As if Republicans in Ohio don't already have
enough problems.
The investigation into a late-night barroom brawl led police to three officials of the Butler County Republican Party after one of them left his credit card behind, police say.
A complaint filed with the Butler County Sheriff's Department said that central committee Chairman Quentin Nichols, of West Chester; Tim Dearwester of Hamilton, a member of the central committee; and Sean Maloney of Liberty Township, a member of the executive committee, allegedly assaulted the bartender at Putter's Tavern & Grill shortly after midnight Oct. 26.
Adam William told deputies he approached the trio about a plastic advertising sign being damaged in the men's room. He asked them to leave after one of the men threatened him with a pool stick and another made sexual remarks about the bar's owner, the police report said.
The men then jumped on William and punched and hit him with a chair before the fight moved outside at the Cincinnati-Dayton Road establishment, resulting in a bench being damaged, William told police.
Nichols, Dearwester and Maloney left in a silver or gold Hummer before deputies arrived. No charges have been filed while the brawl remains under investigation. William sustained minor injuries. Damage was estimated at $500 for the sign and the bench.
Then again, on further thought, this incident may be a direct response to those problems. How else deal with your party's collapse than get piss drunk and take out your frustrations on some poor bartender just doing his job?
Update: Nichols, a little over a year ago claiming that Republicans would never, never be mean to a Kerry supporter during last year's race:
"If you have a Kerry supporter involved, you have to wonder whether the story maybe is getting exaggerated to help the opposition," said Quentin Nichols, the county Republican Party's Central Committee chairman.
"But if it did happen, I'd feel terrible and would be more than willing to apologize to this girl. I'd be shocked if a couple of grown men accosted a young lady just on the basis of a bumper sticker.