Politics & Government

Update: Nails in Lot at Tea Party Event Cause Flat Tires

Racine police confirm they have reports of two vehicles with flat tires that owners say is a direct result of someone dumping roofing nails in the parking lot of the old Sam's Club before a Racine Tea Party event on Saturday.

**Updated 4:30 p.m. Oct. 28

The Tea Party faithful gathered Saturday for a loud and enthusiastic rally aimed at getting out the vote on Nov. 6 and putting Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in the White House.

The Racine Tea Party's "Rally for Jobs" kicked off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday inside the old Sam's Club at 6200 Regency West Drive.

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Before the event could get under way, though, organizers say a white van affixed with "Obama" stickers drove through the parking lot and dumped quantities of roofing nails.

"We went outside and picked up what we could," said Lou D'Abbraccio, holding a cup filled with nails. "But this was just wrong."

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Lora Halberstadt, a Tea party member, said the group did call the Racine Police Department to file a report.

Patch asked two RPD officers outside the venue if they could confirm the report, but they only said they couldn't comment about a truck.

According to the shift commander on duty Sunday morning, officers responded to the old Sam's Club Saturday morning to take a report from event organizers.

"The report says that sometime between 9 and 11 a.m. someone threw roofing nails across the parking lot," the lieutenant told Patch. "There is no mention of a type of vehicle or ideas for who might have done this."

On Monday, Racine police Public Information Officer Sgt. Martin Pavalonis confirmed his department does have a report of the incident on file. He also said two vehicle owners reported flat tires as a result of the nails and possibly a screw.

"Two vehicles were damaged, obviously with tire damage and then some nails and screws were apparently strewn about the parking lot," he said. "However, we have no information about a suspect or suspect vehicle. We certainly encourage the public to contact us with any solid information that they might have."

Inside the venue on Saturday, a crowd of around 1,000 grew to about 2,500, many of them waving signs or wearing t-shirts proclaiming their support for candidates on the Republican ticket.

The list of guest speakers was a Who's Who of conservative leaders — including local Republican state legislative candidates Pam Stevens and Tom Weatherston; and state Rep. Robin Vos;  former Navy SEAL Chris Heben; U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson; Ryan's brother, Tobin Ryan; former Gov. Tommy Thompson; Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey; and conservative talk show host Vicki McKenna.

Each speaker touched on points where they think President Barack Obama and his administration has failed, but their message also echoed that of the Democrats: take advantage of early voting and get everyone you know, and even those you don't, to cast a ballot in what they called the most important election of our time.

Anyone with information about this incident can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by: calling 1-888-636-9330, email: http://racine.crimestoppersweb.com, or text message: RACS to 274637(CRIMES).


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