Woman Pepper-Sprayed, Arrested at Busby Fundraiser

Shari Barman, 60, was pepper sprayed and arrested at a fundraiser for Francine Busby in Cardiff

By MICHELLE WAYLAND

Updated 8:22 AM PST, Mon, Jun 29, 2009

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A fundraiser for Francine Busby ended in chaos when the party's 60-year old hostess was pepper-sprayed and arrested on suspicion of obstructing a peace officer and battery on a peace officer, deputies said.

Investigators responded to noise complaints Friday night at a home in Cardiff-by-the-Sea where Shari Barman, 60, was holding a fundraiser for Busby, one of two Democrats seeking to replace Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray.

A representative Busby released a statement Sunday calling it a “quiet private party” in support of Busby’s campaign for Congress. The statement said there was no music, entertainment or rowdy behavior on the part of the mostly middle-aged guests.

“As Busby spoke to the attendees, a man was heard shouting from behind a wooded area,” Mike Kreizenbeck said. “His obscenity-laced tirade against Democrats and Francine Busby included a number of threats.”

A sheriff’s deputy entered the home at about 9:30 p.m. and asked to speak with the homeowner. A deputy asked for Barman's date of birth so he could file paperwork alerting the city to the noise complaints but Barman refused, Sgt. Chuck Yancey told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Saturday.

When the officer tried to arrest Barman, a crowd of about 30 to 50 partygoers surrounded her and were able to separate her from the deputy, Yancey told the paper. Deputies dispersed pepper spray on the crowd and the deputy arrested Barman after she punched him, Yancey said.

“When the homeowner asked the deputy sheriff why he needed her date of birth, the deputy reacted by restraining the homeowner and throwing her to the ground,” Kreizenbeck said. “Alarmed guests pleaded with the deputy to let the 60-year-old homeowner go and stop hurting her.”

Busby said the incident was regrettable because it was avoidable and unnecessary.

“Senior deputies who arrived later explained that the deputy had been responding to a complaint about a 'Democratic Demonstration,’ which clearly mischaracterized the nature of the private reception and indicated that this may have been a politically motivated call,” Kreizenbeck said.

Barman was booked into the Vista Detention Facility and later released.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department could not be reached for further comment Sunday.

This is the fourth time Busby is making a play for the seat. She was defeated in 2004 by Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who left office in disgrace and was sentenced to prison on corruption charges. She then faced off twice in 2006 against Bilbray -- once in a special election to replace Cunningham, then again five months later in the general election.

In 2008, Bilbray was re-elected, handing Nick Leibham a defeat at the polls.