Knock, knock: A tracker is there, says 1st district candidate

Democratic congressional candidate Aftab Pureval's fiancee was so afraid of a man hanging around outside the couple's Hyde Park home the other night, she called police.

"Someone's knocking on the door, and I don't recognize who it is," Whitney Whitis told a 911 operator Monday evening. "I think they're trying to get in."

Cincinnati police responded almost immediately. They arrived seven minutes after the 911 call began and found no one outside the home. Authorities continue to investigate.

But is this a police story or a political story?

It was Pureval himself who filed a report with Cincinnati police in which he indicates a possible political motive for the incident.

"Since the reportee has announced intentions to run for political office, unknown suspects engaged in a pattern of conduct that has caused mental distress to the listed victim," the police report states. "Suspects are sitting outside the victim's house at all hours of the day, attempting to photograph victim, and have come onto the victim's property banging loudly on the door, yelling at the victim, and attempting to photograph through the windows."

Last week, Pureval announced his candidacy in the First Congressional District against Steve Chabot, R-Westwood. Hyde Park is in Ohio's Second Congressional District.

Chabot's campaign had volunteers watching Pureval's Hyde Park residence last week, hoping to capture images that could be important to the residency issue in the 1st Congressional District race. The house is not in the district, although there is no residency requirement for congressional candidates.

It's not uncommon for candidates to use what's known as "trackers" in hotly contested races. They hang around places candidates live or frequent, waiting for unflattering moments or soundbites that can be used in the campaign. They appear from time to time at City Hall during meetings.

It's Pureval who is making Monday's incident political, Chabot's campaign spokesman Cody Rizzuto said.

Rizzuto told The Enquirer that on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, there were several groups of volunteers that stopped by Pureval's home to confirm he still lived there, noting members of the media were also there.

"At no time did any of these volunteers enter onto his property," Rizzuto said. "When the for sale sign was posted on Thursday, we had proof that he still lived there and had lied to the voters. No one remotely affiliated with the campaign has been back since."

As for the police report, Rizzuto said, "No one from our campaign would ever engage in that kind of behavior. And for the press, Aftab’s campaign, or anyone else to insinuate that we were involved with what happened on February 5th is irresponsible, unethical and ridiculous."

Pureval could not be reached for comment.

He made the report, naming Whitis as the victim. Pureval listed his office address, 1000 Main St., which is the Hamilton County Courthouse address, and not either the Hyde Park address or his new Downtown address on Walnut Street.

Among the concerns listed in the report:

Suspects are sitting outside the victim's house at all hours of the day

Suspect has tried to take the victim's picture

Suspects have come onto the victim's property banging loudly on the door and yelling at her.

"Unknown suspects engaged in a pattern of conduct that has caused mental distress," the report said.

The report was filed at 8:54 p.m. Monday.

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