Cops: McCain Worker Made Up Attack Story

Pittsburgh Woman To Be Charged With Making False Report After Claiming "B" Was Carved Into Face By Mugger

(CBS/AP)  A John McCain campaign volunteer made up a story of being robbed, pinned to the ground and having the letter "B" scratched on her face in a politically inspired attack, police said Friday.

Ashley Todd, 20-year-old college student from College Station, Texas, admitted Friday that the story was false, police said.

Maurita Bryant, the assistant chief of the police department's investigations division, said Todd is being charged with making a false police report.

Police doubted her story from the start, Bryant said.

"She just opened up and said she wanted to tell the truth," Bryant said, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "She was upset with the media for blowing this into a political firestorm."

Todd, who is white, initially told police she was attacked by a 6-foot-4 black man Wednesday night.

She told investigators she was attempting to use a bank branch ATM when the man approached her from behind, put a knife with a 4- to 5-inch blade to her throat and demanded money. She said she handed the assailant $60 and walked away.

Todd claimed that she suspected the man then noticed a McCain sticker on her car, became angry and punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground and telling her "you are going to be a Barack supporter," police said.

She said he continued to punch and kick her while threatening "to teach her a lesson for being a McCain supporter," police said. She said he then sat on her chest, pinned her hands down with his knees and scratched a backward letter "B" into her face with a dull knife.

Todd also told police she didn't seek medical attention, but instead went to a friend's apartment nearby and called police about 45 minutes later.

On Friday, when she admitted the story was fabricated, Todd told police she believes she cut the backward "B" onto her own cheek, but she didn't explain how or why, Bryant said.

"She said she doesn't remember doing it but knows it must have been her who did it," Bryant said, according to the Tribune-Review.

Todd reportedly said she thought of Barack Obama when she saw the "B" on her cheek and minutes later "came up what a plan" to manufacture the story, according to Bryant.

She now tells investigators she was neither robbed nor attacked.

"We had some serious cases going on, and this wasted so much time," Bryant said. "Our detectives have been working through the night just to verify the information we suspected was false from the beginning."

Bryant said somebody charged with making a false report would typically be cited and sent a summons. But because police have concerns about Todd's mental health, they are consulting with the Allegheny County District Attorney. She remained in custody and was awaiting arraignment.

Todd worked in New York for the College Republican National Committee before moving two weeks ago to Pennsylvania, where her duties included recruiting college students, the committee's executive director, Ethan Eilon, has said.

Eilon declined to comment on the investigation Friday or to help The Associated Press contact Todd.

Police investigating the alleged attack quickly noticed some inconsistencies in Todd's story and administered a polygraph test, CBS station KDKA reports.

Authorities declined to release the results of that test, but investigators said they received photos from the ATM machine and "the photographs were verified as not being the victim making the transaction."

Police say they do not believe any other people were involved. They said Todd's friends believed the story about the attack.

Police suspected all along that Todd might not be telling the truth, starting with the fact that the "B" was backward, Bryant said.

"We have robbers here in Pittsburgh, but they don't generally mutilate someone's face like that," Bryant said. "They just take the money and run."

[libratine]

John Moody Executive VP of Fox News on his blog yesterday wrote: If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain%u2019s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting. http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/10/23/jmoody_1023/

I concur. Ashley the criminal lying racist, is McCain%u2019s last moniker.

The article and much, much, more can be found on the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

[john6pack]

So "Asley the volunteer" wanted a place in history as ''Joe the plumber'' did,can''t blame her for trying.
It turned out that she was a fraud, see: http://kdka.com/local/attack.McCain.Bloomfield.2.847628.html
Well, we should cut her some slack since ''Joe the plumber'' was not quite Joe, not a licensed plumber but an Ohio tax dodger and a registered republican.

[midvale3]

Can''t wait to see the spin put on this one. They should brand a "B" on all 4 of her racist cheeks.

[dhutch88]

You idiots, like Mcain had something to do with it. If that is the case Obama has something to do with the thousand of blacks on welfare and smoking crack and voting for Obama. She was a volunteer not a worker But you idiots wouldnt know the difference since CBS liberal spin wouldnt print headline.

[hoomyaj]

This lying b.itch is like McSane/Palin(MILF). Blame the black man for your failure. Great, bs.

[john6pack]

So "Asley the volunteer" wanted a place in history as ''Joe the plumber'' did,can''t blame her for trying.
It turned out that she was a fraud, see: http://kdka.com/local/attack.McCain.Bloomfield.2.847628.html
Well, we should cut her some slack since ''Joe the plumber'' was not quite Joe, not a licensed plumber but an Ohio tax dodger and a registered republican.

[truthislife1]

She will now be rich and famous!

[midvale3]

You idiots, like Mcain had something to do with it. If that is the case Obama has something to do with the thousand of blacks on welfare and smoking crack and voting for Obama. She was a volunteer not a worker But you idiots wouldnt know the difference since CBS liberal spin wouldnt print headline.


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Posted by dhutch88 at 03:11 PM : Oct 24, 2008

So tell me, oh great one bring up blacks on welfare, which race has more people on public assistance?

[hoomyaj]

She learned this kind of tactic while vounteering for McSane. They teach this kind of *** b/c it get the voters out. McSane is trying to divide the American people.

[yeswecan09]

You idiots, like Mcain had something to do with it.
*****
Both McCain and Palin called this young lady on the phone

[whosaid1]

There are two points to be made here....one: there continue to be idiots out there who want their few minutes of visability. The second point is that the main stream media would not report on it until it was found to be false....then they were all over it.....we''ll hear about it for another week.

[nolalou]

So the wounds were self-inflicted, kind of makes sense, with the backward "B", she didn''t think as she did it in the mirror that the "B" would be inverted!

[stevex47]

I''m not even going to comment.

[DCropp]

I''m so sick and tired of the race baiting from the McCain/Palin ticket.

This is why Palin should have put a stop to the hate occurring at her rallies during the last few weeks. Instead Palin fanned the flames.

[republicants]

Can someone link me to where McCan''t fell for this ?
OMG too funny.

[libratine]

Consider just how devastating this is for the McCain Campaign for this event to have happened in Pittsburgh. The campaign only hope to get to 270 relied heavily on Pennsylvania. What a complete backfire right into the face of John McCain!!!

[patrik1974]

My heart goes out to Ashley. It is obvious she is unstable. Hopefully, her cry for help will be answered and she will get the assistance needed to overcome her issues.

[wlmrtpatriot]

I must admit election years bring out the craziest among us. If this lady had cared about the Republican party she wouldn''t have done this idiot thing. Just like the compromiser of Sarah Palin''s e mail account. Acts of idiocy by the common people. I''ll be so happy when the election is over, then evrybody can get busy trashing another president, just like they have the last one and the one before that.

[truthspeake2]

Another racist Susan Smith...

[libratine]

John Moody Executive VP of Fox News on his blog yesterday wrote: If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain%u2019s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting. http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/1
0/23/jmoody_1023/

I concur. Ashley the criminal lying racist, is McCain''s final moniker.

The article and much, much, more can be found on the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

[dhutch88]

yeswecan09- what does that have to do with anything did they help her or did they plan it NO, Obama sat in the Revs pew for 20 years while he hated on whites. What are you saying, which is worse calling someone who did something wrong or having your spirtiual advisor hate white people and condemn the government. Please tell us.

[midvale3]

There are two points to be made here....one: there continue to be idiots out there who want their few minutes of visability. The second point is that the main stream media would not report on it until it was found to be false....then they were all over it.....we''''ll hear about it for another week.


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Posted by whosaid1 at 03:14 PM : Oct 24, 2008


You don''t think it''s a reflection of race relations in this country that she lied and said a black man did it, 1 in 3 people know a person who say they will not vote for Barack because he''s black and the comments about him being a Muslim or Rev Wright? Sorry, but that IS news and maybe, just maybe some of the people trying to bring the 1950''s back will remember you should judge a person by WHO THEY ARE and not by their skin color. You need to look inside and see why you hate minorities so much.

[element51]

When this story broke yesterday I knew it was *********. I get so sick of these right wing trolls that come on here and claim that democrats are a bunch of dishonest criminals. Yesterday the net was full of all kinds of wild stories about the democrats and our candidate. And the terrible thing about this is that this fake story has been reported and there will be people out there who will believe it even though it has been shown to be a lie. Just like that stupid woman at the McCain rally who said she couldn''t vote for Obama because he was an "arab." In all the years that I have followed politics I have never seen a candidate attacked the way Obama has been attacked. Except possibly for McCain back in 2000. But wait, it was the same people who attacked McCain who are now working for him attacking Obama. Isn''t that odd? Maybe Palin can add "Ashley the Liar" to "Joe the Plumber" at her hate rallys. I have 1000 dollars that says this story disappears by Monday.

[dhutch88]

Where is Twayan Brawler and Al Sharpton.

[donevis-2009]

You idiots, like Mcain had something to do with it. If that is the case Obama has something to do with the thousand of blacks on welfare and smoking crack and voting for Obama. She was a volunteer not a worker But you idiots wouldnt know the difference since CBS liberal spin wouldnt print headline.

Posted by dhutch88

Here we go again, another GOP member that can''t write an intelligent post so the reversion to name calling and pounding sand. If you don''t like CBS Liberal spin take your comments to WTOP. They''ll love you there, but your just a plant on this blog anyway. Have a nice life in your hate-em all world.

[libratine]

If she puts a "B" on her left buttcheek and a "B" on her right buttcheek, she could bend over and spell "Bob."
Posted by doorgunner2 at 03:16 PM : Oct 24, 2008
_______________________

That is heck a funny! Let''s hope that this time Ashley doesn''t get it @ss backwards and inverted!

[midvale3]

My heart goes out to Ashley. It is obvious she is unstable. Hopefully, her cry for help will be answered and she will get the assistance needed to overcome her issues.


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Posted by patrik1974 at 03:15 PM : Oct 24, 2008



Ha, not if the very person she''s trying to help gets elected. I think their motto is "Tough ***; I got mine".

[sheaminor]

dhutch88...why would Obama be blamed for blacks on welfare or crack smokers? why not blame him for meth users and pedophiles too? your comment is stupid...the McCain camp has been blaming Obama for everything! He even blamed Obama at the debate for the people who had Palin is a #$%# shirts on. The problem I have is the fact that this lady blamed it on a black man! That was the lowest of the low reminds me of Susan Smith who said a black man kidnapped her kids and then it came out she killed them. I''m sick of how the McCain camp has been dividing us. That''s exactly the reason he is going to lose because Obama is the one trying to bring us together and that''s what this country needs! Just look at the McCain/Palin rallies you don''t see diversity in their crowds. If Obama was all white would you of made your comment?

[ybotheratall]

Isn''t he the guy who is always smiling because he can finally get it up while taking Enzyte?

-----------------------
Who''''s "Bob"?

Posted by doorgunner2 at 03:19 PM

[lemonskink]

Anyone with any common sense knows an anxious robber has no time for such creative facial art.

http://think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF01911965001700994703/

[infoworker]

So, we have a young white female from Texas come to Pittsburgh (whose home county has the 2nd oldest population in the US) and make up a story about being attacked by a 6''4" black male. Then she says she can''t explain why she made up the story. Really ??
We all know why she made up the story... to scare the elderly white population that blacks (and Obama supporters by inference) are going to rob, and sexually abuse, and terrorize your daughters, sisters and friends. This is a throw back to the days of slavery and the KKK. Pure and simple racial intimidation. They should not only charge this girl with making a false police report, but with racial intimidation crimes as well. I hope all of the networks that covered the report originally give this news equal coverage.

[midvale3]

"Then he carved a B on my left buttcheek and a B on the right one.

He said he was a "Bob" supporter.

Who''''s "Bob"?


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Posted by doorgunner2 at 03:19 PM : Oct 24, 2008


What about Bob....

[libratine]

The point is that this happened in PITTBURGH. McCain''s narrow road to 270 has been road-blocked by one of his own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[citizenusa-2009]

With her new facial advertisement, I''ll bet Burger King offers her a job as their newest spokesperson. They can also say "Our burgers are so good, they give our competition a black eye."

[whosaid1]

"they wielded it around like Thor''''s hammer" ??? And what did McCain do other than make a phone call to her family to encourage this statement from you ??

[repforbarack]

This woman represents the depravity of the McLame campaign!

[janusp]

I think the point is this girl probably to reports has had mental problems, and in a sense she cant be blamed.

The point everybody is trying to make is that there are people out there like this young lady who will believe what you tell them, we are not equals in IQ level or mental capacity but elected leaders especially know better.

The point is and I do not believe McCain and Palin are racists but they are hoping to win Ohio/Pennsylvania/Florida because they know that is where race is a factor and they are appealing to underlying psyche of these indvisuals

[dhutch88]

IF,

[martin9p2]

This story is sickening. Many republicans on THIS BOARD are beating themselves up as well, in the form of making false and ludicrous claims in order to "promote" their candidate. By Nov. 5, McCain himself will have to disavow the likes of Ashley Todd and many of the "republicans" on THIS SITE. You guys ought to cool the nasty rhetoric -- it is not funny and doesn''t win votes.

[midvale3]

This is the modus operendi of the Left. It only gets reported by the pathetic liberal media when it''''s the other way around.


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Posted by ritewingman at 03:21 PM : Oct 24, 2008


BS, back up one story that you know of that has not been covered by the media? You need to pull the Rush radio out of your a@@.

[generey]

What is funny is the "B" is backwards; obviously "done" in a mirror! Dumb beech...LOL.

[yeswecan09]

yeswecan09- what does that have to do with anything did they help her or did they plan it NO, Obama sat in the Revs pew for 20 years while he hated on whites. What are you saying, which is worse calling someone who did something wrong or having your spirtiual advisor hate white people and condemn the government. Please tell us
*****
Your logic is flawed -- you want to believe that all Obama''s former preacher did for 20 years is scream about the white man?

Does it not seem rather interesting that John McCain and Palin both personally called to talk to her? Not their campaign manager, nor the local lead representative but the two GOP bigwigs?

To me that seems they wanted to use this attack as some sort of launch pad to get traction with their floundering campaign.

[libslapper]

Well, it COULD HAVE BEEN true.....

Good enough for me.

McCain 08....Vote or die!

[irmcvet97]

This is the modus operendi of the Left. It only gets reported by the pathetic liberal media when it''''s the other way around.

Posted by ritewingman at 03:21 PM : Oct 24, 2008

Do you have ANY evidence of any worker for Obama doing anything like this or is this just MORE of you and your neocon Hate anyone who doesn''t agree with the "Party" trash?

[jabari]

As I suspected since the "B" was backward as if someone did it to themselves. This woman should be charged with a hate crime for accusing a black person falsely and stirring racial tensions. Its the only way people like her will learn to be civil.

[antoniof123]

Did anyone here read that she is a McCain volunteer she knew exactaly what she was doing.

Of course this is the hate that the Republicans have spread.

One other thing I am sending money to the Democrats to make certain that they remove the ilk Repulbicans for the senate. I am sick and tired of them and there stall tactics. It is time to move America forward.

It is going to be a blood bath for the Repulbicans in this election and they know it.

[realcloak]

My wife and I made a bet that this would be exposed as a hoax within 24 hours. Hey honey, dinner at The Capital Grille at 8 tonight?

[bmlott27]

Posted by patrik1974: "My heart goes out to Ashley. It is obvious she is unstable. Hopefully, her cry for help will be answered and she will get the assistance needed to overcome her issues."

I appreciate your sympathetic statement, but this isn''t instability, its racism. Other posters have brought up Crystal Mangum - that incident was racism too, but it was really only a con-job to try to get some money - dispicable, but not on the scale of what this woman did, which was try to influence the outcome of a national election.

[martin9p2]

No, Ashley Todd doesn''t represent McCain/Palin, but sadly she represents many childish republicans.

Many republicans on THIS BOARD are beating themselves up as well, in the form of making false and ludicrous claims in order to "promote" their candidate. By Nov. 5, McCain himself will have to disavow the likes of Ashley Todd and many of the "republicans" on THIS SITE. You guys ought to cool the nasty rhetoric -- it is not funny and doesn''''t win votes.

[repforbarack]

This woman represents the depravity of the McSame campaign!