The North County Democratic Party Headquarters office has limited their regular hours to appointments only because they are getting perceived threats.
“I'm the one that changed the wording on that sign and in the last minute, it was just probably the wording was too strong,” said Gloria, a North County Democratic Party Headquarters member. “The wording probably should have been more 'perceived threats' or maybe 'perceived intimidation attempts.'”
Gloria told KSBY their headquarters has received perceived threats.
She added that a truck had let out exhaust in front of some members at a recent rally on Spring Street and it happened again on Friday night.
“At a rally three weeks ago, there were numerous elderly people like myself on the street, and a truck, silver diesel came and put the car in neutral, and out came a big old black smoke," she said. "Had four days of headache, sinus infection, so yeah, I would call that a pretty intense intimidation.”
Brett Knupfer, a North County Democratic Party Headquarters member, said that they received phone calls at their headquarters from people who may be on the opposing side.
“People who we know not to be our supporters have called our office and asked about our hours and asked when they could come down to our office,” said Knupfer. “Members of our office staff felt that those were in situations where people were trying to set up for possible harassment in the office.”
KSBY spoke with Paso Robles police and asked generally how their investigation is followed if an incident were to occur at a campaign rally.
“Obviously, want people to be able to express their political opinions, which is their right, as long as they obviously operate within the laws themselves,” said Sgt. Reid Goeckner, Paso Robles Police Department. “If there ever was an incident from an opposing point of view, we would investigate that incident and follow through with any prosecutions necessary.”
KSBY asked Randall Jordan, the chairman of the Republican Party of San Luis Obispo if they had received any threats from their opposing side.
"People that are on the left-hand side of where we are politically have come into our headquarters — basically challenged us and said that they didn't think that we had a moral compass,” said Jordan. “That we didn't take into consideration a lot of things like global warming, things like that, but not any real threats, and I don't think that I can remember anyone coming in and saying that they were going to do us any harm.”
