At the time, Goldenfield said her staff was sickened by the prank. In the days before the pile appeared, dozens of Democratic signs around Lebanon and other Warren County towns were torn down, she said.
And now the cardboard cutout has been pilfered again.
When volunteers arrived at the fair to operate the booth Friday morning, they discovered the cutout of Obama, which was hidden behind the curtain, was missing. A similar cutout of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, a box of Democratic Party T-shirts, an aluminum ladder and raffle tickets weren’t stolen, she said.
“It was like they were stalking our booth,” Goldenfield said. “How else would they have known where he (Obama) was?”
Goldenfield said she contacted the fair office and was told there were no surveillance cameras in the area. She said security personnel at the fair searched for the life-size cutout, but were unsuccessful.
She said the Democratic Party ordered another cutout, which, including shipping, costs about $75.
“The behavior reflects a commonly accepted lack of civility and respect on the part of opposition political parties in Warren County,” Goldenfield said. “This was premeditated. We have an intimidating, bullying mentality around here.”
She said about 25 percent to 30 percent of the registered voters in the county are Democrats, and the party is “getting positive attention.”
Goldenfield said the pranks reflect an “unacceptable pattern rationalized and reinforced by the lop-sided political reality of our county. Warren County has a rich political history, which is tarnished and degraded by such senseless partisan acts. Warren County deserves better.”
David Nichols, chairman of the Warren County Republican party, was unavailable for comment.
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