GOP candidate who hurled live tarantula in fight says she got idea from 'Home Alone'
A self-described "unconventional" Minnesota county candidate borrowed a scene from the classic 1990 film "Home Alone" to push an unwelcome renter from a home she reportedly doesn't even own, according to reports and court records.
She tossed a tarantula.
The case — "weird" in nature, according to the judge — involves Marisa Christina Simonetti, 30, who is running as a Republican for Hennepin County commissioner, and who said her platform relied on "family values."
Simonetti was arrested on Friday and released Monday after posting bond, according to online court records reviewed by Raw Story. She reportedly faces charges of fifth-degree misdemeanor assault, with fear of bodily harm or death stemming from the incident.
Cities attorney Jackie Vasquez told KARE-TV that Simonetti threw, among other things, a live tarantula at her.
Simonetti told the outlet the charges against her are untrue and that Vasquez is actually squatting in the home, which was rented via a short-term rental website. Simonetti claims Vasquez wouldn't leave once the contract ended.
Although denying the charges against her, Simonetti acknowledged she was thinking outside the box about how to persuade Vasquez to leave, following what Simonetti called "a bombardment" of messages making complaints about the accommodation, including a "spider infestation" and faulty internet.
She borrowed a move from a classic Christmas tale.
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“I mean, there is an element of humor to that movie, and at the end, what was I supposed to do?” she asked KMSP. “And at the end of the day, unhinged got her out of the house.”
She added: “I’m good at creatively solving problems, and at the end of the day, I didn’t physically harm anybody. I’m a little unconventional in my ways — sometimes. I mean, I’m a silly goose."
On her campaign website, Simonetti describes herself as a businesswoman who owns rental property, a mother, and the "only conservative candidate in this race."
She entered the race in response to "seeing threats of violence directed at our schools" and to stop "wasteful spending."
"I believe a safe home and family are the foundation of a community's growth, safety, and long term success," she said on her website.
A photo posted online by KARE-TV reporter Lou Raguse showed the spider in question, which was placed into a box by a police officer.