Nov 14, 2008 9:55 am US/Central
Woman: I Was Chased From Church For Obama Support
FAIRFIELD, Calif. (CBS) ―
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Mannie Garcia/AFP/Getty Images
A Fairfield woman says her priest chased her out of Sunday services because of her political beliefs. The woman says she was singled out for supporting Barack Obama. That's because her priest was for John McCain and retaliated with humiliation and the threat of a tow truck, reports CBS station KOVR-TV in Sacramento.
"I've been going to that church for six good years. Every Sunday," says Elizabeth Caster.
Caster and her little boy were in the front pew Sunday, when she says the priest got on the microphone demanding the driver of the SUV to move it.
"If you don't move your car in ten minutes I will tow it away. It was so embarrassing. There were 500 people inside the church," explains Caster.
Caster had parked in a loading zone along with some other cars. So, she thought she had parked her vehicle in the lot, but quickly realized that is not what the priest was asking her to do.
"He said you cannot park any place here, you have to go. He said you have to go and he said you cannot have a car with an Obama sign parked in there," Elizabeth told KOVR.
"I waited to confront the priest," says Caster's husband, Joe.
Her husband never caught up with Father Sebastian to ask why, but he's convinced he already knows the answer.
"It's a combination of race and politics," Joe says.
KOVR could not find Father Sebastian today to get his side of the story, but a newspaper tried yesterday, and claims the priest physically and verbally attacked the reporter. They told KOVR that the Father even clawed at his arm to get his notepad. The reporter has since filed a police report and the story ended up on the front page of his newspaper.
The news spread quickly through the congregation, where churchgoers are extremely passionate about the issue.
"Any good Catholic vote for life, and Obama is against life," says one congregation member.
"I just feel the church must change or its gonna die. We cannot continue to support this mindset that was reflected in the election," another church member told KOVR.
Police investigated this as a misdemeanor assault, and its now in the hands of the D.A. to determine if there will be any charges.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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