PASCO, Wash. — Stephen Bauman and his family were driving through Pasco on Sunday, late afternoon, when he spotted someone spray painting Franklin County Commissioner Clint Didier’s sign.
“Been getting vandalized a lot over the last I don’t know — over a month or so,” Bauman, who owns B4 Development and Consulting, said.
The sign, according to Bauman, has been raised in recent times to avoid vandalism yet, this man couldn’t be stopped.
“So, I pulled over and I got out my phone and starting videoing walked up to him, asked him what he was doing,” Bauman said.
“I’m exercising my first amendment right,” the man said in the video Bauman captured.
“And I said you don’t have the first amendment right to vandalize someone else’s property,” Bauman replied.
With his family watching, and traffic passing by, Bauman kept filming the man.
“And I said you don’t have the first amendment right to vandalize someone else’s property,” Bauman said, “he was not sorry that he’d gotten caught which was perplexing to me; it’s sad that he was doing that.”
Eventually, Bauman called the police, and Clint Didier himself.
He said Didier has had ongoing issues with sign vandalism.
“I’m guessing he’s going to have to go higher next time,” Clint does have a sign feet away on a lift.
The man made his way back to his car, spray paint cans in hand, as well as his bench. When Pasco Police and Clint arrived, Bauman said the man changed his demeanor.
“He was remorseful after the fact but certainly not remorseful whenever I talked to him about it,” he said.
Bauman, who’s run for office before, said it takes a lot to put your name out there as well as effort to set up election signs.
“I have a lot of respect for anybody who’s willing to put their hat in the ring and willing to go out and serve their community it certainly takes a lot of effort and when somebody goes and vandalizes your stuff it’s unfortunate, it’s happened with other candidates and it’s unfortunate for all.”
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