A disruption at his own campaign event over the weekend led to the arrest of a 59-year-old political candidate in Florida, who was accused of choking and slapping a youngster.
In detention on Sunday afternoon, George S. Bardmesser, a candidate running for a Sunny Isle Beach city commission position, was charged with two charges of child abuse without causing serious bodily damage.
The candidate said on his Facebook page that he was “excited to meet and talk with voters about the future” at the “Republican Coffee Meet-Up” with Bardmesser on Sunday, August 4, at 2 p.m. El Tropico Cuban Cuisine is located in the 17000 block of Collins Avenue, about 15 miles northeast of Miami.
According to an arrest report that WSVN was able to get, Bardmesser was inside the restaurant throughout the event, and a number of oppositional local political officials were seated at the table next to him. According to reports, Bardmesser and the individuals seated next to him got into a heated argument at one point, which swiftly turned violent.
Following an altercation between Bardmesser and the other group, according to the police, Bardmesser allegedly seized one of the teenagers and choked them.
According to video of the incident, Bardmesser approached the group of teenagers while they were eating and grabbed one of them by the back, choking him. Bardmesser allegedly slapped the other adolescent when customers interfered and attempted to break up the altercation. Males between the ages of 15 and 16 were reportedly the victims.
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In attendance at the event were the two teenagers who were allegedly assaulted, along with Sunny Isles Commissioner Fabiola Stuyvesan.
“I would never bring my kids to a political event if I thought I was putting them in harm,” Stuyvesant stated. “As a parent, it’s the worst nightmare you could have — to see your child be hurt by a big guy.”
Bardmesser appeared in court for the first time on Monday morning after being processed at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer set his bond at $5,000.
According to reports, Bardmesser’s bond stipulates that he must keep a minimum of 500-foot distance between the two victims and is not allowed to communicate with them in any way.
According to records, Bardmesser is a Russian-American citizen and lawyer who is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the New York State Bar.
