Brookfield woman cited after recall dispute caught on tape



BROOKFIELD -- Petitioners have been canvassing the state gathering signatures to prompt a recall election against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Now, a Brookfield woman is apologizing for what she admits was a bad decision. She's accused of laying a hand on a recall worker, and the whole thing was caught on tape.

Steve Nagle argues a woman crossed the line between free speech and personal space. As first reported by FOX6's media partners at the Brookfield Patch, Linda Lorino was cited for disorderly conduct by police. This is not a criminal matter, but instead a municipal violation, yet it was enough to involve both politics and police.

Lorino told FOX6 she originally stopped by to support a pro-Walker protester near Main Street and Bluemound Road, and then got into a debate with recall workers, and eventually noticed someone videotaping her. In the video, Nagle states that Lorino put her hands on him. "All I felt was like a hit from underneath, like an upper cut, and I went flying back," Nagle said.

Lorino says she didn't want to be videotaped by a stranger, and describes her response as a knee-jerk reaction, and not a politically motivated one. "It's really rude, and I wouldn't want my children to do that, but he wouldn't put his camera away," Lorino said.

"I am five foot two, 118 pounds. I like, moved his arm away. It would be like brushing a bug out of your face," Lorino said. The video shows Lorino telling Nagle he's not allowed to film her when she's in public. She now knows he was within his rights to shoot video of her in a public place, and says she regrets her actions. "I apologize to the gentleman if it caused him any embarrassment. I'm embarrassed. I can't believe I behaved like an immature school girl," Lorino said.

Lorino says she has taught her children never to do anything that might get them on the morning news. Because of that, she says she'd like to meet with Nagle in person, to apologize. FOX6 has left a message with Nagle to help facilitate that meeting.