Oct 19, 2016 2 min read

An exchange at the Fayette County Fair between a congressional candidate and a campaign worker for his opponent resulted in state police filing a harassment citation against the candidate.

Art Halvorson, 61, of Mann’s Choice, Bedford County, is accused of grabbing the wrist of Meghan Marie Boocks, 23, on Aug. 6 at the fairgrounds in Dunbar Township.

Boocks’ Facebook page identifies her as a resident of Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County, who is from the McDonald area and a regional field director for the Bill Shuster congressional campaign.

Halvorson, who lost the Republican primary in April to incumbent U.S. Rep. Shuster, won a write-in nomination on the Democratic ballot and the two will square off Nov. 8 in the 9th Congressional District, which includes Mon Valley communities in Washington, Greene and all or parts of 10 other counties.

According to the citation state police filed with District Judge Richard Kasunic II, the Saturday afternoon incident occurred when Halvorson intended to annoy or harm Boocks, subjecting her to unwanted physical contact.

Halvorson said Wednesday he drove immediately to Kasunic’s office upon learning the charge had been filed to plead “absolutely not guilty.”

A hearing date will not be set, according to Halvorson, until the magistrate’s office determines the availability of the trooper. “I would like to see that hearing happen before the election,” Halvorson said, adding that he intends to represent himself at the court proceeding.

Halvorson maintains at the fair, he wanted to ascertain for whom those seated at the Shuster campaign booth behind a table were working, and he said he touched no one. He called the filing of the citation “diabolical.”