In October 2008, Ashley Todd, a volunteer for the U.S. presidential campaign of Republican John McCain,[1] falsely claimed to have been the victim of robbery and politically motivated physical assault by a supporter of McCain's Democratic opponent Barack Obama.[2] The story broke less than two weeks before the 2008 United States presidential election on November 4. Todd later confessed to inventing the story after surveillance photos and a polygraph test were presented. She was charged with filing a false police report, and entered a probation program for first-time offenders.

Todd had worked as a field representative for the College Republican National Committee since August 2008 and had come to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in mid-October to recruit college students.[3] On October 22, 2008, Todd claimed that she was robbed at knifepoint[4] by a "six-foot-four African American of medium build, dressed in dark clothes wearing shiny shoes"[5] at a Citizens Bank ATM in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. She also alleged that after the robber saw a McCain bumper sticker on Todd's car, he assaulted her, cut a reversed letter B into her cheek,[6] and told her "you are going to be a Barack supporter."[7]

Todd's story received international attention, including prominent coverage on Drudge Report and Fox News. John Moody, executive vice president at Fox News, commented in a blog on the network's website that "this incident could become a watershed event in the 11 days before the election," but also warned that "f the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting."[8]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Todd_mugging_hoax