Candidate in Pennsylvania primary hit with protective order

HONESDALE, Pa. — A candidate in next month’s Republican primary for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor was ordered this week to stay away from his home after his wife made claims of physical and mental abuse in obtaining a protective order. Daniels’ wife told authorities in her request for the protective order that he had “numerous” guns and knives in the house. After they left, she said, Daniels was “verbally abusive” and “became very agitated about who called the state troopers.” She said she then called state police, who suggested that her husband go elsewhere for the night to “cool things down.” At 6 a.m. Monday, she wrote, her husband returned to the house, asked if she planned to seek a protective order and tried to prevent her from leaving, she wrote. Without offering evidence, he accused Rolling Stone magazine, which first published news of the protection-from-abuse order, of being “closely involved with a series of phone calls made to police from out-of-state in which false police reports were made against me at my home.” Rolling Stone editor-in-chief Noah Shachtman responded Thursday to Daniels’ claims with a short emailed statement: “We stand by our story.” Daniels also posted a half-hour live video on Facebook on Wednesday in which he said he had been “swatted,” or targeted with bogus calls leading police to his home. This is what they want, and I’m not going to let them win.’” Earlier this month, Daniels warned fellow Republican lieutenant governor candidate Russ Diamond that he would confront him over Diamond’s Facebook post, made April 14, that raised questions about Daniels’ law enforcement background, disability status and family life.