Blog accuses recall group of involvement

By Larry Coonrod, Lebanon Express writer

Vandals pelted the home of Lebanon School Board chair Josh Wineteer with a dozen eggs, and a local blog is accusing members of a political action group trying to recall Wineteer of being behind the incident.

The incident occurred a little after 10 p.m. Saturday evening. Wineteer was home at the time and heard the eggs strike the house but did not see who threw them. The house did not incur damage, Wineteer said, but will require a pressure washer to clean.

Wineteer and fellow board member Rick Alexander were the subjects of an unsuccessful Oct. 7 recall mounted by the Lebanon Citizens Alliance for a Responsible Education System (CARES).

Wineteer said the attack on his home seemed to be part of a pattern aimed at those opposed to the recall. A number of political signs urging a no vote on the recall have been similarly vandalized, he said.

He declined to speculate who is behind the incidents.

The home of Lebanon School Board member Russ McUne, who was appointed to the board in July, was hit with eggs in late September. McUne has not publicly taken a stance on the recall.

"I'm not convinced it had anything to do with the school board," McUne said. "I don't think I've been there long enough to make anyone mad."

On Sunday, the blog lebanonproof.blogspot.com escalated the war of words between opponents and proponents of the recall by insinuating CARES was responsible for the attack on Wineteer's house.

"This is the first thing that has really upset me," said John "Tre" Kennedy, CARES president. "Egging someone's house goes against everything we stand for. It's reprehensible."

Kennedy said CARES had contemplated taking legal action against the blogger for defamation of character.

"I'll doubt we'll do it. There's been enough lawsuits already," Kennedy said.

The person or persons behind the Lebanon Proof blog did not respond to a request to answer questions about the accusation that CARES members were responsible for the egging of Wineteer's house.