAC Econometric Forecast and Socerey Division
Proudly plonked by Lani Girl and Crazyalec
The Bush 'balanced' budget: 1.2 trillion and worsening
The Bush 'economic' policy: -3 million jobs and counting
The Bush Iraq lie: -658 GIs, one friend's co-worker's son and mounting
Having Bush ***** up my country: Worthless
.
|
