I’ve been a little behind on my reading of local news this week, but I’m glad I finally caught up with the latest issue of LEO Weekly and one of the more bizarre first-hand accounts you’ll read of a reporter getting accosted by a low-level political activist.

The tough guy, JD Sparks, apparently never heard the advise against fighting someone – even if he is being a pest – who buys ink by the barrel.

I hate to say it, but this  jerk kind of reminds me of a pastor I once knew who bragged to me (of all people) about destroying a newspaper photographer’s camera for apparently crossing police lines. Only there were no lines real or perceived crossed here – the guy was getting video footage of a dinner very much open to the public that he had been invited to and happily given proper press credentials to cover.

Here’s Jonathan Meador:

At a time when the national Republican Party is “lost” in the political wilderness, tonight’s dinner was supposed to be a show of strength, in a way; a chance for Kentucky’s GOP — of late, the party has faired better in elections here than other states — to garner comfort in their numbers, and to share good food, ideas and the occasional liberal joke.

Yet due to a violent turn of events that transcended ideology, basic human decency and the radar scopes of most local journalists, the story you were supposed to read no longer exists; no “he said, she said,” intra-party jousting, no snarky comments about Sen. Jim Bunning’s inability to locate his assigned table. Instead, it’s just a story about your humble correspondent, a low-level GOP foot soldier and a blatant case of physical assault. Harmless enough, indeed.

Video footage that will likely be doubling as evidence in assault charges that have been filed, can be found HERE.