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Rep. Young Confronts Angry Protester, Considers Legal Action

An FCAN protest led to the congressman allegedly grabbing a protester's arm while wielding his walking cane. A local attorney says Young is considering legal action against the protester.

 

For months, the Florida Consumer Action Network, or FCAN, has targeted local Republican Congressman C.W. Bill Young over his stances on military spending and taxes for the top two percent. 

Monday, FCAN organized a large protest at Young's Office in Seminole, Florida, to, "get a commitment from him to extend the middle class tax cuts, make the richest 2% pay their fair share, and protect Medicare, Medicaid, education and other vital services from cuts," a news release said. 

Instead of a commitment, they got a confrontation. 

According to Creative Loafing, while one protester was yelling at Young, the Congressman from Florida grabbed the protester's arm and wielded his walking cane in the air, as if he was going to hit the protester. 

"As the office closed, Young arrived, flanked by St. Pete College police officers as well as staff members, including Glenn. One particularly persistent activist loudly asked Young about his stances, getting into close proximity of the 81-year-old congressman. It did not end well. Young grabbed the activist by the arm and raised his cane, largely looking like he was attempting to strike the protester until both were separated by the police officers present."

Attorney David Jolly told Saint Petersblog that the Congressman is now considering legal action. 

"As for the accuser who’s pushing this story, this is a young man with a history of violating the law who has been physically following the Congressman for months. In the coming days counsel will be reviewing whether his activities rise to the level of stalking, assault, or tortuous harassment of any kind.”

Earlier Monday, Young was in St. Pete at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center at a ceremony for friend Ray Smith, whose son Sean Smith was killed in the Benghazi attacks on Sept. 11. 

Young helped arrange a flag flyover at the United States Capitol and presented it to Smith on Monday. 

A representative of FCAN told Patch that it cannot comment on the situation due to pending legal actions. 

Related Topics: Bill Young and FCAN

JDMcC

2:02 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Young should be sued for failing to respond to constitutents' legitimate concerns. He is nothing more than a shriveled old hack for the military-industrial complex and other assorted corporate fascists.

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Marti Dietz

2:49 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Thank goodness we have some people in Washington who get it that the top 2% provide most of the jobs and pay most of the taxes in this country... Stick with it Bill... There are a lot of us who totally support you.

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Steve

4:13 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Still drinking that Kool-Aid, I see. The top 2% are NOT investing in jobs--or we wouldn't have the huge unemployment problem we have in time of record Wall Street profits and businesses sitting on cash. The 2% getting these tax breaks, like Romney, are parking their money offshore in places like the Cayman Islands….not creating jobs. We ran that experiment: twelve years of the lowest taxes on the rich since the 1930's, and where did it get us?

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Marti Dietz

9:37 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

I was doing great during those years...
Because Obama won the election it only makes sense that businesses are not going to invest in the United States. Obama is bent on destroying our economy and those who work hard should not be penalized. How much would be fair for them to pay... 100% of their income. Would that be enough for you?? I am tired of working 60 hour weeks to pay for fake nails and cell phones for those who choose to sit and collect. You are the one who needs to look at your koolaid consumption.

Bill H.

3:59 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Hmmmmm, "while one protester was yelling at Young, the Congressman from Florida grabbed the protester's arm and wielded his walking cane in the air, as if he was going to hit the protester", and yet he wants to take legal action against the protester??? What am I missing???

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Steve

4:10 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Young has become nothing but a geriatric travesty of a Congressman…..only elected again because his buddies in Tallahassee once again Gerrymandered his district, cutting out more of his potential opposition. To his middle class constituents: be sure to thank him when your taxes go up on January 1.

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Wendy

4:35 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

I think Bill Young is awesome! Why would anyone be disrespectful enough of anyone to "get in his face"?

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J. W. Roberts

4:43 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

I think the wrong person is being sued. The congressman was the one with the
threatening stance, raising his walking cane against an unarmed person. Bill Young
had better get his legal team ready to defend a lawsuit.

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shjanis

8:03 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Rep. Bill Young is an 81 year old fossil who's been in Congress for 40 years. For the past 20 years, he has refused to debate challengers and has continued to win elections on name recognition. He refuses to speak to his constituents about their concerns. It's time for him to retire.

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Robert Thompson

2:56 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012

Rep Young should have retired several yrs ago. Not only is he angry, but totally out of touch with the voters.

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