TRANSCRIPTS OF THREE KNAZ TV REPORTS ON PROTEST AT ELDON KRAMER’S HOUSE. (MAY 2, MAY 7, JULY 7)

MAY 2, 2004 REPORT:

NICOLE MICENSIK: Local politics and negative campaigning continues. A protest Saturday in Flagstaff has some calling it a new low in politics. Others say it was just an honest mistake. The protest Saturday was outside the home of Flagstaff City Council Candidate Eldon Kramer. Protesters say they decided to go to the house because they read in the newspaper that a public political meeting of local Republicans was being held there. But Kramer says the event had been canceled for weeks and is angered at seeing protesters at his house.

LISA RAYNER: I would have never even thought of going to their house if it had not been an open house that specifically says, all invited and if they had not also said so many lies during their campaign.

MICENSIK: Rayner says those lies stem from mailings she’s received at her home from Citizens for Sensible Government. But Kramer says he is not affiliated with that organization.

ELDON KRAMER: I’m not part of that campaign. Uh, I know some of the people who are part of it, friends of mine. But I have nothing to do with that campaign.

MICENSIK: Kramer says he’s disturbed by the protesting at his home.

KRAMER: Oh I think this is stooping to a new low. I would certainly not be doing picketing in front of my incumbents homes.

MICENSIK: Flagstaff resident Mike Souris saw the protest and agrees.

SOURIS: I’m in shock. I’m a 35-year resident of this community and I’ve seen lots of heated campaigns. I have never seen it taken to the doorsteps of a private citizen.

MICENSIK: Rayner says people were showing their support as they drove by.

RAYNER: We had a few cars come by and the majority of people were actually giving us thumbs up and saying out their window that they supported what we were doing.

MICENSIK: But NAU political science professor Dr. Fred Solop says in general, negative campaigning affects voter turnout.

SOLOP: Depresses the turnout that essentially you’re not encouraging people to vote for something, you’re telling people that the system is full of lies and that it’s nothing to be involved in. It increases cynicism in the community.

MICENSIK: Kramer says he’s planning on taking legal action.

KRAMER: Monday morning I plan on filing a police report on this. I think when people come into your neighborhood and, uh, slander you like this, and harass you, and take pictures of your home, this is serious.

MICENSIK: Now while one protester’s sign did have Kara Kelty and Karen Cooper’s names, they were not affiliated with this protest in any way. 

END OF MAY 2 REPORT.

MAY 7 REPORT:

MICENSIK: Good evening, I’m Nicole Micensik, in for Heidi Goitia. Three Flagstaff political activists are facing legal trouble after protesting last week outside the home of City Council Candidate Eldon Kramer. State law makes it illegal to demonstrate in a residential neighborhood. Heidi Goitia joins us tonight with more, Heidi …

GOITIA: Nicole, the protesters were cited on Wednesday but they’re already preparing to fight the charge. They claim they have a right to free speech and they say the law in question is unconstitutional.

BUELL: We know that Eldon Kramer plays hardball.

GOITIA: Bill Buell says he isn’t surprised City Council candidate Eldon Kramer went to police after a protest was held outside his home.

BUELL: And so we expect anything from him, but we thought the law was entirely on our side.

GOITIA: But it’s not. Buell is one of three people who have been cited for the demonstration. They say they’re surprised the state law even exists.

FRAZIER: We have a right to peacefully assemble and a right to voice our opinions on political matters. And this law clearly tramples on those rights.

GOITIA: In Arizona it’s a misdemeanor to picket in a residential neighborhood unless the specific home is also a place of business. In this case, it isn’t, but according to the newspaper, it was supposed to be the site of a public political meeting.

FRAZIER: I think it is also very important to remember that this protest was held during what was supposed to be an open house, a Republican open house, and he claims that that event was canceled, and maybe it was, but we had no way of knowing that.

GOITIA: Eldon Kramer says that doesn’t matter.

KRAMER: Whether I had a public meeting there or not didn’t mean that they could do a picketing because it’s against the law to picket in a residential area.

GOITIA: He says he’d like to see it resolved peacefully but Frazier has already prepared a letter to the ACLU. He hopes they can help fight the charge.

FRAZIER: Well whatever we can do to change the law is what we are going to do, and if it, if it ends up that you know this is a blemish on our records, that’s unfortunate but we will, uh, go forward.

GOITIA: Until he says, the law is changed. Heidi Goitia, Two-News.

MICENSIK: Frazier’s wife, Lisa Rayner was also cited. The three must appear in court next Wednesday.

END OF MAY 7 REPORT.

JULY 7 REPORT:

JENNIFER BURGESS: Well three Flagstaff activists caught protesting outside of a City Council candidate’s home say they’re taking action. This after charges against them were dropped after they appeared in court for residential picketing which is a misdemeanor. Brandon Klein (sp.?) has reaction from the protesters.

BRANDON: Charges have been dismissed against three Flagstaff activists who protested outside council candidate Eldon Kramer’s home in May.

DAN FRAZIER: In order to be in violation of the statute, you have to intend to harass, annoy or alarm a resident.

BRANDON: It’s called "Residential Picketing." The activists say they didn’t harass but Eldon Kramer says that’s not true.

KRAMER: When they’re holding up signs saying that Kramer’s crooked, and holding this up so all my neighbor’s driving by and …

BRANDON: The three gathered outside for what they call a peaceful protest. But the next day Eldon Kramer filed a complaint with Flagstaff police claiming they violated the City statute.

KRAMER: One of the individuals took a picture of the front of my home. And I had heard about activists putting pictures of homes on Web sites and so forth.

BRANDON: But the three contend that they did nothing wrong.

LISA RAYNER: My sign said "Dirty Campaigning is Undemocratic" and the sign referred to the Citizens for Sensible Government campaign.

BRANDON: Kramer claimed no affiliation with CSG. Bill Buell says the case was hanging over his head for the past two months because he didn’t want a criminal record, not even at his age.

BUELL: I didn’t want any criminal charge on my record. I mean I’m 80 years old and haven’t had one so far and I didn’t want one now.

BRANDON: If found guilty, the three each faced 30 days in jail and up to $500 in fines. Brandon Klein, Two-News.

END JULY 7 REPORT