'Libertarian activist' accused of approaching Don Bolduc before debate, causing 'disturbance,' faces charges - WMUR Manchester

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WE DO. WMUR NEWS 9 AND NEW STARTS NOW. CHAOTIC MOMENTS AHEAD OF LAST NIGHT’S DEBATE BETWEEN SENATOR MAGGIE HASSAN AND HER CHALLENGER, RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL DON BOLDUC. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO RIGHT HERE. BOLDUC IS GREETING THE CROWD OUTSIDE THE VENUE WHEN A LIBERTARIAN ACTIVIST CONFRONTS BOLDUC. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE AT NOON. I’M TROY LYNCH AND THAT MAN WHO RUSHED TOWARDS BOLDUC IS FACING CHARGES RIGHT NOW. WMUR RAY BREWER IS LIVE WITH MORE. GENERAL DON BOLDUC IS CURRENTLY HOLDING A TOWN HALL MEETING HERE AT THE LOUDON COUNTRY CLUB. BUT BEFORE THAT MEETING, HE DID ADDRESS WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT PRIOR TO THE DEBATE. NOW, THIS IS VIDEO OF THAT INCIDENT. IT SHOWS GENERAL BOLDUC GREETING MEMBERS OF HIS CROWD AND THEY’RE WITH A MAN LATER IDENTIFIED AS JOSEPH HART, A LIBERTARIAN ACTIVIST. NOW, BOLDUC SUPPORTERS SURROUND THE MAN AND GOFFSTOWN POLICE RUSH IN. NOW, PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, ACCORDING TO POLICE, HART HAD BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE THE PREMISES AS A RESULT OF THE DISTURBANCE, HART WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL TRESPASS AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT, BUT HE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT. WERE YOU ASSAULTED LAST NIGHT? I WOULDN’T CALL IT AN ASSAULT. YOU KNOW, IF THE POLICE WASN’T THERE, YOU KNOW, IF THE POLICE DIDN’T DO THEIR JOB, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ASSAULT. BUT YOU CAN’T SPECULATE. SO I’M GRATEFUL THAT THE POLICE WERE THERE. I’M GRATEFUL THEY DID THEIR JOB. AS YOU KNOW, A BIG SUPPORTER, LAW ENFORCEMENT. I DON’T WANT THAT INCIDENT TO ECLIPSE THE DEBATE OR THE FACT THAT WE GOING TO BEAT MAGGIE HASSAN ON TUESDAY. IT’S ABOUT THE ELECTION. IT’S ABOUT SENATOR HANSON AND I. AND THAT’S IT, RIGHT? THAT’S WE NEED TO FOCUS ON. AND FINALLY, THE VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW YOUR RIGHT ELBOW GOING INTO HIM. HAVE YOU SEEN THAT? DID YOU? AND HE’S HE’S THREATENING TO FILE ASSAULT CHARGES AGAINST YOU. ANY RESPONSE TO THAT? NO, I DIDN’T ASSAULT ANYBODY. I WAS I HE WAS CLOSE WITH INCLU WITH TOWARDS ME. I WAS TURNING TO PROTECT MYSELF AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS IT WAS SIMPLE AS THAT. NOW, NEWS 9 DID SPEAK WITH HART BY TELEPHONE. AND HART DENIED ASSAULTING ANYONE. REPORTING LIVE IN LOUD

'Libertarian activist' accused of approaching Don Bolduc earlier debate, causing 'disturbance,' faces charges

Joseph Hart charged with transgression trespass, disorderly conduct

A antheral who approached Republican Don Bolduc earlier Wednesday night's Granite State Debate astatine Saint Anselm College, starring to what constabulary called a "disturbance," is facing charges.Joseph Hart, 37, of Greenville, Rhode Island, is charged with transgression trespass and disorderly conduct, according to Goffstown police.Police said Saint Anselm College officials told Hart, who was successful a radical of radical that included dozens of supporters for some candidates extracurricular the debate, helium was nary longer invited connected their spot and had to leave.Police said a abbreviated clip later, a "disturbance" occurred erstwhile Hart approached Bolduc arsenic the campaigner was greeting his supporters. Officers converged connected the country and each parties were separated, constabulary wrote successful a quality release.Hart was taken into custody by Goffstown constabulary pursuing the disturbance, constabulary said.According to the Free Keene group, Hart is simply a "Libertarian activist." In a quality merchandise sent to WMUR aboriginal Thursday morning, the radical claims that Hart did not effort to deed oregon marque interaction with Bolduc. In video changeable by the group, Hart tin beryllium seen approaching Bolduc from the candidate's broadside portion holding a camera. Then, Bolduc tin beryllium seen saying, "He deed me," soon aft constabulary unreserved to interruption up the incident. View the Free Keene video here: Asked astir the incidental Thursday, Bolduc said helium didn't deliberation helium was assaulted."I wouldn't telephone it an assault, no," Bolduc said. "If the constabulary didn’t bash their job, it astir apt would person been an assault, but you can't speculate."The video released by Free Keene appears to amusement Bolduc's elbow going into Hart, but Bolduc said helium didn't battle Hart."No, I didn't battle anybody," Bolduc said. "He closed … toward me, I was turning to support myself and that was it. It was elemental arsenic that."News 9 spoke with Hart by telephone, and helium denied assaulting anyone.Bolduc and his hostile Sen. Maggie Hassan each answered a statement question astir governmental unit successful the aftermath of the onslaught connected Paul Pelosi, and Bolduc made little notation of the altercation."I americium truly atrocious for what happened to the speaker’s husband. Nobody should person that hap to them anyplace successful America, but it’s a motion of the times. It’s a motion of governmental problems. Republicans and Democrats that substance issues with people, that get them to the constituent wherever they are conscionable truthful upset astatine an idiosyncratic that they onslaught retired astatine them," Bolduc said during the debate. "It happened to maine extracurricular conscionable earlier I came successful here, right? This is wrong, and it needs to beryllium stopped."Hassan released a connection astir the incidental Thursday greeting connected Twitter:"The behaviour of the Libertarian Party agitators toward Don Bolduc past nighttime was despicable," Hassan wrote. "I privation to convey the Goffstown Police and St. Anselm College for their committedness to keeping everyone safe."Hart was released connected idiosyncratic recognizance bail and is scheduled to beryllium arraigned Dec. 1.Anyone with accusation astir the incidental is asked to interaction Detective Sgt. Kevin Laroche astatine 603-497-4858, constabulary said.

GOFFSTOWN, N.H. —

A antheral who approached Republican Don Bolduc earlier Wednesday night's Granite State Debate astatine Saint Anselm College, starring to what constabulary called a "disturbance," is facing charges.

Joseph Hart

Joseph Hart, 37, of Greenville, Rhode Island, is charged with transgression trespass and disorderly conduct, according to Goffstown police.

Police said Saint Anselm College officials told Hart, who was successful a radical of radical that included dozens of supporters for some candidates extracurricular the debate, helium was nary longer invited connected their spot and had to leave.

Police said a abbreviated clip later, a "disturbance" occurred erstwhile Hart approached Bolduc arsenic the campaigner was greeting his supporters. Officers converged connected the country and each parties were separated, constabulary wrote successful a quality release.

Hart was taken into custody by Goffstown constabulary pursuing the disturbance, constabulary said.

According to the Free Keene group, Hart is simply a "Libertarian activist." In a quality merchandise sent to WMUR aboriginal Thursday morning, the radical claims that Hart did not effort to deed oregon marque interaction with Bolduc. In video changeable by the group, Hart tin beryllium seen approaching Bolduc from the candidate's broadside portion holding a camera. Then, Bolduc tin beryllium seen saying, "He deed me," soon aft constabulary unreserved to interruption up the incident.

View the Free Keene video here:

Asked astir the incidental Thursday, Bolduc said helium didn't deliberation helium was assaulted.

"I wouldn't telephone it an assault, no," Bolduc said. "If the constabulary didn’t bash their job, it astir apt would person been an assault, but you can't speculate."

The video released by Free Keene appears to amusement Bolduc's elbow going into Hart, but Bolduc said helium didn't battle Hart.

"No, I didn't battle anybody," Bolduc said. "He closed … toward me, I was turning to support myself and that was it. It was elemental arsenic that."

News 9 spoke with Hart by telephone, and helium denied assaulting anyone.

Bolduc and his hostile Sen. Maggie Hassan each answered a statement question astir governmental unit successful the aftermath of the onslaught connected Paul Pelosi, and Bolduc made little notation of the altercation.

"I americium truly atrocious for what happened to the speaker’s husband. Nobody should person that hap to them anyplace successful America, but it’s a motion of the times. It’s a motion of governmental problems. Republicans and Democrats that substance issues with people, that get them to the constituent wherever they are conscionable truthful upset astatine an idiosyncratic that they onslaught retired astatine them," Bolduc said during the debate. "It happened to maine extracurricular conscionable earlier I came successful here, right? This is wrong, and it needs to beryllium stopped."

Hassan released a connection astir the incidental Thursday greeting on Twitter:

"The behaviour of the Libertarian Party agitators toward Don Bolduc past nighttime was despicable," Hassan wrote. "I privation to convey the Goffstown Police and St. Anselm College for their committedness to keeping everyone safe."

Hart was released connected idiosyncratic recognizance bail and is scheduled to beryllium arraigned Dec. 1.

Anyone with accusation astir the incidental is asked to interaction Detective Sgt. Kevin Laroche astatine 603-497-4858, constabulary said.

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