Some locals say Todd Blodgett is “trigger-happy”
CLEAR LAKE – Clear Lake police officers were called to a Rumorz Bar on the city’s South Shore Drive on June 27, where they arrested two carnival workers for robbing a patron of his wallet and cash.
According to police reports, carnival workers Corey Tangman and Randale Logan worked together in stealing the wallet and cash of Todd Blodgett, 51, who was sitting with friends at a table on the bar’s outdoor patio.
According to accounts from bystanders, around 11:15 p.m. on June 26, several carnival workers arrived at the establishment. Some of the carnival employees took their drinks outside, where three of them joined Blodgett’s table. While seated next to Logan, Blodgett noticed that his billfold was no longer in his back pocket. A heated argument ensued, with Blodgett accusing Logan of having stolen his wallet. “There was never any question about his having stolen my billfold,” Blodgett said. “And I made it very clear to him that he’d either return it to me intact, or face consequences not to his liking.”
While Blodgett argued with Logan, Tangman and other carnival workers left Rumorz in a van.
“Once I realized that the others took off as Logan and I had it out, their guilt was obvious. I decided right then and there that there was no way this guy was going to leave the bar until the matter was resolved to my satisfaction.”
The carnival worker continued to deny having stolen anything, and told those present that he’d “done time in federal prison.” He then said, “why would I do anything that could get me sent back to prison?”
Blodgett said, “Lots of thieves are dumb, and it looks like you’re one of them.”
This angered Logan, whose wife told him to “cool it”, and “don’t do anything stupid.” According to locals familiar with Todd Blodgett, the ultra-conservative political strategist is known to be “trigger-happy,” so Logan may have been plying with fire.
Logan then offered to “go dumpster-diving” in an effort to locate the billfold and cash. Blodgett agreed, but accompanied the man outside.
Returning to the bar a short time later, Logan produced the wallet, including credit cards, drivers license, and concealed carry permit. But the money, which Blodgett told police was “about $500”, was gone. Logan said he’d gotten the billfold from a garbage bag he retrieved from the dumpster behind the building.
“Someone called 911,” Blodgett said, “and it’s a good thing for that thief they did. The police arrived just as I assured the guy I’d get my money back, one way or another. He said he wanted to go to Lufkin, Texas. I told him that if I didn’t get my money back, he was as close to Texas as he’d ever get.”
After the conversation with Blodgett, and being questioned by Clear Lake police, Logan confessed to his role in the theft. He also provided police with the name and whereabouts of his co-conspirator.
“It was almost comical,” Blodgett said. “This scrofulous liar actually told the cops that a witness to his theft hadn’t even been at Rumorz to see him steal! Unfortunately for the thief, the lady that Mr. Logan claimed hadn’t been there, who saw him steal, is a regular at the bar.”
That woman, whose name is being left out of this story, ID’d Logan as having had Blodgett’s wallet. “She didn’t realize at the time she saw Logan earlier that the wallet was mine, and not Mr. Logan’s.”
Police then took Logan into custody, and later located Tangman, who was staying in a mobile home down the street with other employees of the carnival.
Both men were arrested, charged with fourth and fifth degree theft, and held on bonds of $300 and $1,000. Police were able to recover $410 of Blodgett’s cash, which is being held as evidence until the case goes to trial. Both men are expected to plead guilty.
An employee of Rumorz who answered the phone Thursday confirmed the incident but could offer no other details, per the instructions of her bosses.
Blodgett, when contacted for comment, said that he has seen purses and wallets left unattended “countless times” at Rumorz by patrons at tables and at the bar and “never once witnessed an issue. I feel this was a completely isolated incident.”
Clear Lake police confirmed this incident Friday morning, saying that both men played a part in the wallet theft.
Tangman and Logan remain in jail Friday.
Tangman, Corey David
Logan, Randale Lee
SUBJECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
So really, what does your rant have to do with a seven year old story. Did josh joyce and his whole family, steal your purse.
carneys aren’t human and they should be strung up in front of other carneys for as little as causing women and children even the slightest amount of discomfort, josh joyce and his whole family are carneys, so yea that right there should illustrate the point that carneys are not human beings and should be culled, yearly.
taking out politics & personal opinions…
todd is a human. and humans have feelings, emotions, and reactions.
if you got punched at a bar for hitting on a chick…you will either learn to defend yourself if you get into another confrontation, or you would turn into a coward.
so if you choose to defend yourself, someone steals your wallet. how would you react?
the semantics are what they are, but rich or poor, republican or democrat, we are all human.
you don’t steal peoples’ money. point blank. if no money was stolen there would be no issues up for discussion.
Lakerforever are you serious. You got the info from a lady who talked to a lady who was the wife of a carney so you believe it all. Got some nice land for sale in south Florida if you are interested.
Anonymous, right, it’s as yet not established that Blodgett had a gun at the bar. I have also read his opinions on the Globe and think it’s unlikely that had he had a gun on him, he’d not have used it. Like you say, not to kill, but to deter. Telephone game, right.
Maybe the carnys that robbed him where jews trying to get reperations.
Blodgett tough guy not,he got punched out East years ago by some guy because he wouldn’t leave a women alone in a bar in Hillsboro go drinking with your skinhead buddies lately?Wouldn’t be anything without Daddy Gary $.
Anonymous, you are just twisting the knife when you say stuff like that. The man arrested by MCPD shot a gun at a car load of people, no telling how many of them were innocent people. Should have let police do what they do and maybe solve the problem. Maybe you should read the law, if you did you would know there is this thing called excessive force. Blodget has been known to do that. Blodget had a right to be mad at this theft but no right to threaten anyone with a gun. Didn’t the cops get his money back after all? Okay. John Wayne is dead but yahoos like you and this Mason city shooter and Blodget need to wake up and start living in our 21st century.
Justice was served but it wasn’t legal. Blodget pulled a gun on that man, when he got the guy to go back again behind the bar, at their dumpster. That’s what I heard anyway. I got this from a women who said she got it straight from the carny’s wife and another carney she talked to the next day down town when they were trying to raise bail. Any body who is glad about that must think that Blodget style justice is the way it ought to be, but I do not think so. Hell no. I think Blodget should also go to jail, but that won’t happen. Having conceal carry does not give you the right to pull your gun on somebody over a little bit of money, no matter who you are. Let the system help you sort it all out and don’t threaten.
I bet your opinion would change if they stole your money. You must also agree with MCPD arresting the home owner for shooting at the kid committing a felony in Mason City on the 4th.
I hardly think that the carneys wife should be considered a reliable source. She is a hostile witness and will do or say whatever to lessen the fault of her husband. And when did Blodgett pull a gun? This reminds me of the childrens game ‘telephone’, suddenly a gun materialized out of thin air and was used against the carney thief. Seriously, if anybody has followed Todd’s blogs, had he had a gun on him at the time he probably would have shot the carney in the ass for good measure, and I can’t say I disagree…not to kill, just as a deterrant for the next time criminal thoughts squeeze their way into his pea brain…it is time to treat criminals like criminals and quit worrying about thier rights!
Way to go for being the bigger person and not beating the crap out of the guy like most guys at a bar would do… very smart move and it’s nice to see justice served!
I think anybody who thinks that Todd Blodgett may be blogging on here under any name other than his own is wrong. And not just for the reasons given by Anonymous, either. Todd likes to think of himself as a rebel, going to places like the bar in the story, guns, ect. But he’s an establishment kind of guy the whole way thru. That means he blogs on the Globe when he does blog, not here. I’m a Democrat and don’t care for his politics, but it would not be like him to hide what he thinks behind some fake name. He also tends to get real personal against people he disagrees with, and these things you say might be something he blogged don’t look like something he would say or in the way he would say it. Todd just comes right out and says his piece, if he thought a way about something and took the time to type it up, he would want to get the credit for doing that. I guess what I’m saying is that if he was on here he would be up-front about it all and not do it with a kind of shield he has never been the kind of person to use. I bet anyone who might not agree with me on this do not know him.
Small wonder Blodgett likes to go slumming at Rumorz, like Polio says. To get away from people with nothing better to do than to make speculation about him. You are so obsessed with him I expect we will be reading about how you stalked the man any day from now. From what I know about the guy, if he was on here he would first of all identify himself as himself. Second of all he would be firing away at you with both barrels, so to speak. Third of all from what I know he only blogs on the Globe. Go ahead why don’t you go and stalk this man who seems to inhabit your thoughts. I bet it will be very fun to read all about how he reacts to it.
I went to high school with Todd. You are right on the money about him being crazy like a fox. Also about him saying what he thinks and not giving a damn about what anybody thinks about what he tells them. Todd’s thing is he wants to do his thing and he hates rules. I am not saying he is a hypocrite there, but when he thinks he’s right, there is no stopping him from doing things the way he wants to. That is how he is even when he’s wrong. That is how he is even if it means taking things farther than most people do. He sees things a certain way and that is how he does them. He is the same as he was back in high school. He got away with it most times back then, just like now.
I heard that Blodgett did pull a gun on the carny, when the two of them were out by the dumpster. Blodgett may be crazy, but he’s crazy like a fox. What else could explain why he insisted on going with the carny out to the dumpster, just those two? Blodgett had 20 years on the carny, and everyone knows he isn’t a tough guy. That carny probably thought he’d knock Blodgett a good one but didn’t realize that Blodgett was one step ahead of him. From this article, and the police report, and from the carny’s statement, and from what all the bystanders said, and from what they’re saying on the street, the word is that once the carny came back inside Rumorz with Blodgett, he went from saying he had nothing to do with the theft to writing out a full confession for the Clear Lake cops. Then the carny even gave up his accomplice. That doesn’t just happen for no reason. That carny probably thinks he’s lucky to be in jail, because the alternative that Blodgett showed him is even worse. And no, I am not Todd Blodgett.
Ok now we got the Happyguy saying I am Blodgett. First off, you must not know the man because that is not how he works. Like MV said Todd don’t care what people thinks about what he says, he speaks his mind and he does not care about how you or I or anybody else might take it or not. If he was on here he would use his real name and that can be both good and bad. But thats how he is. As far as what you said about speaking poorly, who are you to say. Your the expert on here are you ok if thats what you want to think. Your sure not a expert about who I am.
VV “Your the expert on here are you ok if thats what you want to think. Your sure not a expert about who I am.”
That should read…You’re (you are) the expert on here (I don’t know what you are trying to say in the rest of that sentence.) You’re (you are) sure not an expert about who I am.
The one thing I am pretty sure of about you is that you failed grammar class in school.
The thing you are right about however is the fact that I don’t know the man. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like him though. He is way to far out in right field for me.
Boss man I think you are the one blowing smoke, specially about how you think Todd might have had his own gun used against him if he had pulled it on the man who took his money. I do not know Blodgett Jr but my neighbor’s son is good friends with him. She told me it wouldn’t surprise her if he did let his gun do the talking, and if so I say good!!!!!!! My coworker also thinks this is very possible. I do not usually agree with what Todd Blodgett says on the globe blog pages but I always voted for his dad. I do like how Todd took on the people who stole his money and got it back, and now that those guys are in jail everyone is safer.
I got no idea how many states he can carry a gun legal in, Happy. And I dont know if he had a gun on him Wendsday night. But like I said me and my lady was there and seen it all go down. We was at the next table from where Blodgett was, heard it all start to finish. I do think if a fight would of began the carny would of kicked Blodget’s ass. But some times people gets angry enough that they can pull it off.
VV…the reason I think you are the real Todd is because no one speaks or writes the english language that poorly. I think you are Todd trying to throw us off track.
I do not believe that is Todd. No where near the way he blogs. I have read TONS of his blogs. Besides he always uses his real name, i think it is stupid but he does not care what he says to anyone. Sorry but you are wrong…not him. Course now you’ll probably think that i’m him…lol.
It’s Todd all right. No one types with fairly advanced story-telling skills, but with horrible grammar.
Polio your wrong saying us patrons of Rumors is slumming. I been going to Rumors now since I moved here 4 years and it is a clean place. They got tasty food and a nice farm couple is the owners. Not slumming. They don’t overcharge nobody and as far as what you said about Mr. Blodget talking campaign talk. I have spoke to him many a time there, he is a nice guy. And he don’t even talk about politics unless somebody brings it up. My only problem with Blodget is he plays too damn much Dean Martin and Elvis on the jukebox.
This one is written by Todd as well. Must take concentration to space out the grammatical errors.
Why does it matter if Blodget could or couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag? From what the police and everyone there said, he wasn’t gonna let a couple carneys roll him. Bravo. If Blodget had a gun, so what, as long as its legal. So he’s a comedian, huh? I bet the two carneys in jail don’t think he is funny, because they know they sure picked the wrong guy to steal from.
We don’t agree on politics, Todd, but I do admire the way you stood up to those thieves! Way to go!
Good for you, Todd.
Sarge a lady I work with was there at Rumorz that night, she told me just about the same thing that Vince said. What gets me is some people think that Todd asked for this trouble. He was minding his own business and talking with his own friends. Was it his fault that the carneys teamed up and stole from him? No. I think it’s a good thing when anybody stands up to somebody takes their stuff.
Oh yes and I all most forgot to say that when the carny that took Blodgett’s wallet was arguing with Blodgett the carnys wife told Blodgett that her man was not raise by his daddy to lie to nobody. Blodgett said well his daddy didnt raise him to go to prison either but he did didnt he. That made the carny very mad and his wife told him to not do nothing stupid. Blodgett said to the carnys wife honey its to late for that.
And you were paid how much to remember all of this?
Me and my girl was there on the night in question. I seen Blodgett come in, he went straight to the patio, some lady name Brenda and her husband name of Jeff are friends of his and he sat down with them and they bought him a drink. It was Jack Daniel and root beer. Anyway the carny people was mainly inside the bar playing pool talking and all, and about 4 of them come out to the patio. Two guys and some fat chick sat down at the table Blodgett was at. We didnt know anything was wrong till Blodgett starts mixing it up with the carny dude right next to him. I thought a fight would of broke out which in my opinion Blodgett would of lost. But he stood his ground, didnt take no shit from them and the other carny dudes left in a hurry with some other carny people in a van. Blodgett walked out after them carnys but they was pulling out as he got outside. So then Blodgett come back in and the other guy is talking with a lady he said was his wife. The rest of the story and all is just like it has been report here. When the carny told Blodgett he was going go dumster diving Blodgett went outside with him, and a couple other customers from the bar. Blodgett told the other people there that he was going to walk back to the dumster with the carny, just them too and when they come back, the carny have Blodgetts wallet but no money. With in a few minutes of making excuses to Blodgett which didnt sit well with him, Blodgett got the carny to tell his lady to let them talk by themselfs. A couple minutes later the cops got there and the carny made a full confestion and ratted out his buddy who also had some of Blogett’s money. It is true that Blodgett is not a tough guy, but I never have know him to act like no high roller or nothing like that. He and I are not friends but hes always nice to me and my lady. What ever he must of told the carny when them two was out by the dumster must of work pretty good because when the two of them come back into Rumers the carny had a big change of heart. That is what I seen and I was there.
is your real name Todd Blodgett?
Nice Job Todd! Glad you got your stuff back. Way to hand it to these losers!
Ha!! Great job, Todd!! We have blogged a bit before…used to be neighbors on Kentucky Court!! I think this had a wonderful turnout….all criminals should have the same fate as this brainiac! Will be at the lake this weekend…will reintroduce if I see you!! And you can buy me a drink since you carry more $ than I do!! winkwink!! LOL
Psh…I was recently told at a family event to leave my purse sitting at a table. There were plenty of officers at the event. Haha!
Todd You Are Awesome. Please Don’t Ever Change.
All kidding aside, with the # of people carrying these days, only a matter of time tell this scum in N. Iowa picks the wrong guy or the wrong house to rob.
If they would have both been shot, would anybody really have cared? Just two less low life in N. Iowa
HAHAHAHAWAAAHAHAHA, That Blodgett is a comedian. BTW he couldn’t fight his way out a wet paper bag.
What the hell does physical attributes have to do with anything, you asshat. Does this mean it’s OK in your book, to rob defenseless old ladies, too?
Where theres smoke theres fire. Luckily for Blodgett the smokes just up his ass and not the smoking barrel. Had he not left it at home that day his own weapon most likely would have been used against him. Mr. I got a comment or opinion for everything coming from a guy thats never been nowhere or ever done shit.
Yes,
Obviously I can tell your an intelligent person… I would much rather have my kids raised in MC then CL, CL is obviously a lot more crime ridden.. stabbings, shootings, thefts, and meth capital of Iowa.. Yea not surprising for CL.. Lol Luckily I don’t have kids yet but when I do I’m going to make sure I move over to the North end of MC to ensure they are safe..
Blodegg must have used his CIA prowess to solve the crime…good to know he carrys a gun..is that legal in a bar?
Where in that story does it say that he was carrying a weapon? It says the wallet contained a conceal carry permit, not that it contained a gun.
Todd has bragged many times about how he always carries and has permits for 31 states. He sure sounded tuff in the article. I imagine that most of what he said was made up after the incident was over or what he may have been thinking while it was going on. I bet most of it never came out of his mouth.
Not to defend the Carnies- but why in the hell is Blodgett carrying $ 500 in his wallet, especially in the back pocket. Hardly irresitible to the common thief!!! Blodgett likes to pretend he is a real high roller– but really!!!
People have the right to carry as much money on their person as they see fit without worrying about trashy people stealing it.
prolly got it off his ol man
Can you say TRUST FUND………..
That is the stupidest comment yet. Just ’cause you’ve never seen $500 at one time and with your level of thinking, never will, how can you possibly blame a person with a wallet for getting robbed?! “Carnies” always have been and always will be a notch below bums, or as you call them, homeless! I don’t know any of these people but you and your cronies are no better than “carnies”.
Debit Card are a nice alternative to what some criminals consider large sums of cash….and I agree about “carnies”.
how stupid on everyones account
I hate the carnival and their “employees”. Even though it’s in Clear Lake and they claim there’s not as much crime, I still won’t let my teenager walk around that park on July 4th week when the carnies are in town.
Way to go Carnies!
This story is not completely correct, however no one contacted me. There were no employees outside drinking with them, because it was me and I’m pregnant so very doubtful… I however was the one that watched the wallet be taken so I guess I am a regular, since I own the place… They are staying at the silver boot motel in the back parking lot, and have been banned from coming into Rumorz since the incident. None of these people live around here they are hired to come into town by the city for the 4th of July and are subcontracted by Evans United, however Evans United would like everyone to know they are not part of their rides and games.
Clear Lake graciously allows them to remain in Clear Lake because they are trustworthy carnies and just basically nice guys.
If they are not part of their rides and games what are they human resources and payroll?
They are your food vendors…. YUM!!!
I WOULD EXPECT BOTH MEN TO LEAVE WITH THE CARNIVAL AND NEVER RETURN. Will the police return the man’s money then…..
Complete strangers just go out and sit down with Blodgett close enough to lift his wallet? Somethings not right here with this story or there is more to all of this then we are reading.
Glad to hear that Todd wasn’t hurt, I always liked reading his comments on the Globe.
Maybe a “payment” for services rendered went down the wrong way? I’m surprised that Todd would be “slumming” in Rumorz, isn’t there a campaign SOMEWHERE that needs his guidance?
when did todd blodgett grow nuts?
When he received his concealed carry permit. Bang-Bang!
Probably about the same time he wrote this story for NIT. I mean come on, how many times have you ever read “I told him that if I didn’t get my money back, he was as close to Texas as he’d ever get.” Or….“And I made it very clear to him that he’d either return it to me intact, or face consequences not to his liking.” Yeah right tuff guy.
Sounds to me like a reach-around went bad for someone.
Nice comment Sarge, all I can say is I second that!
Not surprising for Clear Lake. Mason City isn’t the only crime ridden city in the area. In fact, Clear Lake has a higher percentage of sex offenders per capita living within the city limits than any other city in north Iowa. Not a good place for children to be living.
I think he did some math wring there buddy or are you not counting the ones home based out of Beje Clark.