Attorneys claim Grand Traverse County Commissioner Ron Clous pulled an AR-15 Assault Rifle on a local woman, then "laughed in her face."
They claim it was Clous' effort to put a message of fear into Grand Traverse County woman Patricia Macintosh and others that disagreed with his support of the Proud Boys hate group's violence this past January.
These are some of the many allegations being made in a federal lawsuit which says the incident took place at a public Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners meeting on January 21st of this year, when the 74-year-old Patricia Macintosh asked elected county officials to "please make some sort of a public statement" condemning the violent behavior by Proud Boys during the insurrection at the nation's Capital Building on January 6th.
Commission Vice-Chair Ron Clous responded by grabbing an AR-15 assault rifle and brandished it with a menacing smirk on his face, while the Commission Chair looked on laughing in support.
"Although the community demonstrated outrage by repeatedly demanding Clous' resignation and/or an apology, none has been offered," the lawsuit says. The County Commission has additionally failed to censure Clous's threatening behavior or move to prevent him or other Commissioners from similar unconstitutional actions in the future.
In the aftermath, Patricia Macintosh says she has received threatening phone calls and "lives in fear, given how groups such as Proud Boys respond to those who don't share their beliefs."
Despite this, she is asking the Court to deem this threatening behavior illegal and unconstitutional and to declare and order that it never happen again.
Attorney Blake Ringsmuth, and the law firm of Ringsmuth Wuori, PLLC of Traverse City are representing Patricia Macintosh and "standing up for the rights she and the rest of us cherish and see that they not be taken for granted, here in Grand Traverse County, or anywhere in this great country."
