Tea Party forum ends in a brawl

As the video suggests, it got crazy at a Tea Party forum in the East Bay community of Brentwood Tuesday night with a scuffle on stage involving the husband of one of the forum’s organizers. The video, shot by blogger Phil Hayworth of Danville Patch, captures a bit of the chaotic aftermath. Eleventh-district congressional candidate David Harmer (R-San Ramon) had just finished speaking when the fireworks started. Seems the hubby of Tea Party official Jill Price got offended when he thought he saw fellow organizer Steve Donaldson’s hand brush his wife’s behind. That’s when the infuriated spouse leaped to the stage and slugged Donaldson before stunned onlookers at the local veterans memorial hall. The video shows one of Donaldson’s relatives briefly putting a choke hold on the attacker. When the dust settles, an onlooker is heard to say, "Who the hell was that guy?"

Upshot: Apparently, the cops weren’t called. Jill Price declared the incident “disgraceful” and apologized. As for Harmer, the GOP hopeful trying to unseat Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), Hayworth says he was “visibly embarrassed.”