Heckler gets the beatdown at Allen event

Heckler Subdued at Virginia Senate Event - New York Times Heckler Subdued at Virginia Senate Event By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 31 (AP) — A heckler who confronted Senator George Allen, Republican of Virginia, at a campaign appearance on Tuesday was put in a chokehold and thrown to the floor by three of Mr. Allen’s supporters in an incident captured on video. Mike Stark, a first-year law student at the University of Virginia, had hinted in his blog, “Calling All Wingnuts,” that he would try to provoke Mr. Allen before the TV cameras. Mr. Stark approached Mr. Allen at an event in Charlottesville, loudly asking, “Why did you spit at your first wife, George?” witnesses said. Three men, all wearing blue Allen lapel stickers, grabbed Mr. Stark, dragged him backward and threw him to the floor outside a hotel meeting room, according to video captured by WVIR-TV in Charlottesville. Mr. Allen’s campaign said in a news release that Mr. Stark “aggressively went after Senator Allen” and was “screaming that he answer inappropriate questions.” It also said Mr. Stark pushed an Allen staff member. Mr. Stark said in a telephone interview: “I am a constituent. I am allowed to ask my U.S. senator questions.” A new statewide poll conducted for CNN showed Mr. Allen’s Democratic challenger, Jim Webb, a former secretary of the Navy, with a slight lead in a race that could help determine whether Republicans retain control of the Senate.