NEWS

Man behind manure dump: I'll frame my citation

Keith BieryGolick
kbierygolick@enquirer.com

James Pinell says he plans to frame the citation he received Monday for dumping a load of manure outside the Democratic Party headquarters in Warren County.

"I didn't care if I got caught," he told The Enquirer at his 41-acre farm.

Pinell, 47, of Turtlecreek Township, was charged with one count of criminal mischief, a third-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

James R. Pinell

On Saturday, Democratic Party Chairwoman Bethe Goldenfield posted a photo of the manure to the Greater Cincinnati Politics Facebook group.

"What reasonable person thinks this is OK????" she said in the post.

Pinell dumped the manure in protest of a potential Hillary Clinton presidency. He said he is a "hardcore" Republican and plans to vote for Donald Trump in the upcoming election.

"The reasons for doing it is (sic) as big as the pile itself," he said.

The reasons Pinell cited included Clinton's stance on abortion and her use of a private email server, which is being reviewed by the FBI.

Manure pile outside Warren County Democratic headquarters on Oct. 29, 2016.

Warren County Lt. John Faine said Pinell's truck was caught on video reviewed as part of the investigation. If convicted, he might have to pay for the cost of removing the manure.

Pinell, a farmer and excavator, said he also was behind a similar incident in 2012. That time, he was upset about the Affordable Care Act, widely referred to as "Obamacare."

Warren County Republican Party Chairman Jeff Monroe said Pinell doesn't speak for the party. Pinell has voted in Republican primaries in the past and last voted in 2014, according to the Warren County Board of Elections.

"I'm glad," Monroe said of the arrest. "As suspected, the Republican Party had nothing to do with this."

Pinell is scheduled to appear in Lebanon Municipal Court for arraignment on Thursday.

Jessie Balmert and Brett Milam contributed.