Don't Jump to Conclusions on the Allee Bautsch Story

I saw the story on The Dead Pelican yesterday, or the day before - I can't remember now, about the Jindal campaign staffer who was attacked along with her boyfriend in the French Quarter this weekend.  I wondered at the time if the attack was politically motivated considering the SRLC was going on and protests were reported.  But honestly, shootings, robberies, muggings, and other various and sundry attacks in and around the French Quarter are more common than one might expect so I just didn't pay a lot of attention to the story.  I assumed that the fact that the girl is a Jindal staffer was just coincidental.

So I didn't write about it.

As it stands now, the story seems to be going viral and everyone is jumping to conclusions all over the place.  I don't have to tell you that in this day of 24/7 news, Twitter and blogs, things get reported that aren't actually true and before you know it, it's everywhere and assumed to be fact.

In truth, all we know right now for sure is that Allee Bautsch and her boyfriend, Joe Brown, were savagely beaten after they left a fundraising event at Brennan's restaurant.  Rumors that it all started because Bautsch was wearing a Palin pin are unfounded.

The Hayride is an excellent Louisiana blog and has been on the story.  I point you there for the actual facts.  V Via WWL News, Kyle Plotkin, Jindal's spokesman, confirms that Miss Bautsch had surgery over the weekend and is looking at a lengthy recovery time:

The governor's office said Monday that Allee Bautsch suffered a broken leg and her boyfriend, Joe Brown, (both pictured above from Bautsch's Facebook page) suffered a concussion and fractured nose and jaw in the alleged incident, which happened after a fundraising event at Brennan's Restaurant on behalf of the Louisiana Republican Party.

Jindal was at the event, but was not present when the incident occurred.

Jindal spokesman Kyle Plotkin says Bautsch had surgery over the weekend and is facing a recovery time of two to three months. He says New Orleans police are investigating the incident and the governor's office would have no further comment.

Both Hot Air and Michelle Malkin are now on the story, and both are quoting The Hayride as a source.


At this point I'd suggest it's best to wait for the facts to emerge.  It seems to me that the injuries described are more severe than the average mugging or beating.  It's an active investigation so the actual facts are difficult to discern at the moment.  Keep an eye on The Hayride, The Dead Pelican or here and as things develop, we'll update things.  But for now, I think the best thing is to not jump to conclusions.


(More at Memeorandum)