Mayoral candidate threatens violence against journalist for exposing Domestic Violence conviction

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Mayoral candidate Desmont Upchurch (R) threatened violence against RNM reporter Clifton French for a story that uncovered Upchurch’s history of violence toward women. Upchurch sent a text message to the reporter, disparaging his family before claiming he would have someone hit the journalist for him.

(*NOTE* While RNM typically publishes pictures of these conversations, we are not putting them out as the insults and false statements being made by the Mayoral candidate also target innocent family members of the journalist.)

On Wednesday, RNM published an investigation into Upchurch’s violent history, including a guilty plea for hitting a woman when he lived in North Carolina. Shortly after, Upchurch demanded a retraction of the story claiming the information was false. RNM then provided court records and documentation to the Mayoral candidate to show the story was accurate.

Upchurch then took to social media to claim RNM’s Clifton French published the story due to having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Upchurch then went even further to falsely suggest the journalist was guilty of domestic violence himself.

Only hours after RNM published its investigation into Upchurch, the South Bend Tribune published a similar report. The reporter with the South Bend Tribune also confirmed the Domestic Violence conviction. Columnist Jack Colwell later published another story regarding Upchurch’s criminal history in which Upchurch admitted to violence toward women. Upchurch then attacked the local GOP for a lack of support in his campaign.

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