Groton mayoral candidate Aaron Grant’s vandalism involved public property in the Brown County Courthouse. Photos submitted to Dakota Free Press support a source’s story that Grant destroyed a laptop belonging to the Brown County auditor’s office:
Note the blue sticker reading “Auditor’s Office (spare)” and the labels on the upper left of the body of the laptop and the back of the flipped screen reading “Vote Center.”
According to my source, the damage was done by this hammer marked with the words “TRUTH” and “JUSTICE”:
The handle of the hammer also appears to have the words “SEND ME” penned on one of its narrow sides. That inscription may reflect words on one of two sticky notes accompanying documents in a blue-green folder that Grant left with the auditor after he smashed the computer shown here with the hammer shown here. The note in question appears to read, “Send me the bill! I will be faithful.”
The other orange note in the folder says, “This is why.”
“This” appears to refer to a three-page document—a cover page and two pages of text—bearing Aaron Michael Grant’s name and the title, “Natural Sovereignty: The Foundation of True Government.” “Sovereignty” is often used by fringe right-wingers as code for their plans for insurrection and white supremacy. Grant’s vague, evidenceless philosophizing under this heading appears to be his “why” for entering a public building with a hammer and smashing public property used by an election official.
Grant’s demand for paper ballots shows his disconnection from reality, as every South Dakotan in every election casts a paper ballot. South Dakota counts its paper ballots by well-tested machines that have never been shown to have mistabulated results and picked the wrong winner. And machines count ballots more accurately than humans. If you want the most accurate election results, you invest in good election technology… and at no point do you take a hammer to anything, let alone anyone, at the courthouse.
This evidence paints an alarming picture of election mistrust turning into violence. A man walked into a public election office and committed an act of violence to press his demand for political change. That is exactly the kind of political violence—shall we call it terrorism?—that people like Al Novstrup are fomenting against our public servants in South Dakota, our friends and neighbors, by promoting lies about the integrity of our election system.
Were the police calld?
Alright, crybabies. Get one thing through your thick, dense skull: this ‘freedom’ and ‘tyranny’ and other bs always coming out your face orifice can be however you want it. You can surely bet, boy. But, in a free democracy, you change it by getting votes. It’s all spelled out in plain English in a document. Figure it out and do the hard work and put in the miles and you can legally do whatever your little black hole desires. That’s the beauty of being an American. Amend it. Write it. Refer it. Resolve it. Convene it. Ratify it. The constitution gives you options even. Quit being lazy and expecting to stomp you foot and have it your way. That is what undeveloped, little people do. Aka children.
However, if you want it your way, when you say, and attempt to use violence or sneakiness or any other means to achieve your whims; you are a criminal and a TERRORIST and TRAITOR. And that’s only one level below a child abuser. Ewe.
Vi Kingman, I haven’t heard at what point the police got involved, but Grant was most definitely arrested, charged, and, yesterday, sentenced. According to the sentencing record from Friday, he spent one day in jail.
One day for willfully destroying government property? Apparently crime does pay for magats.
He needs a much longer sentence. He was attacking democracy, not just a piece of equipment.
His manifesto also indicates opposition to ballots not cast in person. Will USPS be the next target for delivering mail-in ballots in accordance to SD election rules?
This is all nuttier than running for sheriff on a platform of trained wolverines.
MIke, Donald, I agree this seems to be a much graver crime than mere vandalism. This was violence with political intent.
However, to trigger South Dakota’s terroristic-threat statute (SDCL 22-8-13), one must commit a “crime of violence” as defined in SDCL 22-1-2(9): “any of the following crimes or an attempt to commit, or a conspiracy to commit, or a solicitation to commit any of the following crimes: murder, manslaughter, rape, aggravated assault, riot, robbery, burglary in the first degree, arson, kidnapping, felony sexual contact as defined in § 22-22-7, felony child abuse as defined in § 26-10-1, or any other felony in the commission of which the perpetrator used force, or was armed with a dangerous weapon, or used any explosive or destructive device.” If all he did was wreck one computer worth less than $400, that’s only a misdemeanor, not a felony. If he threatened anyone in the courthouse with that hammer, that may be simple assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Ah! But if he threatened the auditor or any other public officer with that hammer while that officer was engaged in the performance of official duties (SDCL 22-18-1.05), that’s a Class 6 felony.
If the law views the hammer as a “deadly weapon,” then threats of harm made with that hammer would constitute aggravated assault, which is a Class 3 felony. Aggravated assault against a public officer on duty is a Class 2 felony.
SDCL 22-1-2(10) defines “Dangerous weapon” or “deadly weapon” as “any firearm, stun gun, knife, or device, instrument, material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, which is calculated or designed to inflict death or serious bodily harm, or by the manner in which it is used is likely to inflict death or serious bodily harm”. Same statute, definition 44A, says “serious bodily injury” is “grave and not trivial, and gives rise to apprehension of danger to life, health, or limb.”
Guy’s waving a hammer and a manifesto claiming Christ-like heroism for wielding that hammer. A reasonable person may be quite apprehensive about grave harm to life and limb from that hammer and the nut swinging it. The hammer-swinger’s stated intent is to “influence the policy or conduct of any government or nation.” And he’s making his threats in a public building, toward public officers on duty.
Yeah, I think we need to talk about more charges.
The Brown County Auditor declined to comment on the record. Perhaps that’s a clear sign that more charges are pending.
O, if he starts whacking mailboxes, then he’s going to face federal charges.
But maybe we’re safe for now—he did leave his hammer.
Apparently, he didn’t read the part about “…accepting the consequences of your actions. PLEAD GUILTY”
Effing hypocrite
This fellow seems insaner than most, with a rage problem. Nice hammer, though. It would be neato if there were movies captured by cameras showing him wielding it.
Surely there is more to come. It is inconceivable that he will not face more serious consequences than one day in jail. I spent six months in jail for a sales tax violation after I gave the evidence to the Dept. of Revenue and paid everything I owed plus 130% more. I was doing retail business without a sales tax license. I would not have been apprehended had I not taken my records to the Dept. of Revenue along with a check for the tax I owed, but had not charged, for my photographic services. These things happened 30-some years ago.
The actions described here seem to be qualitatively more severe than mine.
Bob, I agree this action poses a greater threat to the Republic than any of your nefarious revolutionary activities. But let’s see if the SDGOP adopts this newcomer as a cause célèbre. He does seem to have come here for the freedom during the pandemic; Kristi Noem may want to pardon him and put him on her posters.
Buckobear, I am keenly interested to see whether more consequences are coming. Who should be working on those consequences: Brown County State’s Attorney? SD Attorney General? U.S. District Attorney and Department of Justice?
But, Cory, magats see insurrectionists and cop assaulters as tourists. They can’t bring theirselves around to canning an AG who basically murdered a civilian, they couldn’t vote to impeach their potus who was convicted on several counts. Law and order disciples they ain’t. They are just liars.
Clearly, a hammer used in such manner is a deadly weapon. The South Dakota Federal District Court finds that ‘shod feet’ are a deadly weapon.
If pointing a gun at a person is a felony, then certainly pointing a hammer or uttering a threat while hoisting a hammer is a felony.
I hope to a god this ends up in the South Dakota Federal District Court.
Brian Klaas, professor, author of, Corruptible, explains the authoritarian threat to democracy – it’s linked abroad and domestically. We need to decide our future. The middle ground is gone. Begin at 3:47 and excuse Joe’s too long question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAKfyrp8AMk
Had I the power, I’d revoke Grant’s US citizenship and exile him to Siberia.
These people are everywhere. I attended a town hall meeting hosted by Senator John Thune last fall. A rancher gave a good prepared statement concerning the cattle industry, which took a few minutes. The next hour was spent listening to two groups whose only concern was Trumps stolen election and the COVID hoax complete with Ivermectin data. Senator Thune politely listened to these people without rebutting any of their claims. I left.
Wonder why this didn’t make the TV news? Unless I missed it, it would make a hell of a story
Who is the idiot sheriff’s deputy on duty at the metal detector/x-ray machine at the courthouse door that let this nut in with a hammer?
Moscow Murdo Thune is a Putin 4th of July tool. Bengs ought to beat him like the borrowed mule that Thune is.
https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/01/30/magic-time-gloria-steinem-talks-sovereignty-arena-stage-womens-voices-theater-festival/
I knew it! I have been hearing about “sovereignty” from the baby killers for years. It’s code for white supremacy!
It all makes sense now: Black women make up 12% of the female population but get 50% of the abortions. The white supremacists in the feminist movement are calling it “sovereignty.” HAH!
By the way, my accrued bill to the Dept. of Revenue was $730. I paid an additional $1000 to the the Attorney General (Roger Tellinghuisen at the time, about whose cocaine use I had been vocal, the threads come together here). I was still offered an untenable choice in pleas.
I have a much bigger copper hammer than that one and it’s definitely more used.
Why Anne Beal, so nice of you to support Ketanji Brown Jackson.
People of color end up in the morgue for carrying a stick or cell phone and yet a guy with a hammer who
vandalizes and destroys county equipment is just a misunderstood constituent. ( possibly white??)
Welcome to SD.
Richard, last I checked, the Brown County Courthouse has a manned metal-detector checkpoint at the main door to the court side of the complex (a violation of privacy and openness that I would dismantle) but no such control at the west door leading to the administrative side of the complex.
Anne, your attempt to distract us into your preferred issue does not negate what I said: “sovereignty” pops up often among the white supremacist posse comitatus types who want to nullify federal and state law and use force gussied up in vague and sloppy philosophizing to impose a radical agenda which they are unable to achieve through constitutional, legal, peaceful means.
On the topic, Anne, do you support Grant’s violent action?
I wonder what the outcome would be if a Native American activist like Nick Tilson were to show up with a sledge hammer and smashed the computer? Aaron Grant is a symptom of an ugly disease that has infected a significant portion of the body politic and society is willing to look away or minimize the violent actions of those with the disease.
This man will be regarded as a hero by history regardless of any contemporary prosecutorial necessities to uphold the rule of law.
It shows that he is informed as to the beach head established by globalist banking cartels in the US.
If we don’t do something about it, the republic is over.
If we retracted foreign aid, we could put the money into hand election counting like they did in the Maricopa County audit. It would create jobs and restore election integrity. Precinct sizes could shrink, and the fragmentation would create more security in our elections.
The trend today is to automate everything and displace human workers with computers, robots, and other technology. That’s sad. Humans are amazing and interesting and lovely and strong and trustworthy when left unmolested.
The Maricopa County audit demonstrated how technology can be used as a tool to create systems of wood, people, and computers to create verifiable and reliable and trustworthy results.
I don’t want to cheerlead others to take action like this, but now that it’s done, it is crystal clear to me why this man took action.
Was it out of bravery, desperation, or simply because he knew where the evil was and took action like a good man could, can, and should?
Is John Prine an anti-media terrorist living out his post-life in hell?
https://youtu.be/OLSGLOLsuTo
Aaron Grant = Ted Kaczynski?
Kaczynski’s brother, David ratted out Ted to federal authorities: who’s the anarchist?
CAH, He has come in to my place of employment several times in the great city of Groton looking for signatures to be on the ballot. I am not a Groton resident, but that didn’t pass the vibe check with me. He’s only been in South Dakota a few months(New York transplant). Im guessing this guy wont be on the SDGOP’s radar let alone the Brown Co. GOP radar.
BTW Nice work on scooping the AAN on this. They had zero clue when I asked them about it.
Certainly seems to be one of Kristi’s “come here for freedumb” immigrants.
John Dale, you are cheerleading this action. Do you support taking a hammer to public property to make a political statement? SHould Grant and anyone else who commits this specific act serve time in jail or be honored as a public hero?
Thanks for the info, DR. It sounds like Grant is a lone wolf, not part of a network of activists… which is a mild relief. But even if every vandal and insurrectionist mobilized by the Big Lie were a lone wolf, the Big Lie would still be a terrible, dangerous political talking point. Public figures like Al Novstrup need to disavow the Big Lie immediately and rebuild public confidence in our accurate and secure election system.
And indeed, Vi and DR, I wonder where the rest of the press is on this. Heck, it took me three months to hear anything about what you’d think would be an absolutely scandalous, headline-grabbing violent attack at the courthouse. How does someone walk into the courthouse with a hammer, do damage in front of witnesses, and not end up on the news that night? How does that same guy file a petition to run for mayor and not have someone familiar with his attack on a government building put two and two together and shout, “Holy crap! Not this guy!”?
John Dales copper hammer is very small.
Cory…we’ve put up with John Dale in the interest of equal access to opinion…but…he has impugned the recently departed John Prine. It’s fine with me if you ban this thoughtless dullard from the site.
Mr. Blundt, as you have often been a reasonable fellow with a quasi-regular view point, I have always read your bloggings with a fair regard for consideration.
While I cannot defend most, nay any, of my breakfasting partner Mr. Dale’s viewpoints, it does trouble me that you would call for the banning of any particular individual thoughtless dullard’s thoughts, unless Mr. H puts in a voting tool to let us all ban each other.
Full disclosure: I’ve never heard of Mr. Prine and this comment has anything to do with Mr. Prine, who I am sure was a fine fellow, indeed.