thanks very good

I think you're right too that it's gamesmanship. If she did have some sort of mental issues she would at least apologize for causing a huge mess and wasting time with the police. Also, if she knew she had some sort of mental issues wouldn't she have mentioned that at the beginning of the whole thing? One thing I at first found interesting in the story was two things: 1) She apparently was supposed to have been twittering at the time it all happened (of course surveillance tapes showed she wasn't there) so she obviously had some sort of high tech phone with at least a still camera on it. Why were there no pictures? Even if it was dark and blurry? 2) She refused medical treatment. If she was truly hurt at the time you're going to at least get seen about or something. Apparently she refused treatment because she said she had no health insurance. She also claimed she was sexually assaulted so she would've done a rape kit and I don't think Pittsburgh charges for rape kits like Wassila under Sarah Palin. I'm studying criminal justice and a professor of mine has made the point about mental issues and crime: the more thought you put into taking action with the crime the more likely you are okay at least at the time of the crime. It's all about knowing right from wrong and whether or not you were spontaneous. It will be interesting to see what the police do and their evaluation of her mental issues. Supposedly she has done this type of stuff before with Ron Paul where she claimed to have had cancer but still smoked and she made a similar claim about her car and bumper stickers for Ron Paul instead of John McCain. Now why she went from Mike Huckabee to Ron Paul to John McCain is also interesting. I've known one sorta Ron Paul supporter in real life (had a political class with the guy) and I couldn't see him supporting Huckabee or McCain because of how they are with the issues like religion and government, Patriot Act and spending issues. I also heard (not sure if this is true) that she wanted to run for governor of Texas in 2008 as a write-in candidate. I bet you'll be right and we'll see this girl again when she's closer to her 40s or mid 30s.

Something I forgot to add to the blog post: As a former student at the University of Tennessee, I also object to her wearing that damned hoodie. Just sayin'.

Obviously this young lady did not get the memo in which it clearly states that Borderline Personality Disorder is only acceptable in attractive women.

Oh I know what you mean Steve. :) I'm not a student or anything like that but my dad went there and we're Vols supporters. Darn it all. Well what about attractive women like that run away bride girl with the crazy eyes?

Very well done. Excellent work on this story. Kudos to commentators as well. I have read, and forgive me if this isn't correct, as the news reports seem to shift in the wind nowdays, that the young woman claimed to have been a victim of unwanted physical contact, also proven false. Aside from the disgust this, as a victim's rights and law enforcement advocate, that this creates in me, we see here the biggest red flag that the Rebublicans (in this case) missed. Note to all political parties; if you have volunteers, make certain that delusional grandstanding isn't in their character. Leave that to the candidates.

Well put, all around, Steve. And, yeah, spare no pity for her. She has enough for herself and no one else.

(Not sure about the point of the Borderline Personality comment above relating to attractive women - a sociopathic vampire is a sociopathic vampire, whatever their genetic makeup. Not sure if your comment was meant as humor or a point about sexism. Whatever - this woman is a sad, destructive being, end of story.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ8xtARGuMA

Here is my video response

Emily, I don't think she was ever in Huckabee camp. The story, as I understand it, is that she was asked to leave the Ron Paul campaign after she went to the Huckabee campaign and PRETENDED to be a supporter to gain some insight as to the Huckabee campaign strategy. I don't think any of the campaigns "vet" their volunteers, though I have also seen reports that Ashley Todd was a PAID staffer.

Which begs another question... where does Ashley Todd get her money? Even paid staff don't make much. She has enough to own a car, own a blackberry, travel from Texas to Pennsylvania on a whim, buy a wig. Maybe there's a trust fund there.

Note also that she is NOT nor has ever been a Texas A&M student (may attend a community college in Bryan, not confirmed) --though the guy she was staying with is an A&M alum and she used that "common ground" to gain a place to stay.

Finally, she is shown in Ron Paul campaign workers photograph wearing a wig. She wore a wig because she told everyone she had lost her hair because she had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy, even though "she continued to smoke the whole time."

You did a great job, Steve, you're entitled to your Schadenfreude.

Love your stuff as always, Steve.

I agree that this woman will be back as a sort of G. Gordon Liddy figure in the decades to come. Fox News will give her a fembot makeover first, of course.

To Mar: From what I understand the College Republican people didn't think she had any issues and she seemed perfectly normal. In her Youtube video account she seemed to go from college to college so I'm sure she interacted with different types of people and someone would've noticed something. Not being a republican and with the college republicans I have no idea how they do things. Would be interesting to find out.

Larkin: Hmm I thought it was the other way around and she started out with Huckabee and went to Paul? Well either way it was her going from one type of republican to another and she lied and deceived people there.

Gen: Will she give lectures about how to kill agents? That still pisses me off about him (Liddy). Do you remember if it was ATF or FBI agents?

Emily,
Here's the quote from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

"In March, Ms. Todd was asked to leave a grass-roots group of Ron Paul supporters in Brazos County, Texas, group leader Dustan Costine said. He said Ms. Todd posed as a supporter of former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and called the local Republican committee seeking information about its campaign strategies."

Here's the link to the photograph of her posing with other Ron Paul supporters (in a wig, after claiming to be a cancer patient)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronpaul2008/2312941086/in/pool-ronpaul2008

And here's the quote from Tribune:

"Todd has a history of making up stories, said Dustan Costine, chairman of the Robertson County, Texas, Republican Party. He and Todd volunteered together on the failed presidential campaign of Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, a Green Tree native. Costine said Todd told supporters there that her car was vandalized because it had the candidate's stickers on it. He provided an e-mail from Todd in which she said her car tires had been slashed."

Not saying that I've never made a mistake, but after nearly two decades in journalism, I do try to be accurate.

Have a nice evening.

And to think someone on an earlier post disagreed with me when I said she would see the inside of a cell for this, regardless of misdemeanor status. Even if they claim it was for her protection she still got a stint in the pokey.

Sorry honey, but you don't get to race-[mastur]bait in this election season and not expect it to blow up in your doughy face.

I don't believe sociopaths are treatable either.

In the same spirit, should not have the Duke Stripper been also charged? Why the double standard?