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The update: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.
According to the police report, the officer confirmed that he "observed the wound on the right side of [her] face.
Todd declined immediate medical attention last night but said she would go to the hospital today.
The suspect ran off after the attack; but police are hoping that footage from bank surveillance camera may help lead them to the suspect.
In an official statement the McCain campaign says: "We're shaken up by this. It's sick and disgusting."
Governor Sarah Palin reportedly spoke with the victim by phone.
Meanwhile, late this afternoon, the Obama-Biden campaign released a statement, saying: "This is a horrendous act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice."
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How many times, this election, have we been treated to the meme of the violent blacks just waiting? Be it waiting for Obama to be elected to 'settle the score' with whites, or the 'If Obama loses, there'll be riots' counterpoint, it's been out there. And then came the manifestation of the racist fear: Huge, hulking black man attacking a white woman, even leaving his mark. As it comes out to have been a pack of lies, I honestly wonder why they didn't go the whole hog and throw in rape or at least sexual assault.PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― A campaign worker who claimed she was the victim of a politically-motivated attack in which she was beaten, kicked and cut, now admits that she made the whole story up.
According to Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard, Ashley Todd, 20, told investigators today that she "was not robbed and there was no 6'4" black male attacker."
Todd initially told police that she was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield Wednesday night and that the suspect began beating her after seeing a John McCain bumper sticker on her car.
Todd claimed that the mugger even cut a backwards letter "B" in her cheek.
But today investigators say Todd confessed that the attack never happened.
At a news conference this afternoon, officials said they believe that Todd's injuries were self-inflicted.
Police investigating the report said Todd's story began to unravel early on and they administered a polygraph test.
Investigators asked Todd to return to the police station today for more questioning and to help them release a composite sketch of the suspect.
When she did, police say she admitted that she made the whole thing up and that it snowballed out of control.
Todd told investigators today that she "just wanted to tell the truth" – adding that she was neither robbed, nor attacked.
"She indicated that she has prior mental problems and that she does not remember how the backward letter B got on her face," Richard told reporters today.
Todd told police that while she did not remember how the backward "B" got on her face, she may have done it herself since she was the only one in the car.
According to police, Todd said she thought of Barack Obama when she saw the "B" in her rearview mirror.
Meanwhile, police and residents of Bloomfield say they had suspicions from the beginning about the validity of Todd's tale.
"Something seemed a little strange about the story to begin with," said Lisa Diulus.
"I think it's a shame," said Theresa Cherico. "She made Bloomfield out to be like an unsafe neighborhood."
"I don't know, McCain is down in the polls, maybe this is a boost to get him up a little bit," said Mark Billings. "I don't know, maybe she had some personal problems or something."
Police say there's no indication that anyone else was involved in bogus robbery and assault incident involving Todd.
Todd is now facing charge for filing a false police report.
She is spending the weekend behind bars awaiting a psychiatric evaluation on Monday.
Added to this, as it's a source now regularly quoted on some stations, TalkingPointsMemo.com has preserved something that.. Somehow.. Got dropped from the first story.
The link to the graphic snapshot: Link
Funny, now why'd they surreptiously remove that?The McCain camp tells KDKA-TV that the victim is a 20 year old Republican volunteer from Texas.
According to a campaign spokesperson, after seeing her bumper sticker supporting McCain, the suspect said, "Oh, you're with McCain, you're with the McCain campaign? I'm gonna teach you a lesson."
After beating the woman, the McCain camp says the suspect carved a "B" in her cheek for "Barack" Obama.
Police, however, have not confirmed that.
