A Democratic Congressional candidate in New Hampshire was caught on film strong-arming one of her opponent’s staffers, snatching his camera and yelling "Eff him" during a Obama campaign event featuring Vice President Joe Biden, according to a copy of the video obtained by the Free Beacon.
New Hampshire Democrat Ann Kuster was attending an event in Concord with Vice President Biden last week when one of her opponent’s staffers approached her with a video camera.
Kuster is locked in a tough election battle with Republican Rep. Charlie Bass, who beat her in a close race in 2008.
Bass’ staffer, who was tracking the candidate, approaches Kuster and says, "Annie, Annie … Annie. Hi."
Without responding, Kuster can be seen aggressively grabbing the camera and refusing to give it back.
"Can I get the camera back?" says the Bass staffer. "Are you kidding me?"
"You’re harassing me," Kuster responds. "I’ll call Charlie [Bass] and I’ll tell him when he can have the camera back."
Kuster then proceeds to walk away and loudly exclaim, "Eff him!"
The Bass campaign said that Kuster’s behavior is out of line.
"It is routine for candidates at public events to be asked on camera about their opinions and positions," Bass campaign spokesman Scott Tranchemontagne told the Free Beacon. "What makes this incident unusual is that the candidate ripped the camera out of the hand of someone attempting to ask her a question, refused to return it, and then verbally insulted him."
"With this Bass staffer's aggressive behavior reflecting the new low in Washington, no wonder no one can work together," Garrick Delzell, Kuster's campaign manager, wrote in an email to the New Hampshire Union Leader Tuesday night. "After Congressman Bass sent his campaign staffer to constantly and repeatedly interrupt and harass Annie while she was having private conversations in a public space, she briefly blocked the camera from hitting her in the face and let him know his aggressive behavior was harassing her, while handing the camera to a bystander to return to him."
Kuster’s actions and sharp language show that she is too unstable for Congress, said a spokesperson for the National Republic Congressional Committee.
"It appears as though we’ve seen a troubling moment of candor from Ann Kuster," NRCC spokesman Nat Sillin told the Free Beacon. "Her policies are too radical and extreme for common sense Granite State voters, and it appears her behavior is too."