A Michigan man has been charged with attacking a mail carrier after receiving a campaign mailer promoting Kamala Harris for president. The
incident occurred in Farmington Hills, a suburb of Detroit, where 61-year-old Russell Valleau allegedly became enraged after finding the flyer in his mailbox.
Oakland Country prosecutors say Valleau verbally abused the mail carrier, called her a racial slur and threatened her. The mail carrier responded by spraying him with pepper spray. He’s facing one count of ethnic intimidation, a felony, and one count of assault and battery, a misdemeanor.
Karen McDonald, Oakland Country prosecutor, condemned the attack, saying in a press release, "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."
Valleau is being held at the Oakland County Jail. If convicted of ethnic intimidation, he could get up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The assault and battery charge carries a maximum sentence of 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.
The presidential race between Harris and former President Donald Trump is close in Michigan, a key battleground state. RealClearPolitic’s polling average has Harris edging Trump 49.1% to 47.3%, a 1.8-percentage point margin.