Virginia Democrat Caught ‘Tampering’ with Election Site by Police - WATCH
a Police officer pulled Chris Hurst over after spotting a woman pulling up campaign signs
© press
A police officer busted a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates, who was caught red-handed vandalizing political signs close to a voting site on the night of Tuesday’s elections.
Fox News reported that State Delegate Chris Hurst was running for re-election in the Old Dominion’s 12th District.
But around 10 pm on Monday, a police officer pulled Hurst over after spotting a woman pulling up campaign signs outside the Radford Recreation Center, WSET-TV reported.
The woman, who was later identified as Hurst’s girlfriend, Emily Frentress, then got into Hurst’s vehicle.
WSET reported that the signs, which were all for Republican candidates, had been “pulled out of the ground or had been placed upside down."
© press
The report added that "others had been bent and thrown away from the roadway into deeper grass.”
The police officer had some burning questions for the couple.
“Want to explain your actions?” the officer asked near the beginning of an interaction.
“Do you want to explain your actions about tampering with the voting site up there?”
WATCH below, via Fox News:
BODY CAM FOOTAGE: Radford Police just released the body cam footage of VA Del. Chris Hurst’s campaign sign incident Monday night
— Janay Reece (@janay_reece) November 3, 2021
Deputies stopped him after a woman was seen in his car allegedly messing with campaign signs at a polling site
I’ll have a breakdown later @WDBJ7 pic.twitter.com/IvG1mDRDdO
The officer's question is not what many people want to hear during a traffic stop.
Hurst was also driving on a suspended license, which obviously didn't help.
“You’ve got to resort to doing this instead of doing a fair election?” the officer asked.
When Hurst failed to offer an acceptable response, the officer got more firm.
“Chris, quit playing,” he said.
“You all are up there turning over signs at the polling area, and you’re sitting here acting like you don’t know what’s going on?”
© press
But Hurst couldn’t fall back on the “Do you know who I am?” line, instead of turning to the political gasbag machine:
“I really don’t feel like me responding to any questions that an officer has for me, that are kind of asking me to make a value statement on my actions is really kinda immaterial to the question here,” Hurst said.
“I would think that something that was a little high jinks, steam-blowing-off is exactly what everybody over on the other side of the mountain does and people all over this district do.”
The schoolboy defense (“people all over this district” do it) might have impressed Hurst’s girlfriends, but not the officer.
“So, you’re going to resort to that? And represent us?” the officer asked.
“I need you to just do your job here tonight, and I’ll do mine,” Hurst responded.
“I have nothing more to say to you, officer.
"I’m sorry for actions that I may have done, or my partner may have done, but I think you’re getting a little emotional here.”
“I’m not getting emotional at all,” the officer said.
“You’re supposed to be representing us.
"You’re supposed to be representing us. And not out here acting like a schoolkid.”
Hurst was defending himself by claiming everyone “one the other side of the mountain” engages in the same behavior.
“How am I supposed to vote for you if you’re out here doing this?” the officer asked.
“Were you planning on voting for me?” Hurst responded.
“Well, that’s all up in the air now,” the officer said.
But despite Hurst's actions, election day turned out to be a disaster for him.
The officer told Hurst and his companion to put back all the signs that had been targeted.
The incident has been turned over to the Virginia State Police.
As Tuesday's elections results showed, Americans are tired of excuses.
