Atlanta Councilwoman Mary Norwood raised new questions about her narrow 2009 defeat to Mayor Kasim Reed as she readies for a Dec. 5 runoff for the city’s top job.
In June remarks to the Buckhead Young Republicans that were obtained this week by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Norwood accuses Reed of widespread voter fraud, including “late night fluffing” of vote counts and encouraging former city residents who rely on government assistance to cast ballots.
VIDEO: Mayoral candidates trade ethics violations accusations
A Reed spokesman called the claims “verifiably false” and said if she had proof the election results were invalid in 2009 she should have stepped forward then. “She did not because she could not,” said his office.
Reed endorsed Norwood’s rival, Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms, in the Dec. 5 runoff. And her remarks inject more volatility into the heated race between the two candidates. In the recording, Norwood calls her knowledge of Reed’s tactics her “secret weapon.”
>> GET THE FULL STORY: Read more about Norwood’s claims and see the mayor’s response here.
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