ATLANTA-- Atlanta mayoral candidate Mary Norwood was kicked out of a fundraiser this weekend. The fundraiser was for U.S. Rep. John Lewis, and an event organizer said she "crashed" the event in order to get a photo with the popular Atlanta congressman.
Norwood says the John Lewis fundraiser was one of seven events on her busy campaign schedule Saturday. She says she was surprised when she was asked to leave.
The organizer of the fundraiser, Kristin Oblander, addressed her complaint to Mary Norwood on Facebook the next day: How could she “not donate, then show up and blow by our registration table, barge past (the) doorman (and) into (the) private Sponsor’s reception with your professional photographer in tow, then be asked to leave.”
"I was escorted in," Norwood contended in an interview. Norwood says she thought her campaign treasurer had sent a check, allowing her and her camera-toting driver to get in to see Lewis.
"He was speaking at that point, and that’s before someone came over to me and said you need to leave. And of course I left right after that," Norwood said.
Yet the next day, Norwood posted a photo of herself at the event paying tribute to Lewis. The event organizer clobbered her on social media: “THEN to tweet about the event like you are a supporter?” Oblander asked.
Oblander said she wouldn't have complained publicly had Norwood not posted the photo on social media.
"I didn’t know I had done anything that was inappropriate. So of course we posted it," Norwood said. Asked about the ejection signaling a potential issue, Norwood said "Well, it's not inappropriate to post a photo. I post photos all the time."
Norwood said her campaign chairman sent a check to Rep. Lewis's campaign Monday morning.
The Oblander Group also raises money for Peter Aman, another candidate for mayor of Atlanta.
