(RepublicanDaily.org) – A woman identifying as they/them attacked a city mayor of Utah outside of city hall, spitting and punching him over disagreements between the mayor and the assailant’s mother.
Just before the incident, David Young, who serves as mayor of Orem, Utah, was in a city council meeting where he called out newspaper reporter Genelle Pugmire, whom he accused of writing “off the rails” and “overly ridiculous” articles about himself, his family, and the city council.
Just after he exited city hall, he was confronted by Pugmire’s daughter, 31-year-old Linnea, who asked Young, “Do you know who I am?” and “How dare you!” Young responded by telling Linnea to “get out of my face” and that he was “sick of being pushed around” by the older Pugmire.
In a video captured by people who were with the mayor at the time shows Linnea going into a rage, spitting on Young and his group and rushing toward them while throwing wild punches.
Law enforcement eventually arrested Linnea, who was charged with assault, disorderly conduct, propelling a bodily substance, and threatening elected officials. Further investigation revealed that Linnea also spat and punched another person in the mayor’s entourage, but police did not provide the identity of that person. After being booked, the suspect admitted to feeling very upset with Young over “personal concerns” regarding her family.
The root of the conflict was what Young believed to be unfair and discriminatory coverage by the older Pugmire, whom he said often wrote unnecessarily negative articles about himself and the city council. He pointed out several examples during the city council meeting. Young also took exception to a story Pugmire put out regarding an Alabama lawsuit the mayor was named in last year. Young described the reporting as having a “mindboggling… disconnect” between the content of the stories versus “what’s going on in reality.”
Following the attack, Young released a statement calling for “more responsible journalism” and for members of the community to work together with greater civility and unity.”
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