Ron Paul Supporter Edward Dillard Sues Newt Gingrich for Assault and Battery

Ron Paul supporter Edward Dillard, 29, is suing Newt Gingrich for assault and battery, claiming that the candidate's security team attacked him because of his support for Paul.

Dillard, whose story was first reported by TMZ on Saturday, claimed he was minding his own business at a polling place on Jan. 31 when Gingrich arrived to make a speech outside the polling station.

Gingrich and his wife, Callista, moved to a canopy that had been set up with a microphone stand when the candidate spotted Dillard and shook his hand.

It was then that Newt Gingrich saw the T-shirt he was wearing, and the sign he carried: Ron Paul 2012.

'Like he Was Stomping out a Cigarette'

Gingrich immediately turned his back to him and went on to greet other potential voters.

According to Dillard, that's when several members of Gingrich's security team came up to him, trying to intimidate him from moving from the spot.

Dillard, who was wearing open-toed sandals at the time, claims that one member of Gingrich's security detail lifted his heeled shoe over Dillard's right foot and dug the back of it into his skin.

TMZ quotes Dillard's complaint as follows: the security guard then twisted his foot from side to side, like he was stomping out a cigarette.

To make matters worse, Dillard also claims that the same security guard who mangled his foot then called on the other members of his team to do the same, yelling, Everyone step on his toes!

'Violent, Boorish and Abusive Behavior'

Edward Dillard's right foot was fractured in the assault.

He filed a complaint against Newt Gingrich and Patriot Group International, the security firm that provided the guards for the alleged assault and battery, at the U.S. District Court in Florida on Friday. He is seeking unspecified damages.

Although Newt Gingrich has yet to respond to the allegations, Texas Rep. Ron Paul has already called on the former Speaker to take action.

The Ron Paul 2012 Presidential campaign is requesting an apology and decisive action from Congressman Newt Gingrich and his campaign for abuse the latter organization perpetrated against a Ron Paul supporter, Paul's campaign wrote in a press release.

There is simply no excuse for the type of violent, boorish and abusive behavior demonstrated by Mr. Gingrich's campaign, Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton added in a statement to The State Column.

We ask that those Gingrich campaign staff directly involved in the episode be immediately terminated.