Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Society

McCain Supporter Falsely Alleged Politically Motivated Physical Attack

A Pennsylvania woman says that she was attacked at an ATM in Pittsburgh by a robber, who proceeded to carve a “B” in her face when he saw her McCain bumper sticker. It turns out to be a lie and Ashley Todd, 20, of College Park, Texas, will be charged with filing a false police report, a misdemeanor, and may face more charges.

The 20-year-old woman reported that a man approached her Wednesday night at an ATM, put a knife to her throat, and demanded money. She said that after she gave him $60 he stepped away but then became angry when he saw her McCain sticker. He punched and kicked her before cutting her face, according to her report. She described him as African-American, 6 feet 4 inches tall with a medium build and short dark hair, wearing dark clothing and shiny shoes.

The story unleashed an array of skepticism and speculation on the Internet as to whether this is a fabricated account. Police now say that it was a hoax — as many of our regulars on this blog thought from the outset.

For the full story, click here.

51 thoughts on “McCain Supporter Falsely Alleged Politically Motivated Physical Attack”

  1. This does seem to be a bit on the dramatic side, doesn’t it?

    Of course she’s white and the “attacker” was black. It makes the story better.

    Why would they carve a backwards “B” in her face? Why is it a pretty decent looking “B”? Wouldn’t she have struggled so that she would have had more “knife” marks on her face? Why is her eye black, but not red or swollen looking?

    Sounds made up to me

  2. Np, Babs.

    Sadly, the truth is unlikely to be reported with nearly the fervor as the original fable.

    I’m curious as to whether the woman involved will be prosecuted – and if so, how? It seems conceivable to me that this could be pursued as a hate crime. I know nothing about the prosecutor in Allegheny County, but does anyone know if it meets the requirements?

  3. Ok – I’m in Pittsburgh – and the breaking news is:
    this was a HOAX !!!!!!! (which any nitwit could figure out!)….please put THAT on NATIONAL NEWS…

  5. OKAY CNN YOU PUT THIS HOAX ON FRONT PAGE , NOW LET EVERYONE KNOW IT WAS A HOAX WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

    OFFICIALLY A HOAX

  8. Thanks Michael…..for that post, what these McCain won’t say and do to get elected

  11. This whole story is bullsh@t. The woman is a McCain campaign staffer and that is the reason she is in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh police have said she changed her story several times and initially refused medical attention. Plus, the backwards “B” carved perfectly into her face does not fit how she described what happened. What is so disturbing is that – once again – someone is trying to use the “scary black man” racist stereotype to get what they want.

  12. Hilarious. Backwards “B” scratched on her own face by a backwards, racist, Republitard. But, hey, don’t bad-mouth Texas. Go Longhorns!!!!!

  13. I agree that this is probably fake, but either way whats the B supposed to before? I mean if your going to the effort of carving a letter into someones face, then why not carve your initials?

  14. This is a Hoax and why CNN is making this big new on the front page. You know that this does not sound right.
    Get the fact before you release the Hoaxs. Seem to me that CNN what to shake things up.

  15. This is a hoax.

    -The B is backwards.
    -It’s in PA, where the polling is close.
    -The B doesn’t appear to have been made by a knife.
    -The black eye isn’t swollen at all.
    -It’s a few days before Halloween, you can buy fake black eye kits in the “impulse buy” section of any store.
    -The story plays to racist stereotypes.
    -McCain and Palin *both* exploited this story for a media opportunity.
    -No ATM videotape.
    -No police corroboration.
    -Declined medical attention.
    -The blog that provided this photo to CNN has a sidebar “prediction” that Obama will be assassinated after inauguration.

    Can there be any question?

  17. And the alleged attacker’s “B” was backwards, as if it was done in the mirror – hmmm……

  18. It might also be worth noting that Ashley Todd is a Texas woman. She is enrolled at Texas A&M. She is visiting Pennsylvania to work on the McCain campaign.

  19. The police are questioning whether this is true or not. She refused medical treatment (who would do that?), the “attack” happened right by the ATM but not where cameras could get it (weird) and the B looks like it was carved with a dull object and not a knife as she said. This is very bogus.

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