Rubio aide punches Paul official at Mackinac Island

[EBounding]

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/09/18/mackinac-island-bar-fight/72388142/

Mackinac Island — A top official for Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s presidential campaign said Friday he was punched in the face by a man working for rival Sen. Marco Rubio at a bar on Mackinac Island, where Republicans are gathered this weekend for a leadership conference.

Grand Rapids consultant John Yob, who is Paul’s national political director, said early Friday he was assaulted in a Mackinac Island bar by a man he and a witness identified as working for Rubio.

“He literally physically assaulted me by punching me in the face,” Yob wrote in a Facebook post. “The state police are looking for him. I have it on video, from multiple angles. This will play out in the national media in the next few hours.”

The Michigan Republican Party is hosting Paul and five other presidential candidates at the Grand Hotel this weekend for its biennial Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference. A record 2,180 Republican leaders, donors and activists have registered to attend the confab.

Rubio is not attending, but his campaign has sent surrogates, including pawn shop reality TV star Rick Harrison of the History Channel show “Pawn Stars.” A Rubio campaign spokesperson could not be immediately reached Friday morning for comment.

A Mackinac Island police officer declined comment early Friday morning about the incident and said it was unclear when the department would release any information.

Brandon Hall, a conservative blogger from Grand Haven, said Friday he witnessed Yob being punched at Horn’s Gaslight Bar, a popular Mackinac Island watering hole.

“As I was sitting at the bar talking to someone at Horn’s in Mackinac Island Thursday night, I witnessed (the man) suddenly, out of nowhere, approach one of Rand Paul’s advisers, John Yob — unprovoked — and try to hit him,” Hall wrote on his West Michigan Politics blog. “(He) missed a full on shot but still struck Yob’s in the face with a powerful blow near the jaw.”

Hall said the Rubio campaign official was at the bar trying to drum up votes for the Florida senator in the presidential straw poll The Detroit News and MIRSnews.com are conducting this weekend at the conference.

The Michigan Republican Party’s conference begins Friday afternoon with a reception on the Grand Hotel’s famous front porch followed by opening remarks by Gov. Rick Snyder at 4:45 p.m.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is the lone keynote speaker Friday night. The other five presidential candidates are speaking on Saturday, according to the conference schedule.

 

[William Tell]

Um, that's kinda weird.

 

[Mr.NoSmile]

Huh. Well, if this turns out to be true, it could be damaging for Rubio, but also play up the idea that this GOP race is one giant brawl to the top of a big heap.

 

[Jan2017]

Guys in a bar throw punches . . . huh, that's weird . . .

 

[Petar]

Well, at least it might help Rand.

 

[pmbug]

This will be a non-issue for GOP voters. Now if Rubio had thrown a punch, it might matter to voters. Rogues gonna rogue. $.02

 

[William Tell]

This will be a non-issue for GOP voters. Now if Rubio had thrown a punch, it might matter to voters. Rogues gonna rogue. $.02

Maybe. But if the Rand staffer had thrown the punch the media would make darn sure it hurt Rand. Headline would be something like

Desperate Paul campaign on last legs, gets violent

 

[euphemia]

There's more to the story. Just wait.

 

[erowe1]

This will be a non-issue for GOP voters. Now if Rubio had thrown a punch, it might matter to voters. Rogues gonna rogue. $.02

I agree.

If it's an important Rubio staffer, then maybe it will cause some disruption to his campaign. But I doubt it is.

 

[angelatc]

Rubio Strategist Punches Paul's Political Director In Bar Fight

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/09/18/mackinac-island-bar-fight/72388142/

Grand Rapids consultant John Yob, who is Paul’s national political director, said early Friday he was assaulted in a Mackinac Island bar by a man he and a witness identified as working for Rubio.

“He literally physically assaulted me by punching me in the face,” Yob wrote in a Facebook post. “The state police are looking for him. I have it on video, from multiple angles. This will play out in the national media in the next few hours.

Video! Video! VIdeo!

 

[angelatc]

Here's a first person narrative:

http://westmipolitics.blogspot.com/2015/09/breaking-mackinac-drama-top-rubio.html

As I was sitting at the bar talking to someone at Horn’s in Mackinac Island Thursday night, I witnessed Beeson suddenly, out of nowhere, approach one of Rand Paul’s advisers, John Yob-unprovoked-and try to hit him. Beeson missed a full on shot but still struck Yob’s in the face with a powerful blow near the jaw.

 

[acptulsa]

This will play out in the national media in the next few hours.”

A little too optimistic, there, John Yob. Unless you consider vox and politico the sum total of the 'national media'.

 

[timosman]

A little too optimistic, there, John Yob. Unless you consider vox and politico the sum total of the 'national media'.

This might be the case. "We are doing great with young voters!"

 

[freejack]

Ah time to break out the chair again.

 

[timosman]

This guy is a charmer - http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2012/09/13/1565751/

 

[luctor-et-emergo]

Here's a first person narrative:

http://westmipolitics.blogspot.com/2015/09/breaking-mackinac-drama-top-rubio.html

Beeson ? He's not a low level campaign employee it seems.

Sen. Marco Rubio has recruited Rich Beeson, a veteran political operative and senior official on Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign, to join his likely presidential campaign, according to two Republicans with knowledge of the move.

Beeson is on tap to have a portfolio that includes political and field operations, and may serve as Rubio's deputy campaign manager should the Florida senator move forward officially with his widely expected bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, said the sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...nds-top-romney-aide-for-likely-2016-campaign/

 

[specsaregood]

The dude called the kops!

fwiw:
The blog article linked to in the other thread says it was the Bar staff that called the cops.
http://westmipolitics.blogspot.com/2015/09/breaking-mackinac-drama-top-rubio.html

Police were summoned by Horn’s workers after the fight dispersed. Beeson has been banned from Horn’s by the owner and is no longer welcome in the establishment.

probably pretty standard response.

 

[timosman]

This guy makes Jesse look like a pro:

 

[ARealConservative]

I encountered an irate Romney guy way back in the Ames Straw poll leading up to the 2008 election.

It was a super hot day and a bunch of us were relaxing in a shady area that was funneling all the wind right at us. Litter was flying all over the place. At one point, a Romney balloon was flying towards a Ron Paul supporter that was sitting having a smoke. As the balloon approached his head, he poked it with his lit cig and it popped. All the Paul supporters that watched it cheered.

All of a sudden some guy comes running up with his young child behind him shouting profanity about how that was his kids balloon and what evil people the Ron Paul people are. Turns out he worked for the Romney camp. I think he would of chosen to fight right then and there, Paul supporters were calm throughout. My daughter was with me, and she offered the kid her Ron Paul balloon and the Romney guy swatted it out of her hand as it sailed away.

 

[jllundqu]

Guys in a bar throw punches . . . huh, that's weird . . .

LMAO