McCain volunteer robbed and beaten

[illusionofjoy]

From KDKA:

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Pittsburgh police are investigating after a volunteer for the Republican campaign says she was attacked by a mugger who became enraged after seeing a John McCain bumper sticker on her car last night.

According to police, Ashley Todd, 20, said she was robbed at an ATM at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street in the Bloomfield area around 9 p.m. Wednesday after leaving a Republican phone bank.

Todd told police that the suspect, described only as a dark-skinned African-American man about 6'4", stole $60 from her and became enraged after seeing a bumper sticker supporting Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain on her car.

Todd, who is from Texas, said the suspect put a knife to her neck and demanded money.

Todd told police that the man became very angry after noticing the McCain sticker on her car and began punching and kicking her.

After repeatedly hitting, kicking and threatening her, Todd told police that the man carved a "B" in her cheek.

As far as I'm concerned, this is a hate crime. The fact that this poor woman was "branded" is beyond appalling. All rational people can agree with the Obama and McCain campaigns in their mutual condemnation of this reprehensible act.

Update 10/24/2008: The Post-Gazette reports that Todd has confessed to completely fabricating the story. Being the victim of a violent crime is a horrible thing, but lying about it for untenable reasons is far worse, in my opinion.

Comments

[watercolorblue.livejournal.com]

Yeah but...what does the B stand for?

[illusion-of-joy.livejournal.com]

I don't know and I'd rather not speculate.

[slinkybetty.livejournal.com]

Totally uncalled for.

[anmorata.livejournal.com]

It's happening on both sides. I read a story a few days ago about an Obama campaign volunteer getting beaten up, too. :(

[shimmer-star.livejournal.com]

i think this sounds fishy. call be a horrible, evil skeptic, but would an obama supporter actually carve a B into her cheek? why not the more obvious O? and exactly how did he hold her still for long enough to carve? sounds like a ploy for the mccain campaign.

[(Anonymous)]

http://kdka.com/local/attack.McCain.Bloomfield.2.847628.html

"Police sources tell KDKA that a campaign worker has now confessed to making up a story that a mugger attacked her and cut the letter "B" in her face after seeing her McCain bumper sticker."

[shimmer-star.livejournal.com]

AW SNAP! it's a hoax! wow, my bullshit detector is actually working...

http://kdka.com/local/attack.McCain.Bloomfield.2.847628.html

[illusion-of-joy.livejournal.com]

Found that out at work today. So, now I'm angry for a whole different set of reasons.