San Diego Tea Party Leader Arrested On Kidnapping, Rape Charges

Sex assault suspect a tea party leader
San Diego Union-Tribune

SAN DIEGO — Police on Friday announced the arrest of Michael Kobulnicky, spokesman for the San Diego Tea Party, on suspicion of kidnapping a woman and then sexually assaulting her on Fiesta Island last month.

Kobulnicky, 50, was taken into custody about 3:45 p.m. Thursday as he was walking to his Lemon Grove home, said San Diego police Lt. Anastasia Smith. He was being held in the central jail without bail.

The 56-year-old victim had been walking home on Linda Vista Road near Tait Street about 7 p.m. Feb. 25 when a man drove up to her and offered her a ride. She accepted, but he went past her residence and drove to Fiesta Island. The man pulled her out of the car, pinned her down, assaulted her and drove off, police said.

The woman walked to a trolley station and reported the attack to police.

Video surveillance of the suspect before the attack was obtained from a convenience store, the location of which is not being disclosed, Smith said. Police released the video on March 2 and received numerous tips that led them to Kobulnicky, she said.

He was booked into jail on felony counts of kidnapping for purposes of sexual assault, rape by force, and sex with a foreign object. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in San Diego Superior Court.

Smith said Kobulnicky’s occupation is a gardening supervisor.

In a statement Friday night, the leadership team of the San Diego Tea Party, a grass-roots conservative political group, said that Kobulnicky had taken a hiatus from the group in January for personal reasons and had not been in touch with members since then. He has been removed from his position while the legal process runs its course, the statement said.

"Our hearts and our thoughts go out to the victim," the statement said.

Karen Grube, a tea party member, said Friday night she worked with Kobulnicky on several events and was shocked to learn of his arrest.

Her initial reaction was “this can’t be the same guy,” she said. The tea party is supporting Grube as a candidate for the San Diego Republican Central Committee, according to its website.

According to his Facebook page, Kobulnicky became engaged to an Arizona woman on March 12 and was to be married on April 7. San Diego Superior Court records show Kobulnicky was named in a divorce case in 2010 and a domestic-violence case in 2008.

Kobulnicky has a website called “Michael Kobulnicky USA.” On it he says he has a master’s degree in business administration and owned a landscape design and construction company. He says he is the founder and president of a nonprofit aimed at helping young people called National Council of Americans, Inc.

The website also describes him as the father of five sons and a public speaker espousing Christian values. He is listed as a former faculty member at California Miramar University and Ashford University in San Diego and an elementary schoolteacher at Val Verde elementary school in Riverside County.

Staff writer Debbi Baker contributed to this report.

Bryant wrote:Sex assault suspect a tea party leader
San Diego Union-Tribune

SAN DIEGO — Police on Friday announced the arrest of Michael Kobulnicky, spokesman for the San Diego Tea Party, on suspicion of kidnapping a woman and then sexually assaulting her on Fiesta Island last month.

The website also describes him as the father of five sons and a public speaker espousing Christian values. He is listed as a former faculty member at California Miramar University and Ashford University in San Diego and an elementary schoolteacher at Val Verde elementary school in Riverside County.

Staff writer Debbi Baker contributed to this report.

Lets also not forget about Jared Lee Loughner; the guy who shot , U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and eighteen other people during a public meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, near Tucson, Arizona. Six of those shot died, including Arizona District Court Chief Judge John Roll; one of Rep. Giffords' staffers; and a nine-year-old child, Christina-Taylor Green.

This guy was known to abuse drugs and use marijuana among other types of drugs. One classmate said he was a known 'pothead'. He is also an athiest.

Also remember the Columbine massacre. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12 students and 1 teacher. They also injured 21 other students directly, and three people were injured while attempting to escape. The pair then committed suicide. It is the fourth-deadliest school massacre in United States history.

The shooters went over to an empty table and reloaded their weapons. Valeen Schnurr, age 18, who had been hurt badly, began to cry out at that point, "Oh, God help me!" Klebold went back to her and asked her if she believed in God. She floundered in her answer, saying no and then yes, trying to get the answer "right." He asked her why; she said it was because it was what her family believed. He taunted her, reloaded his shotgun, then walked away. The slightly injured Evan Todd reported that Klebold said "God is gay."

Um, so what do the Columbine massacre and the Gifford shooting have to do with this Tea Party guy? Or are you aiming for the athiest slant, that they did it because they didn't believe in god?

Miles1 wrote:Um, so what do the Columbine massacre and the Gifford shooting have to do with this Tea Party guy? Or are you aiming for the athiest slant, that they did it because they didn't believe in god?

The author of that article made it her goal to point out that the crime was committed...by a Christian. She didnt have to. IT really shouldnt have anything to do with the story. But she did anyway. And we've seen already the statements made by our friend Bryant about how Christianity is intrusive and is the cause of this and that. So I suspect that he chose this article for a reason. Both, to criticize the tea party, but maybe also to dig at religion too?

Dennis324 wrote:

Miles1 wrote:Um, so what do the Columbine massacre and the Gifford shooting have to do with this Tea Party guy? Or are you aiming for the athiest slant, that they did it because they didn't believe in god?

The author of that article made it her goal to point out that the crime was committed...by a Christian. She didnt have to. IT really shouldnt have anything to do with the story. But she did anyway. And we've seen already the statements made by our friend Bryant about how Christianity is intrusive and is the cause of this and that. So I suspect that he chose this article for a reason. Both, to criticize the tea party, but maybe also to dig at religion too?

I think she pointed it out because it was something that distinguished him (ie it was something that was central to the public image he attempted to craft for himself).

I posted this to point out 'your shit stinks too'. Both sides have their bad apples, obviously this man's actions are not representative of what the TP stands for.

Dennis324 wrote:The author of that article made it her goal to point out that the crime was committed...by a Christian. She didnt have to. IT really shouldnt have anything to do with the story. But she did anyway.

I wonder did he like to go bowling as well? :-P