Saturday, February 4, 2017

Trump supporter beaten in Austin: Not fake news, in our own backyard

Disbelief filled the minds of many conservative Austinites who read blog posts this week of a 20-something being beaten and knocked unconscious because of a lighthearted Donald Trump cigarette lighter.

We wish this was another example of fake news and "alternative facts." The Tracker verified the details in the report that was originally published in Gateway Pundit.

According to Austin Police Department incident records obtained by the Tracker, the beating took place around 2 a.m. Monday at 1515 Wickersham Lane, steps away from the Riverside Golf Course and near several apartments.

The Tracker contacted the victim, Scott Sauter, a law clerk and newcomer to Austin. Sauter confirmed Gateway Pundit's report. On his walk home from the New Movement Theater comedy club downtown a man noticed the whimsical Trump decoration on his lighter as he lit up a cigarette.

"You’re in Austin. You are actually pulling a Donald Trump Lighter?! You don’t think that’s a big deal?" Sauter recalled the man saying.

"I told him that I support our president. That’s when things got crazy. He became verbally aggressive. He started swearing, telling me that Austin is mostly Hispanic. It escalated from there, he stole my lighter and then he started beating the living sh*t out of me," Sauter recalled, via Gateway Pundit.

Sauter said he was not being aggressive, aside from a brief and calmly worded defense of President Donald Trump. It's a route Sauter said he jogs every day, and never thought a political exchange would lead to what happened next.

"The police came when I was on the ground knocked unconscious," Sauter recalled, via Gateway. "My head was busted open. I couldn’t find my glasses. I could barely speak because my mouth was so swollen. I had to just get back to my apartment ... That’s what you get for being a gay conservative."

Sauter explained to the Tracker that while his sexual orientation did not come up, "I am gay in both appearance and mannerisms. This seemed to trigger and escalate the attacker's aggression."

Austin Police located a suspect later this week. Sauter said he has secured a law firm to pursue civil charges against the alleged attacker, whom he would prefer to remain anonymous until pending litigation is filed. Sauter did not discuss the extent of his injuries but shared several photos.

Arson at UC-Berkely, riots in large cities in wake of Trump's inauguration, and even reports of minor property damage and verbal harassment reports received by Travis County Republican Party Headquarters should concern local conservatives who express their political preferences publicly -- even in this usually serene college and tech community known worldwide for its diverse opinions.

"Be prepared to defend yourself," Sauter advised Tracker readers. "I consider it our responsibility as Republicans to stand together against the violence being perpetuated by anti-conservative resisters."

Regardless of the bumps and bruises, Sauter said he stands by President Trump's 100 Day Plan.

"What has been accomplished in terms of the termination of TPP, putting the UN on watch for its extravagant, wasteful spending, and holding Mexico responsible for its irresponsible trade deficit were long overdue," Sauter said. "The Obama administration's trade policies had a toxic effect on America's negotiating power foreign and domestic."

Sauter expressed his appreciation for fiscal conservatism, calling every big business the result of "a small business suceess story."

"Your potential as an individual is unlimited," Sauter added. "A government should strive to allow all to achieve that potential, unfettered by the undue burden of oppressive taxation."

We'd say that's worth taking a beating over. But that this happened in Austin, Texas, is a black eye for our entire city as well as yet another blow to free speech.

Gateway Pundit's coverage by Lucian Wintrich may be read at:
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/02/gay-trump-supporter-beaten


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Image credit: Scott Sauter

5 comments:

  1. Can you please post the police report, even if you want to redact the accused's name?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alas, there's not much info there. You can type in "2017-300064" at https://www.austintexas.gov/police/reports/index.cfm and see what we saw.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. what little info there is on this report does not support your post. the incident happened at 1515 WICKERSHAM LN, AUSTIN 78741 - a residential community - and a considerable distance from the New Movement Theater and downtown austin.

      Delete
    2. Injury assault near the man's apartment. That's all we need to know. The rest is Scott's own testimony, and we admittedly took the man at his word for contextual purposes. We have no information on the alleged assailant at this time so Scott is the only source we have.

      We'll have more as this situation unfolds, and since it's going to litigation then we will proceed carefully. Stay tuned.

      Delete
  3. Austin is a sanctuary city, so I guess the perp thought no one is allowed to support Trump openly.

    ReplyDelete

We strongly support the First Amendment. But we ask that you keep it friendly and PG.