(The Center Square) – The founder of the political action committee behind two statewide initiatives concerning parental rights and the protection of girls in sports says he suspects organized groups are behind dozens of attacks on signature gatherers.
Let’s Go Washington’s Brian Heywood led a press conference in Tacoma on Tuesday afternoon, detailing at least 35 documented attacks on signature gatherers over the last two weeks.
The attacks range from intimidation and verbal threats to destruction of petitions and personal property to physical assaults.
In late September, a signature gatherer was the target of an assault and theft at a Fred Meyer in Tacoma that culminated in a hit-and-run. No one was seriously injured.
Tammy Lewis has been gathering signatures for the initiative campaigns and shared her story at the press conference outside the Pierce County Municipal Building on South Tacoma Way. She has been featured in media reports and was recognized as she approached the press conference.
“Just walking up, I passed by three females who knew who I was and called me a piece of ‘s’, so yes, I’ve been having issues constantly,” Lewis said, sharing that she’s endured constant harassment while gathering signatures. “I had two people attack me at once. They took my board and acted like they wanted to sign my petition and scribbled all over it.”
She detailed at least three other instances of being harassed, personally threatened and having petitions vandalized.
Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank attended the press conference. He stated that, despite some reports suggesting that police are not taking attacks on signature gatherers seriously, his department would respond to protect and defend the rights of citizens to exercise their rights.
“And I’m calling on all law enforcement leaders out there to stand with me, and stand for democracy and say, ‘No more.’ We’re going to support the First Amendment no matter what side of the aisle they are on,” Swank said.
Heywood told The Center Square he believes there are organized groups behind some of the attacks on signature gatherers.
“The ACLU, the Washington Teachers Union, and there’s a group called the Gender Justice League that is funded by taxpayers,” he said. “It looks like these groups have created a snitch line, or now it’s online … where you have to put your name and your email. They’re asking if you see signature gatherers, report it to us. Tell us where and when, and what do the people look like? And I don’t know why they would be asking for that unless there was an attempt to intimidate those people. That’s clearly being organized by groups that should know better.”
Heywood said, despite the ongoing attacks, LGW is being overwhelmed by requests for petitions, so in his opinion, the resistance is “completely backfiring.”
He said the signature-gathering effort is outpacing anything LGW has done before.
