Fullerton Police Beating Case Turns Political

Fullerton - The case of Kelly Thomas, the homeless man who died last month after a confrontation with Fullerton police, is not just a human tragedy. It's also become a political football.

FOX 11's John Schwada has the full story in the video report.

Story Script:

Tony Bushala, Recall Leader
"We want people on the city council that represent the people, the residents of Fullerton, not the police department, not the special interests."

Businessman Tony Bushala charges that the police brutality that led to the death last month of Kelly Thomas, a 37-year-old homeless man, is a symptom of a town run by the Fullerton P.D. and its pals.

Bob McKinley, one of the three Fullerton councilmen targeted for political extinction, says the recall is really about something else.

Bob McKinley, Fullerton Councilman
"Tony Bushala - the king of Fullerton - that's what he wants... to pull the strings from behind."

McKinley - a former Fullerton police chief himself - claims Bushala is just using the the death of Kelly Thomas for his own ends.

Bob McKinley, Fullerton Councilman
"Is his agenda for Kelly Thomas or has he got something else going on? He's got a lot going on. He opposed my election with a lot of money and a lot of flyers."

Bushala's sidekick in the recall campaign is Chris Thompson, another businessman.

Thompson says the three councilmen targeted for recall are pro-union tax-and-spenders who have irritated tea-party sympathizers like himself for years... and that the Kelly Thomas tragedy was the final straw.

Chris Thompson, Recall Leader
"We believe there's been an absolute lack of leadership in the Kelly Thomas episode."

Thompson says that rogue behavior by cops can be expected when the city's police union contributes to council campaigns and two former cops sit on the city council.

Bob McKinley, Fullerton Councilman
"What do you say to that? That's absolutely nonsense. As far as establishing some kind of atmosphere that accepts that kind of behavior it's absolute nonsense."

Fullerton is a sleepy town, but the Kelly Thomas case has put it on the map and stirred up a political hornet's nest, and none of this is going away soon.