Cleveland County Republican Party office hit by vandalism

The word 'pedophile' was spray-painted on the office, sparking concerns about political division.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office is investigating an act of vandalism at the Cleveland County Republican Party's office, where the word 'pedophile' was spray-painted in yellow across the word 'republican'. The vandalism happened sometime between the evening hours of February 17th and the early morning hours of February 18th, but was quickly cleaned up. Both the Cleveland County Republican and Democratic parties have been victims of vandalism in the past, raising concerns about the increasing political division and violence in American politics.

Why it matters

The vandalism incident highlights the growing political tensions and divisiveness in the country, with both parties condemning the use of violence and vandalism to express political disagreements. It raises questions about the state of American politics and the need for more civil discourse and face-to-face conversations to find common ground.

The details

The vandalism was discovered on the morning of February 18th, with the word 'pedophile' spray-painted in yellow across the word 'republican' on the Cleveland County Republican Party's office. The estimated damage is between $500 and $700, and the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office reviewed surveillance footage in the area but did not capture the vandalism, and no suspect information is available at this time.

  • The vandalism happened sometime between the evening hours of February 17th and the early morning hours of February 18th.

The players

Parker Crawley

Vice chairman of the Cleveland County Republican Office.

Jayme Shelton

Chairperson of the Cleveland County Democratic Party.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's just not appropriate for American politics to express your disagreements and in that way.”

— Parker Crawley, Vice chairman, Cleveland County Republican Office (KFOR)

“I think there are there are people on both sides of the aisle who stoke hatred and division, and that needs to stop.”

— Parker Crawley, Vice chairman, Cleveland County Republican Office (KFOR)

“I think it says a lot about how just our society is not able to talk to each other face to face. Whenever we can have real face-to-face conversations, we can find a lot of common ground.”

— Jayme Shelton, Chairperson, Cleveland County Democratic Party (KFOR)

“It's very concerning to see in American politics that we're increasingly moving towards violence and acts of vandalism and to express our disagreements. There's plenty of room for disagreement, but not to be expressed in that way.”

— Parker Crawley, Vice chairman, Cleveland County Republican Office (KFOR)

What’s next

The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office is continuing its investigation into the vandalism incident, and is reviewing surveillance footage in the area to try to identify a suspect.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the growing political divisions and the use of vandalism and violence to express political disagreements, which is concerning for the state of American politics. Both parties have called for more civil discourse and face-to-face conversations to find common ground and address these issues.