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“In towns and cities... there is no more important institution than the local paper.”
Warren Buffett
Whittier Daily News reporter Mike Sprague.
Reporter harassing Chacon’s family for the past two weeks, including his 80 year-old mother and his 77 year-old aunt.
By Brian Hews and Randy Economy
Members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the home of a family member of Central Basin Water District Member Art Chacon on Monday after Reporter Mike Sprague of the Whittier Daily News allegedly trespassed and made verbal threats to Chacon’s 80 year-old mother, niece and her boyfriend.
Sprague has been aggressively pursuing Chacon for the past several days with interview requests and has personally visited Chacon’s home and members of his family who live at different locations in the City of Commerce.
Sprague was once again at Chacon’s house early today, “banging on the door” according to Chacon.
Chacon’s mother, fearing that Sprague would “harm her” called 911 on Monday afternoon at around 12:30 p.m. when Art Chacon said “was verbally demanding information about me.”
After Chacon’s family caught Sprague’s actions via a video cell phone, Sprague fled the area literally minutes before a Sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene.
Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper obtained a cell phone video of Sprague leaving the scene by sprinting down a Commerce neighborhood street. Sprague entered a blue 2013 BMW 525 and left the location.
Chacon said that Sprague has been “stalking me and my family for weeks.”
“My mother is an elderly senior who suffers from advanced diabetes, she should not have be harassed by a reporter, especially a reporter like Mike Sprague who has an agenda to get me out of office,” Chacon said.
Central Basin Director Art Chacon’s mother, in wheelchair.
Chacon said that Sprague has been “camped out in front of my house on and off for the past couple of weeks” and that has been in “fear” of Sprague to whom he called “unstable.”
“Look, politics is politics, but I have a small daughter, and a wife that I need to protect. When Sprague comes on to my property repeatedly, and knocks on my door and ‘demands’ that I speak to him, to me that is crossing the line of decency,” Chacon said.
Chacon said that he is contemplating legal action against Sprague including a restraining order.
“I am weighing my legal options, and I am contemplating going to Superior Court to file a Temporary Restraining Order against Sprague,” Chacon said.
“I understand the Freedom of the Press, but this is becoming criminal stalking in my opinion. My family is scared,” Chacon told HMG-CN.