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According to the attorney representing Rep. Frank Sapareto’s alleged assault victim, the reason behind the New Hampshire Republican’s violent outburst was his “poor performance” during his porn shoot the day before.

“He wasn’t performing very well in his scenes or with the adult film actresses,” attorney Eric Dubin told NHJournal. “He was apologizing a lot to the female talent and his frustration carried over into the attack.”

When asked what the nature of the performance issue was, Dubin told NHJournal: “It’s not that they were going badly. Apparently they weren’t going at all.”

Dubin’s client, Jonathan Carter, alleges that Sapareto broke into his apartment and assaulted him, beating him so badly that Carter lost consciousness. According to the emergency department report from Adventist Health Simi Valley, Carter suffered a “closed-head injury with LOC.” [Loss of consciousness].

“Pt [patient] has scrapes to right chest, arm, left knee. C/O dizziness, disorientation. Left mandibular pain, headache, neck stiffness and mid back pain following assault when a very large man broke into the patient’s apartment and started punching him in the face,” according to the emergency room report.

Rep. Sapareto was previously found guilty of assault in 2013 and ordered to take anger management classes. He denies that the assault took place and points to the fact that local authorities in California declined to press criminal charges. Sapareto also told NHJournal that, while he admits to being the man seen with an adult film actress in a video released by Carter’s attorney, he claims it’s been “doctored.”

“I don’t know how he did it,” Sapareto told NHJournal. “He just does it. This [manipulating video] is what he does. He said he was going to destroy my political career and that’s what he’s trying to do.”

Sapareto says he went into business with Carter to create tourism videos for a Japanese audience, even creating an LLC called Standard Video here in New Hampshire. But then, Sapareto says, he was “set up.”

“The guy had me shoot all this video, in unusual positions, I didn’t know why,” Sapareto said.

For example, Sapareto admits that he is standing in the doorway of a video clip released by his alleged victim, but says the rest of the shot was manipulated to make it appear that he’s speaking to an adult film actress as she exposes her breast.

In response, Carter’s attorney released another, more explicit, clip showing a nude Sapareto in bed engaged in sexual activity with an actress.

A screen capture from video viewed by NHJournal

“I’m only talking to the press to respond to what Sapareto is saying,” Dubin told NHJournal in response. “I have a duty to my client. It’s been shocking to listen to Sapareto lie about every single aspect, from never having met my client, to claiming he was only stopped for a traffic ticket, to making a tourism video.”

Dubin, who was involved in the successful wrongful-death lawsuit against actor Robert Blake over the death of his wife, said he thinks the sex element is a sideshow. “The porn part isn’t relevant to me. It’s his willingness to lie that relates to my client’s case.”

But, Dubin added “it is surprising to see how far someone like Sapareto has made it up the political ladder in New Hampshire, even with a previous assault charge.”

As for the claim that the video is fake, Dubin told NHJournal: “I have seven hours of film that includes four separate sex scenes with four different actresses.  It’s 1000% him.”

Documents, images and videoclips obtained by NHJournal appear to back claims made in a lawsuit against Republican state rep and House Speaker candidate Frank Sapareto of Derry, claiming he was involved in a video project to produce porn–and that the male lead in the movie was the Republican legislator himself.

“Yes, I have seen the video. There’s hours and hours of it,” Eric Dubin told NHJournal. Dubin is representing Jonathan Carter, the plaintiff in a lawsuit claiming that Sapareto assaulted him due to the representative’s displeasure over the quality of the filming.

“My client lost consciousness. He was treated for a concussion in the emergency room,” Dubin said. “The idea that an elected official would completely lie about this is very disturbing. I’m not judging anyone’s personal behavior, but there are jobs that require public confidence.”

Dubin supplied NHJournal with images and a video clip to support his client’s claims.

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CLIP CONTAINS NUDITY:

Dubin also provided an extensive email chain of communications between his client, Rep. Sapareto and at least on other person involved in the porn project. Many of the communications involve potential female performers and their willingness/availability to participate in the movie.

As of late Tuesday morning, Rep. Sapareto was assuring NHJournal that he was the victim of a “scam.”

“The guy [Jonathan Carter] is a dirtbag. He’s making a living off scams like this,” Sapareto told NHJournal. “This is a political hit job. He said he would kill my political career unless I paid him $5,000. And now he’s keeping his word,” Saparto said.

According to email correspondence between Sapareto and another person involved in the project, possible titles considered for the porn film—based on the premise of Rep. Sapareto playing the last male on Earth available to continue the human race after a horrific disaster—were:

• Last Sperm on Earth
• Armageddon Sperm Donor
• Doomsday Babymaker

Rep. Sapareto’s choice: Creampie Apocalypse.

The AP’s Amy Taxin and Holly Ramer broke the story:

A New Hampshire state lawmaker producing and starring in a porn film assaulted his business partner in California after he felt his scenes didn’t go well, according to a civil lawsuit filed by the partner.

Jonathan Carter filed the suit Friday in Southern California, seeking unspecified damages following a June incident that he claims involved state Rep. Frank Sapareto.

Sapareto denied the allegations or knowing Carter or having any business involvement with the adult film industry.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sapareto said in a phone interview.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sapareto said in a phone interview.

“Wow, that’s a great story,” he said, laughing. “I haven’t heard that one. I thought we were all done going after men.”

Now anyone can file a civil suit alleging anything, so the part of the AP story that makes this interesting is that there’s a police report from Simi Valley, CA involved:

“In the police report, authorities say Sapareto told them that he met Carter online while seeking a business partner to make an adult film and that he went to his home to return camera equipment. According to the police report, he denied assaulting him…

When asked about the police report, Sapareto said that he was stopped for a traffic violation. In a follow-up email, he said police didn’t find the allegation credible and that he has not been accused of anything.”

So we’ve gone from “what police report?” to “I was stopped for a traffic beef” to “Ah, the police didn’t believe it anyway…”  Yeah, not a good look for the Republican from Derry. And it’s not the first time he’s been accused of assault.  Sapareto was convicted on multiple counts of simple assault in 2013, involving an ex-girlfriend and some of her family members. Rep. Sapareto was sentenced to 30 days (suspended) a $500 fine and anger management classes.

Apparently he didn’t study….

The question now is how his GOP colleagues will respond on the eve of the midterm elections. Unlike the Sen. Jeff Woodburn case, the details here are sketchy (for the moment) and Sapareto doesn’t face any criminal charges.  Voters and Republican leaders are left with a civil lawsuit and some vague details.

Oh–and PORN.  

If this were about a shoving match at a bar or baseball game, it could be shrugged off. But when the guy you punched was in charge the camera crew zooming in on your actions areas during a steamy scene in “Lascivious Legislators IV,” that’s a political problem.

What are Democrats going to say about it? Thanks to Sen. Woodburn, not much.  The Democratic state senator is charged with a crime and, unlike Rep. Sapareto, we’ve all seen the photos. (And please, Frank–let’s keep it that way!).

Best guess is Sapareto is re-elected, but he can pull down his page promoting his election as House Speaker down now. That dream is over.