Caught on Camera: Politician attacks local reporter mid-interview

A municipal politician in Alabama is facing assault charges after he was caught on camera striking a reporter in the face during a heated interview Tuesday.

Dothan, Alabama City Commissioner Ames Newsome was heading to his car in the parking lot of the Dothan Civic Centre Tuesday morning after a meeting of the city’s commission.

There he was approached by WTVY reporter Ken Curtis, who began asking Newsome whether or not he intended to resign.

The question stems from an ongoing controversy regarding allegations Newsome engaged in voter fraud when he was reelected to his position in 2013.

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Despite garnering a smaller percentage of the popular vote than his opponent, he managed to capture nearly all of the absentee ballots, eventually edging out the election by 13 votes.

Newsome’s longtime girlfriend, Olivia Reynolds, has already been found guilty of voter fraud.

In the video above, Curtis follows Newsome and continues to ask him whether or not he intends to resign, leading Newsome to shove Curtis before raking him in the face with his fingernails hard enough to draw blood.

Curtis subsequently pressed charges against Newsome, and he was arrested on Tuesday afternoon on third degree assault charges.

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WTVY Vice President and General Manager Spencer Bienvenu released the following statement:

“WTVY is extremely disappointed and horrified by the actions of Dothan City Commissioner Amos Newsome for his unwarranted physical attack on one of our employees. We understand that holding political office can be stressful, but that never warrants unwanted physical contact, let alone an open, public assault. Our employee was attacked in the course of doing their job, which they are entitled to do without the fear of physical violence.”

“Freedom of the press is a guaranteed right, one that should allow us to do our jobs in a safe, non-threatening environment. WTVY intends to press charges against Commissioner Newsome, to ensure that no one else will be attacked in the course of doing their job. We’re grateful for the relationship that we continue to have with the Dothan City Commission and our elected officials.”