Two charged with
assaulting census workers
The Associated Press
HARRINGTON — Police in Maine are investigating separate incidents in which they say U.S. Census workers were assaulted while doing their jobs.
Police say 61-year-old Wesley Storer of Bar Harbor was arrested March 1 and charged with criminal restraint and theft for allegedly tearing the identification badge off a census worker's lanyard and preventing the woman from leaving a building he owns.
On Friday a Brooksville man was issued a summons after allegedly assaulting a census worker on his doorstep.
The Bangor Daily News says 53-year-old James Swift allegedly assaulted the woman after she had knocked on his door and prepared to leave after placing census documents on his doorknob.
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30 COMMENTS
Godless said...
Stay classy, Mainers.
March 9, 2010 at 10:46 AM Report abuse
Bacon said...
While I agree that both of these incidents are irreprehensible, if you tell anyone to leave your property, incuding a census worker, you have a right to use physical force to terminate what will have turned into a criminal trespass at that point.
March 9, 2010 at 11:01 AM Report abuse
Kidatheart said...
Errrrrrr, Bacon...One was restrained from leaving...One was leaving after trying to leave the census form on the door knob. They were bth in the act of leaving.Crimnal trespass? Hardly. Assault? Quite possibly.
March 9, 2010 at 11:31 AM Report abuse
Hipupchuck said...
Attacking a federal official is....well you might as well attack a cop.
March 9, 2010 at 12:00 PM Report abuse
ModerateOne said...
Hey Bacon, did you feel the same way when Obama's friend Henry Gates asked to cop to leave his property?
March 9, 2010 at 12:01 PM Report abuse
Festus2 said...
Now weknow why census jobs pay so well. Also, I really don't care for your new site. I signed in to comment and had to wade through all manner of cyber bullcrap of site services, membwer information solicitations, not to memtion the mine field that is pop ups to the max, and having to probe for local news that was once presentation on the first page. I've been a fan of thwe PPH site for 12 years, but will now bw deleting from my "favorites".
March 9, 2010 at 12:02 PM Report abuse
BlueEyes2 said...
Ummm,Bacon,how about calling the police if they felt these women were trespassing? Did these men fear they were going to be slapped silly with the cencus papers? Let these folks do their jobs!
March 9, 2010 at 12:08 PM Report abuse
Maclyra said...
Storer & Swift sound like some real neighborly whack jobs, (bacon boy included) These people (census workers) are trying to do a job. A job provided by our goverment in a time of economic slowness that may have left them with few other job choice. If you don't like other people on your blessed sacred property, put up signs that say "No Tresspassing" I'll bet you'll have less visitiors. Creepy paranoid nutbags. Move to a one room shack in Montanna and wait for the saucer people.
March 9, 2010 at 12:17 PM Report abuse
Pilllory said...
Census takers don't get paid well enough to take the greif they take, minor assaults and sometimes major dog issues. I have heard of one person who was on unemployment and "had" to take the census job because it was offered. The job is temporary and they won't make enough to get back on to unemployment bene's when it's done. They have to hope like crazy they get a "real job" before long. There's got to be a safer more effective and efficient way to enumerate our population in this day and age.
March 9, 2010 at 12:21 PM Report abuse
weatherfreak said...
This is to be expected. Census workers just enrage Mainers.
March 9, 2010 at 12:33 PM Report abuse
Biddy said...
In today's environment being a census worker is a dangerous job. They should supply them with pepper spray.
March 9, 2010 at 12:39 PM Report abuse
JazzBox said...
hmmmm.... noticeably absent be the usual haters. These fine upstanding Americans were simply defending their right to live on their own, off the grid, away from society and the evil forces that hope to drown their dreams in a sea of socialism. Let thy Cameron go.
March 9, 2010 at 12:50 PM Report abuse
Chinook said...
Republicans are sometimes stupid and sometimes evil but most often both.
March 9, 2010 at 1:31 PM Report abuse
Jack said...
These guys sound like real men to me.Assaulting women shows real class not to mention rare courage.If you do not want to deal with the census worker simply say so and close the door.
March 9, 2010 at 1:46 PM Report abuse
Bacon said...
I forgot to add to my comment that the trespasser must be given an opportunity to leave your property on his or her own, you do not have the right to just assault anyone who happens to show up on your doorstep... Let me be clear, i do not condone or in any way support the actions of the people portrayed in this story, what they did was wrong, illegal and they should be held accountable... I was only trying to make a point, that we as property owners have a right to protect and defend what is ours, using reasonable physical force if it becomes neccisary. I'm sorry if my comment caused any confusion.
March 9, 2010 at 1:54 PM Report abuse
Festus2 said...
Census workers are not Federal Agents. Call the police? There's no police in most of rural Maine. The Census bureau is recruiting using hand written signs on telephone poles at the Lebanon dump. I am sure that they will get the best of the best with this method of communication.
March 9, 2010 at 5:11 PM Report abuse
UofA said...
AND A CHINOOK IS NOTHING BUT A LOT OF WIND!
March 9, 2010 at 7:03 PM Report abuse
TheSaint said...
The assailants were registered RepubliCons I'm told. The RepubliCon party of no, no, no, is a disgrace to the legacy of Ronald Reagan. A good RepubliCon is one that just had their funeral service.
March 9, 2010 at 9:08 PM Report abuse
IMPistov said...
There is a sign at the end of my long driveway that says no solicitors, jehova's witnesses and cencus takers. Next to the sign is a picture of my 125# Rottie...
March 9, 2010 at 10:10 PM Report abuse
mungo said...
Maine just lost two jerks from our census count and a federal prison somewhere just gained two.
March 9, 2010 at 10:36 PM Report abuse
AKMaineiac said...
They mailed mine... haven't gotten around to filling it out yet... wonder at the one sitting in my mailbox at home... or being forwarded to me. That's why I am holding off on it... which one do I fill out?
March 9, 2010 at 11:53 PM Report abuse
jake007 said...
"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti" Dr Lecter
March 10, 2010 at 6:19 AM Report abuse
TheSaint said...
The results of this current census is expected to show a steep climb in minorities becoming the majority. You see the trend starting in Maine to a lesser degree but developing. Travel to NY, NJ, FL, VA, and CA to really see the sharp increase in minority populations exploding. Pretty soon us 'whities' might just get our shot at picking cotton, cleaning hotel rooms, and any other job we can get. To all you bigots who can't tolerate the current President because of skin color - get use to it! More to come, and some day your boss will likely have a different shade of color than your use to. I've already had one myself.
March 10, 2010 at 8:38 AM Report abuse
Chris said...
I had a census worker come to my house a year or so ago. She was very pushy. She called me 3 times and she kept stopping by and leaving notes on my door. I am a working mom working two jobs. I told her I did not have time to meet with her. She told me it was the law and that I had to meet with her. She threatened me and said that I had no choice but to meet with her cause it was required and I would be charged with legal action if I didn't meet with her.
March 10, 2010 at 8:38 AM Report abuse
Reader said...
Chris, the last census was in 2000, not a year or so ago. The law is indeed that you have to either submit the census form yourself or fill it out with the census taker.
March 10, 2010 at 10:09 AM Report abuse
Gwedd said...
The only thing the Constitution requires is the number of citizens living in your household. Everything else is crap. I will NOT be filling out any census forms. The White House has already made clear their intention to commit fraud by counting illegals, and inflating numbers to help gerrymander districts to keep leftists in power. Obama is a filthy liar, and the sooner he's out of office, the better for all citizens.
March 10, 2010 at 11:12 AM Report abuse
SilentK_ said...
Census worker just left my house in the woods of Casco - she was not harmed - we are friendly folks. BUT.. I wouldn't want to randomly knock on doors out in the Maine woods.
March 10, 2010 at 11:14 AM Report abuse
TechHead said...
For those of you advocating life "off of the grid" - the Census is mandated by the Constitution, Article 1, Section 2. If you want your 2nd Amendment rights, you gotta accept the rest, too.
March 10, 2010 at 11:26 AM Report abuse
Chris said...
Thanks Reader. I can't remember what type of census/questionnaire she was doing. I do remember that the lady lived in China and that I did receive a letter from the government. I asked her to leave the form and I would mail and she said "NO" that she had to see me. She was really pushy too as she was calling sometimes twice a day and stopping by and leaving messages on my door daily. I did call her and explained that I worked two jobs and I had gotten her messages and asked her to please stop harrassing me and I would call when I had a moment. This article has educated me lots as to my rights. Next time a someone shows up and is pushy/harrassing again, I will be sure to contact their supervisor and even higher up. Thanks to all this advice, next time I will only answer the one question that I have to.
March 10, 2010 at 11:36 AM Report abuse
AKMaineiac said...
Whatever race or sex my boss happens to be is of little concern to me. If they're competent and fair I can work with them. If they're not, I work for them the best I can anyway. Eventually it is going to come down to what you know, when the rubber meets the road. Nobody knows the reasons behind the attacks, nothing was stated in the articles. Nobody here appears to know either of these men. All you people are doing is demonstrating your own biases and prejudices. Nothing more.
March 10, 2010 at 10:38 PM Report abuse