A first-year University Law student was involved in an altercation with attendees at a campaign rally held yesterday for Sen. George Allen, R-Va., after asking the Senator if he spat on his first wife.
Wilfred Michael Stark, a self-described "registered Democrat," said he began questioning Allen after he finished his speech and was standing about five feet away from the senator as he followed him from the conference room into the lobby of the Omni Hotel in Charlottesville. Once in the lobby, Stark said he asked the senator about his treatment of his first wife.
"Senator, is it true that you spit on your first wife?" Stark asked, first when he was following Allen into the lobby and later, once Allen had proceeded down the hallway.
According to Stark, an attendee remarked that he was getting "too personal" and pushed Stark down to the ground.
"There was pushing," Stark said. "I don't know who pushed me; I just tried to keep my eye on Sen. Allen the entire time. More and more people were trying to create a human wall and keep me out of the range of Sen. Allen."
Video of the event was later posted on several news sites.
Robert P. Hodous, former chair of the Charlottesville GOP, heard Stark question Allen and dismissed the episode.
"To me, this is just one of those side things that doesn't affect the campaign," he said. "He was probably just looking for his 15 seconds of fame.
Stark maintains that he questioned Allen as any civically responsible citizen might.
"I think, as a constituent, I'm entirely within my rights to ask him difficult questions," he said. "I don't think that every question a senator is asked should be an easy question to answer. I think we should hold these people accountable -- they teach us this in junior high."
A statement released by the Allen campaign contended that Stark pushed an Allen campaign staff member and continued to question the senator. The statement added that campaign volunteers later attempted to "restrain" Stark and asked him to leave the hotel building.
This is not the first time Stark has publicly heckled Allen. In August after a rally held in Staunton, Stark asked Allen if he had ever used the "n-word," to which Allen answered that he had not, Stark said.
Stark has never questioned Allen's opponent, Democratic candidate Jim Webb.
"I've never seen Jim Webb," Stark said. "I'm not out to get Jim Webb fired, I'm out to get my senator fired."
Buddy Weber, vice-chair of issues for the Charlottesville GOP, said the scuffle will not affect Allen's campaign.
"This is not going to hurt George Allen," he said. "It's a tight race right now, but something like this will not hurt George Allen as much as it wouldn't hurt Jim Webb."
Stark said although he filed a complaint and "signed paperwork," he is unsure of the legal process that will follow the altercation. Stark said he was told video footage would be viewed before any charges were made.
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