A Michigan man allegedly attacked a mail carrier for placing a “Kamala Harris for President” mailer in his mailbox. Michigan authorities in Oakland County charged him with assaulting the mail carrier on Friday.
Russell Valleau, 61, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, was charged with one count of ethnic intimidation, a felony, and one count of assault and battery, which is a misdemeanor.
“The defendant was allegedly upset that he had received mail regarding presidential candidate Kamala Harris,” a press release from the Oakland County, Michigan, prosecutor’s office said. “He then called the mail carrier a ‘black b****’ and threatened the carrier. The mail carrier used pepper spray to stop the defendant.”
“In this highly charged political moment, everyone has a right to their political opinion and vote. Whatever our political beliefs, no one should be assaulted or threatened because of their race, or for doing their job. Hate crimes impact all of us, and we will vigorously pursue all such cases,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in the press release.
Valleau is being held at the Oakland County jail. The county is part of metropolitan Detroit.
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If convicted of the ethnic intimidation charge, Valleau will face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000. The misdemeanor assault charge carries up to a 93-day jail sentence and/or a fine of up to $500.
Michigan is a critical state in the presidential election and has been evenly contested by Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. According to RealClearPolitics’s polling average, Harris leads 49.1% to 47.3%, a 1.8 percentage point margin.