COLUMBUS, OHIO – In case you missed it, Josh Mandel was caught physically intimidating an opposition staffer, yelling his name and grabbing his camera in front of a Columbus Dispatch reporter. Worse, after the Dispatch reporter wrote about it the next day, and video footage emerged backing his account of the exchange, Mandel decided to lie about it and falsely accuse the reporter of distorting his inappropriate conduct toward the staffer. Bad idea, Josh.
Columbus Dispatch – Mandel’s account of confrontation differs from evidence
“Republican U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel said a political video tracker ‘made the initial physical contact with me’ in an incident that occurred Friday in a public elevator, offering an explanation that is not supported by eyewitness accounts nor the video of the incident and is a twist from the original statement put out by the Mandel campaign.”
Columbus Dispatch – Mandel: Tracker initiated contact
“After Mandel and this reporter got off the elevator, an unidentified woman who remained aboard can be heard on the video remarking to the tracker that she saw Mandel come “right over there to block” the camera. The woman also can be heard saying that ‘(when) he walked in, he scared me to death.’”
Plunderbund - Despite video, Josh Mandel can’t help lying about tracker incident
“But for Mandel to stand up, at a press conference, in front of the Dispatch’s Joe Vardon, and call him a liar – knowing that everyone in attendance had likely seen the video of the event – seems almost pathological.”
Politico Morning Score – Mandel Gets Bad Press For Touching Tracker
“On Saturday, The Dispatch reported that Mandel approached and ultimately grabbed a monopod attached to a camera held by a tracker from the American Bridge 21st Century political-action committee, who had been following Mandel for several minutes and ultimately boarded the same Rhodes Tower elevator.”
Hotline on Call (National Journal) – Hotline Sort: Fight night
“Tracker drama for Ohio GOP Senate nominee Josh Mandel, per the Columbus Dispatch, who had a reporter with Mandel at the time of the incident:”
Talking Points Memo – Department of Unforced Errors
“But when you’re running for Senate it doesn’t look good to lose your composure and manhandle or push some tracker kid. Even worse to lie about it a couple hours later.”
MSNBC / The Maddow Blog – How not to handle trackers
“I’m sure Mandel has a team of advisers, but I might offer some suggestions for the conservative candidate: (1) don’t initiate physical confrontations; (2) don’t initiate physical confrontations on camera in and in front of journalists; and (3) don’t blatantly lie about it.”
Huffington Post – Josh Mandel, Ohio Senate Candidate, Says Tracker Grabbed Him
“Mandel has had a history of run-ins with Ohio reporters. In June, he called Ted Hart, a reporter for NBC 4 in Columbus, ‘out of touch with reality’ when Hart questioned Mandel’s truthfulness regarding Brown’s Senate record.”
Politico Huddle – Dispatch reporter disputes Mandel account
“The video of the incident shows, as The Dispatch previously reported, the tracker following Mandel into the elevator. But it also shows Mandel approach the tracker, say his name loudly, step to the side of him, and then the camera shakes. The tracker, whose name is Tyler Hansen, said ‘please don’t,’”
Huffington Post – Josh Mandel, Ohio Senate Candidate, Pushes Tracker’s Camera
“The Republican nominee for Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat, state Treasurer Josh Mandel, had a bizarre exchange and brief outburst while sharing an elevator Friday with a tracker for a Democratic super PAC. …
“When Mandel pushes the camera, the tracker can be heard saying ‘please don’t.’”
Plunderbund – Tracker to Josh Mandel: “Please don’t” grab my camera! [WITH VIDEO]
“After watching the video below you will no longer have to wonder how Josh Mandel is handling the stress of this year’s senate campaign. The short answer: not well.”
“Josh Mandel’s almost pathological ability to lie has reached new and unsettling heights following his decision to physically intimidate an opposition staffer and then lie about it, despite irrefutable video evidence and eyewitness reporting,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Andrew Zucker. “Unfortunately for Josh Mandel, simply saying something is false doesn’t immediately make it so, and the Columbus Dispatch reporter’s account of the event proves what most Ohioans have learned already – that there’s literally nothing Mandel won’t lie about if it means furthering his floundering campaign for U.S. Senate.”