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Petition Signature Gatherer Assaulted

The fight over Ohio's new nuclear bailout law has apparently hit at street level. A person gathering signatures to put the bailout on next year's ballot called police to report an assault. The alleged instigator is accused of working for the opposing group trying to keep the nuclear bailout law in place. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow reports.

"I'm doing one type of petitioning and it looks like she's a hired blocker to prevent me from collecting signatures."

 

Harold Chung told Dublin police on a 9-1-1 call that someone grabbed his phone, threw it to the ground, then shoved him.

 

Gene Pierce with Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts says their referendum workers have been met with hostility all around the state.

 

"It's intimidation and it should be a concern to the people who want to have free and open elections."

 

The woman accused of assault was wearing a lanyard connecting her with the pro-nuclear bailout and pro-FirstEnergy Solutions group Generation Now. A spokesperson for Generation Now says they didn't know anything about the altercation but that their petitioner monitors are instructed to be polite and courteous.

 

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