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Congressional candidate Tom Wells found guilty of resisting arrest

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Thomas B. Wells, 72, who is running against Danielle Hawk for the Democratic nomination for Congressional District 3, was found guilty yesterday of resisting arrest in a jury trial.

Wells was arrested on January 30, 2022, after he was asked to leave an event at the University of Florida. Event organizers said Wells was handing out printed material but had not gone through “the proper process dictated by the University of Florida in order for him to pass out flyers.” The organizer asked him to leave “due to him making students uncomfortable, and she did not want to make the event politically based.”

Two officers approached Wells and told him the event organizer wanted him to leave, but Wells refused to leave and actively resisted their attempts to physically remove him. He was charged with resisting arrest without violence.

Wells sent us a statement following the arrest, in which he said the event was advertised on Facebook, “ergo it was a public event.” In his statement, he disputed the authority of both the event organizers and the officers to compel him to leave.

Wells chose a jury trial, the jury found him guilty, and he was ordered to pay $276 in court costs. Ray Washington, Wells’ attorney, said, “Tom Wells is one of an increasingly rare breed of Democratic Congressional candidate who understands and takes seriously the First Amendment to United States Constitution. Despite Wednesday morning’s disappointing verdict, Tom may emerge from this ordeal as a stronger candidate because of it.”

  • Guarantee there will be some Democrat idiots who vote for this idiot.

    And people wonder what’s happening with society.

    • Why not? Not near as bad as the democrats “peaceful protest” where for month’s public buildings were burned, professional grade fireworks were shot at police, etc.( the ones VP camel-toe Harris raised bail for). And now buildings being defaced at night with threats spray painted on sidewalk, as long as it’s for a radical democrat cause, then it’s excused. This zero probably really will get votes, and maybe support from Gainesville DEC and City Commission.

    • What’s happening is people like you, who don’t bother to learn the law or your rights, and then blindly submit into unconstitutional compliance. Here’s some information for you: https://youtu.be/_vVWLSXA_kU

    • how dare you! there are no 2000 Mules, there are no CovidVaxxineDeaths!

  • North Central Florida AFL-CIO is endorsing Harvey Ward for Gainesville Mayor. Does that mean Harvey Ward is 2000 Mule Mayoral Destiny?

    • Things to not vote for?

      Full list of candidates endorsed by the NCFCLC (aka North Central Florida AFL-CIO) in Alachua County for the 2022 election cycle:

      For Alachua County Commission District 1 – Mary Alford. District 2 – Marihelen Wheeler. District 4 – Ken Cornell.

      For Alachua County School Board District 1 – Tina Certain. District 3 – Sarah Rockwell. District 5 – Prescott Cowles.

      For Mayor of Gainesville – Harvey Ward.

      For City of Gainesville Commission District 2 – James Ingle. District 3 – Casey Willits. District 4 – Bryan Eastman.

    • Ward is the ideal candidate for the DEC and local radical democrats: he’s fat like Poe; he’s white like Poe; he supports racist zoning to keep color out of west side line Poe; and like Poe he though Andrew Gillum was the greatest thing since sliced bread! He’s purr-feckless.

  • There’s no fool like a Democrat fool. Sorority rush is coming up soon. Maybe he wants to try out for that.

    • Gainesville Sun (6/29/22): Wells’ attorney was former Gainesville Sun reporter Ray Washington, who also has an open trespassing case after being arrested and removed from Gainesville City Hall for refusing to wear a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic.

      In his campaign, Wells advocates for terminating “fascism,” which he defines as the merging of state and corporate power.

      For 30 minutes during the trial, Wells said his attorney and the prosecutor deliberated over whether they could show the jury the word “fascism.” The plea was denied.

      “You cannot be a lily-livered campaigner and just do whatever the police tell you to do,” Wells said. “Or you’re already in a fascist society when the police can give you any illegal orders and be expected to obey and you’d be punished if you do not obey.”

        • Governmental Antifa says, “we love CorporateCovid LethalVaxxine Governmental Cover-ups while you never guess our plots because PoliceState loves us Pfizer Lots”

      • He should have just shouted out “No Trump! No KKK! No Fascist USA!!” in the middle of the courtroom. He might have been acquitted on the basis of insanity.

      • I bet Mr. Wells is all for forcing face masks on us and
        Vaccines too…what an A-hole…he should have left
        When asked…he sounds very “unhinged”…what a kook!

  • $276 dollar fine and that’s it? No probation? No
    Jail time on weekends or something? Did this
    Jerk-off learn his lesson?

  • Typical Progressive Democrat, They just simply ever admit they are wrong.

      • The event was for students in those organizations. The video is full of incorrect “facts.” You have to wonder how he found the babbling leftist dweeb who made the video.

  • Jeez, I’m a conservative Republican, but this really seems like overkill, if they’re willing to hassle a Democrat then we’re all at risk of having the government’s knee on our necks

    • UF has its rules. He was asked nicely to leave. If I
      Ask you to leave my property ,you leave. The guy
      Was a disruptive ass…a jury of his peers found him
      Guilty too.

      • The event was a PUBLIC event on PUBLIC property. UFs policy on Political Campaigning on Campas states: “The University of Florida is committed to the principles of free expression including the exchange of political viewpoints and ideas from all members of the community.” UFs own rules and regulations states “Manned Distribution of Printed Materials is Permitted.” NO PERMISSION IS NECESSARY. Tom acted well within the law and even within the policies of the university. The student organizers nor the campus police have the authority to quell his right to free speech or ask him to leave. If you watch the body cam video, Tom did not resist arrest. Whether you agree with his political viewpoints or not, his first amendment rights were violated. The fact that the prosecutor pushed forward with this case should scare you. The fact the jury found him guilty should scare you even more. We are living in a policed state where our rights either no longer matter, or the Supreme Court feels it’s ok to take them away. Just because it hasn’t happened to you yet, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Just wait.

        • The event was for members of those groups, obviously. Tom is acting like some sort of bullheaded simpleton and insisting that because something is listed as a public event on Facebook, as opposed to private, that it means anyone and everyone can go. The public option is chosen for the event so that it can be shared with others. Perhaps grandpa shouldn’t go on Facebook if he is going to be befuddled by all its intricacies.

        • The video is full of factual errors and mischaracterizations. Some little dweeb antifa guy made an anti-cops video. Got it.

  • And….let’s not forget about Corrine (caught on video numerous times at an ATM stealing donations from her political slush fund) as she now says she is running for congress again despite her felony conviction. I’m sure she wouldn’t get caught….oops…..do something silly like that again?

  • Alachua County Sherrif’s Office and Gainesville Police Department know Corporate Covid Lethal Vaxxines are Lethal To Local Legal Citizenry

  • (Jennifer Reeves: I RARELY donate to political campaigns. But, these are critical times for our community. I was born here and am so very sad to witness the current commission’s gradual destruction of my beloved hometown. I was here during the years Mr. Gordon served on the commission and hope that he and others will be elected so we can begin to bring balance and fiscal responsibility back to our community.)

    • But they are StagedPaids faking it in Certain CorporateMindRapeWays

  • Billy Napier Gator Nation wants Victory over Utah Utes September 3

    • The young UF Hispanics wanted nothing to do with the old Democrat. That was a real watershed moment, but not terribly surprising.

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