U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson is calling DeKalb County voters with a recorded message apologizing to Steve Bradshaw, a candidate challenging DeKalb Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton in a July 26 runoff election.
Johnson, D-Ga., had previously recorded a campaign call for Sutton that falsely implied Bradshaw supported Republican John McCain over President Barack Obama.
“The call was released without my authorization and included erroneous information which I now understand was not true,” Johnson says in the latest recorded phone message. “This was a regrettable mistake on my part and it’s my sincere hope that you, like Steve, will accept my apology.”
Johnson has contributed $750 to both Bradshaw and Sutton, and he hasn't endorsed either of them, according to his office.
Bradshaw has said that he voted for McCain in the 2000 Republican primary election when he was running against George W. Bush. Bradshaw said he voted for Al Gore in the general election that year.
Bradshaw also said he voted for Obama in the 2008 and 2012 elections.
Here’s the full text of Johnson’s phone message:
“Hello, this is Congressman Hank Johnson. You may have recently received a phone call from me. The call was released without my authorization and included erroneous information which I now understand was not true. In the call, I inferred that Steve Bradshaw supported Republican John McCain over President Barack Obama. This statement was false and I deeply regret the error. I’ve called Steve and apologized, and to his credit he graciously accepted my apology. This was a regrettable mistake on my part, and it’s my sincere hope that you, like Steve, will accept my apology. Thank you.”
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