Truck driver tells of “threat” made by activist at Christie’s Clear Lake event
CLEAR LAKE – An activist at a Christie Vilsack campaign event, claiming to be HIV-positive, warned a Clear Lake resident to think twice about hitting him, as their blood mixing could result in the local man getting infected with the AIDS virus.
The Vilsack campaign event, held June 29th at Clear Lake’s Central Gardens, was publicized as open to the public as a “meet and greet.” Vilsack is running against Republican Steve King for the 4th District congressional seat. The election is this November.
“I’m HIV positive!” the man shouted at John Johnson, whose summer home is on Clear Lake’s south shore. The man, who Clear Lake Police say they were unable to locate after they were called to the scene that day, was not identified but told Johnson that “you can’t be here, this is private property, I rented this place.”
Johnson and his daughter, Whitney, wanted to attend the event for Christie Vilsack, who is challenging Congressman Steve King in the November election. “The event was for a candidate who wants to represent me and my family in Congress,” said Johnson, who also lives in Hancock county, where his independent trucking business is based. “My daughter wanted to meet Mrs. Vilsack and ask her some questions,” Johnson told NorthIowaToday.
“He informed us over and over that he had rented the place and that we had to leave, and said he would call the police,” Whitney Johnson said. “As we are walking back into the garden, he asked if we had invites. We said no. He said we have to leave,” she continued.
“This little guy approaches us and orders us out of there. So we were leaving, and the little guy told me I wasn’t walking fast enough as far as he was concerned,” John Johnson said. “As I kept walking, I said, ‘I’m being respectful. So is my daughter. We’re leaving.'”
When the activist continued pestering John Johnson, who stands about 6’4″ and weighs 300 lbs, Johnson said, “Cool it. You can see that we’re leaving. I’m twice your size, and I don’t appreciate your rudeness.”
That’s when Johnson says the man made the remark about blood and AIDS, which Johnson considered a threat. “I felt threatened that this person would give me HIV,” Johnson said that day in a phone interview.
After numerous requests for information, the Clear Lake police confirmed on Monday, July 9th that they were called to the Vilsack meet and greet, and talked to Johnson and looked for the other man who made the remarks. A Clear Lake police spokeswoman said the man had fled the scene and could not be located. Johnson and his daughter described the man as about 5’-8″ tall, 40s in age, wearing khakis and flip flops, with brownish hair.
The Vilsack campaign also returned a phone message where information was requested. After a discussion, a spokesman said they would look into the incident and call back. The Vilsack campaign did not call back a second time regarding the matter.
the man could claim that he was just warning johnson about the consequenses of hitting him. if johnson had hit him and gotten aids, he would have whined about the man not warning him in the first place. johnson is just a big baby anyhow.
Bo I would not blame Johnson if he wasnt quiet about getting kicked out of that park he was there to meet a lady who want to repersent him in Congress and tax money went into fixing up that there place. If I would of been there that fairy would of had to try making me leave if he had threated me with catching his AIDS I would of clocked him. I wear steel toe boots and I know just where to kick.
More “hope and change?”
No, it was not a threat by Mr. Johnson to have told the pushy pipsqueak that he was twice his size. After all, that article says that the truck driver had already agreed to leave, and was walking out when the HIV positive man told him to get a move on. So I do not see what Mr. Johnson said was any sort of a threat. We have been over to where this event was, and it’s not a house, it’s a park. It was also not billed as any kind of a fund-raiser too. The papers all said that Mrs. Vilsack would meet and greet people, and she wanted to see supporters. It did not say that the supporters who showed up had to be supporting her, either. Any body who gets in will be supported (paid) by the people of the district, so the truck driver felt he had a right to meet her and greet her with some questions. What I heard is that the AIDS man is the son of a former MC cop and he ran away because he didn’t want his name used anywhere for fear it would damage Mrs. Vilsack’s chances. My hairdresser told me all this and she knows a lot of queers.
Your last 4 words sort of erased all doubt as to your political leanings. Does the article say ‘how?’ Johnson and his daughter were leaving? No, it doesn’t. You are making an assumption they were leaving quietly and quickly. Does your hairdresser know for sure?
I don’t want to support the man who did this, BUT, some of you have trouble comprehending what you read. Johnson said “I’m twice your size and don’t appreciate your rudeness”. Isn’t that a threat in itself? Then, Johnson says the man made remarks about AIDS and blood which HE considered a threat. Nowhere does Johnson say the man threatened to give Johnson AIDS. That said, JB Johnson is a well-known activist himself. He is out-spoken and he is conservative and a King supporter. It is kind of suspicious that he and his daughter were at the Vilsack fund-raiser to ask questions.
And one other thing, if the activist was the one who rented the house where the fundraiser was, how come the CL police couldn’t find him. Just ask the owner of the place who they rented it to.
I guess I must not read to well either. As I read it this happened at the Central Gardens and not a private home. As far as not being a Vilsack supporter what does that have to do with it. I thought this was advertised as Meet and Greet not just for those who support her. Not a problem with someone asking tough questions.
2 words Conceal Carry.
I guess that Mr. King will have to get my vote now.
At least the “Right Wing Trucker” provides jobs and services while the little HIV positive jerk sits there whining.
That man who threatened to give Mr. Johnson HIV was guilty of threatening to assault him with a deadly weapon. It’s a shame the CLPD didn’t find him and arrest him. If he was an approved part of Vilsach’s campaign, shame on her. I personally find it hard to believe that anyone would resort to such dirty tricks. It sounds more like some sick nut job acting on his own.
Spankin, my ass, Elephant Man if a fight would of broke out between John and the HIV dude if would of been like two hits one hit being John B Johnson hitting the fairy and the other hit being the fairy hits the ground you better believe.
Sounds like a typical welfare maggot to me – suck off the government ‘cuz you feel sorry for your self after either using dirty needles or having unprotected butt sex ! SKANK should have been sucker punched and taught a damn good lesson !
Mr. Johnson should run for supevisor again, where he can get another spanking…
I’m waiting for ProgressIowa to hold a news conference to demand an apology from the Vilsack camp. Also for them not to call their meet and greet public when it really isn’t open and transparent. Someone should find out who this guy is. Can you threaten to possibly give someone HIV like that?
That’s what this party has evolved into it. Good luck with that.
This is so typical of liberal Democrats. They think it should all go their way all the time. It’s to damn bad the trucker didn’t bust him with anything handy such as a chair or baseball bat. He would have been justified after he was threatened.
Why is the AIDS, HIV and fag sex topic involved when there is a Democrat around? What’s wrong with just plain ordinary male and female sex? The Democrats must get bored with just plain old fu*king. Maybe they should use their brain in place of their dick and pussy.
I guess Liz Cheney is a liberal Democrat now. All you people on both sides that love to label everyone are the biggest problem in this country.
Are you stupid or why do you say the trucker got a fight. You call that a fight if it would of been a real fight a trucker 6 ft 4 300 lbs would of kick the fairys ass. Do you think the fairy did not know that. Why do you say the truck driver is a jerk when he just want to know how Vilsack thinks on things especially if she wants him to pay her if she ends up getting the job she wants.
I just bet this trucker went in being respectful.
Thats why he was asked to leave before his daughter asked her questions. Does he think we are stupid? The jerk went in looking for a fight and got one. Too bad the gay guy did not kick his ass
Laker you say your gonna send a bouquet to the fairy I guess your sending some pansies.
Kudos to the brave Vilsack supporter for standing up to the neanderthal trucker. He is a hero, who fought the right wing bully with the only weapon he had. Iowa needs not more redneck truck drivers, who are among the most bigoted people in our state. A bouquet to this friend of Christie’s, and thorns and thistles to the neanderthal King fanatic.
No the supporter was in the wrong. To say I will give you aids if you don’t leave this guy should be in jail. I don’t if this guy was gay or notnot as straight people can get hiv too. But to support someone who would it as a weapon wow that’s kinda scary.
LL..Just in case you didn’t actually read the article, I have copied and pasted some key phrases for you. Ok, here goes…The Vilsack campaign event, held June 29th at Clear Lake’s Central Gardens, was publicized as open to the public…and how about this one…The man, who Clear Lake Police say they were unable to locate after they were called to the scene that day, was not identified but told Johnson that “you can’t be here, this is private property, I rented this place.” So to summarize, it was open to the public, a local business owner is attending to hear what the candidate has to say (that’s called being an informed voter)and leaves peacefully when confronted by a unknown person yelling that he has aids and threatens to infect him . This person also runs away before police arrive. But you label Johnson as a “bully” “bigot” and “fanatic”? Seems a little convoluted to me.
How awful of this infected man to go around trying to order people away from this candidate’s event, just terrible. And then he tried to frighten them. I looked it up, and this meeting in the park was for people in the district to meet and greet Mrs. V. This thing makes me wonder about the kind of people who are for Mrs. V. and why she lets them be around her. HIV makes AIDS and AIDS is a contagious and deadly thing. I wish my son had been there, he would not have put up with that kind of a threat from a supposedly mature adult. Then this HIV character flees the scene and the Vilsack people don’t get back to the news media after they hear from a reporter about what really happened. This isn’t what I expect of candidates or the people they have who are helping them. Shame on this man for acting so bad and for the Vilsack people for letting him make this threat.
The kind of people that are for Mrs Vilsack are many different people. I hardly dought that the campaign gave the ok in advance so that it could take place. If I use your line of thinking I have seen some of the losers that come to Suzie Q so you must all be the same low lifes and people should stay away because you obviously condone the lifestyles of your customers. You should be more careful about the kind of people you serve.
Hey if Christie Villsack treats her supporters to a cruise on Lady of the lake we could call it a fairy boat!!!!!!!! Bwaaahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!
So H.I.V.-man fled the scene, ha. If he would of ordered me off there I would of told him to make me. She wants me to pay her salary if she wins and she want to repersent me then she will answer my questions. I know that that park don’t pay no taxes and that tax money went into its redo and I pay taxes from Ventura and I would of stood up to that fairy. If I had of been there it wouldnt take no cop to make him run away I would of took care of that myself yes.
Damn north end!
I heard that the gay activist is assisting the Vilsack campaign. Christie had better be more careful about her aides.
The gay dude acting bossy to the trucker come natural to him because he love to mandate.
Who says anyone was gay?
Outrageous! Who does this guy think he is! That’s a public place where children go, and he threatens someone?? What is wrong with people?
Hey George, maybe the big guy was out of line. The word is he was carousing with King supporters. Christie don’t need no catcallers bugging her before her big victory this November!!