Brad Sherman Uses Gestapo Tactics On Opponent At Jewish Temple

An interesting incident happened last night at a townhall meeting with Congressman Brad Sherman.

Mark Reed, Sherman's Republican opponent, was removed from the meeting by security guard thugs and officers of the LAPD.

Mark Reed's campaign issued this press release:

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE MARK REED REMOVED FROM PUBLIC TOWN HALL WITH INTIMIDATION AND THREATS BY ARMED GUARDS AND LAPD



Northridge, California (July 7, 2010) - Mark Reed, Candidate for Congress in the 27th Congressional District, was in attendance at a public town hall hosted by his opponent, incumbent Congressman Brad Sherman, this evening when private armed security guards escorted Mr. Reed off the property. There LAPD officers waiting on the street threatened to arrest Mr. Reed if he did not immediately enter his vehicle and leave the area. As a constituent of the 27th District, Mr. Reed was within his rights to attend. He was not disruptive.



The meeting was being held at Temple Ramat Zion in Northridge California. It was a public forum open to all constituents of California's 27th Congressional District. The topic of the event was the Middle East, specifically, terrorism, US-Israel relations, and Iran's nuclear weapons program. The town hall was hosted by Congressman Sherman and featured Gil Artzyeli, Deputy Consul General of the State of Israel.



As the event was getting underway, Matt Dababneh, Congressman Sherman's District Director, along with an armed guard and two unarmed security guards, informed Mr. Reed that he could not display a sign on his vehicle. Mr. Reed removed the sign from the premises. The sign was then displayed on a van across the street legally parked on public property.



When Mr. Reed entered the temple, he was confronted by Lane Sherman, the Congressman's mother, who informed him that he was "Not welcome there", that he "should leave", and that he was a "bad man." An insult she repeated multiple times. Mr. Reed notified Mrs. Sherman and other bystanders that he was "there to listen." He also reminded Mrs. Sherman that Congressman Sherman has been "ignoring his requests to debate."



During the event, Mark Reed was quietly listening to the public discourse and comments. He was not disruptive. He did not attempt to engage Mr. Sherman or Mr. Artzyeli in dialogue. He was not campaigning inside the event.



At the end of the public forum, Mr. Reed went outside. Several of his fellow constituents engaged Mr. Reed in discussion about the event and the positions offered by Mr. Sherman. At that time, Frank Guzman, a private security officer employed by the temple from Nastec International Security, asked Mr. Reed to leave. Mr. Guzman was armed. Another armed guard, two unarmed guards, and a woman who claimed to be a staff member of the temple, accompanied Mr. Guzman in his request. When Mr. Reed inquired as to the cause for his ejection, the guard simply replied that it was private property and he had to go. Mr. Reed accommodated the request. The guards escorted him to the street.



When Mr. Reed stepped onto the public street, officers of the LAPD confronted him. The officers informed him that he had to "leave immediately or he would be arrested." When Mr. Reed inquired about the reason for his removal from a public area, the officers only responded with increased threats of arrest. Fearing they would take him into custody, Mr. Reed entered his vehicle and left.





Eyewitness Jack Marino of Burbank said, "Mark was talking to a group of people. Next thing I know, there's a group of people moving Mark down the pathway and out of the temple. I saw the guard and a woman in a blue shirt." When he went into the street, Mr. Marino adds, "I saw Mark's truck, and there were two (police) cruisers there."



Eyewitness David King of North Hills said, "A woman from the temple told Mark he had to leave right away or he would be arrested."



When asked about Mr. Reed's behavior at the event, eyewitness Jay Stern of North Hills said, "From everything that I have seen, if there was a disturbance or a concern, I don't know how Mark got fingered. Because he was standing at the back of the hall. I saw him. He didn't do anything. The next thing I know, he's not there."

If the above account is true and correct, it is interesting that Sherman's office and campaign are employing gestapo tactics (as in Abraham Ribicoff's "Gestapo tactics on the streets of Chicago" line from 1968) on his opponent, especially since the public event was being held at a Jewish temple.

Oh, the irony!