Today, former CNN anchor and current Oro Valley Town Councilman Lou Waters got into a physical altercation with a member of the public who was part of the small contingent delivering recall petitions to Town Hall against Mayor Satish Hiremath. Waters, who himself is the subject of a recall, joined other supporters of Hiremath in forming a gauntlet through which recall organizers were forced to walk.
According to sources, after a local morning talk show revealed that the organizers of the recall would be delivering the recall petitions to Town Hall, supporters of Hiremath organized an intimidation campaign. Oro Valley plain clothes officers as well as uniformed patrol men stood by as the group of about 10 residents walked through the narrow path created by Hiremath supporters wearing red t-shirts while Waters moved close to residents to snap their pictures in what was described as an even more intimidating manner.
One of the recall supporters, a retired senior law enforcement officer from another jurisdiction, was vocal and Waters lunged at the man causing him to fall. Sources say the man stood up and entered the Town Hall and demanded to be allowed to file a police report. His request was denied as Waters gathered local police to discuss what had occurred.
Thirty minutes later, the police returned to talk to the resident and advised him that he would be cited instead. According to witnesses, one officer explained that they could not charge Waters, “because he is our boss.”
Oro Valley Police now claim, in a Facebook post, that the resident, Thomas Kamoske, age 63, was caught on video “deliberately falling to the ground.”
According to one resident who asked not to be identified, Waters blocked his exit from the building as well. As a result, residents are considering pursuing a civil rights violation claim. Residents say that they do not understand why the police stood by and allowed the pro-Hiremath crowd to intimidate them and make passage difficult.
Organizers delivered 3,442 signatures to the Town Clerk. A total of only 2765 were needed to force a recall of the Mayor.
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