OVERLAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -
A metro woman was tossed from a Todd Akin event, accused of being a tracker, and she said it was completely unexpected.
Diane Reese, the freelance journalist kicked out of the event a week ago Tuesday was eventually led back into the rally in Nixa, MO. She said this was only after Akin's campaign confirmed she wasn't a tracker.
Reese, of Overland Park, freelance writes for a Washington Post blog She the People.
"I'm use to being on the other side of the tape recorder or the notebook," she said.
But she found herself being the one interviewed after she was kicked out of an Akin rally in Nixa while tape recording Akin's speech.
"I'm a reporter," Reese was heard saying to security over a recording.
When they asked with whom she was a reporter for, she told them the Washington Post. On the recording you can hear security ask her where her credentials are and she replies "I don't have my press pass with me."
Reese left the event after security at the Akin rally threatened to arrest her for trespassing but, a few minutes later, campaign officials let her back in.
"Later they explained to me that they thought I had been hired by the Democratic Party as someone to agitate and cause trouble or as a tracker," she said.
Candidates often hire trackers to attend their opponent's public events as a way to keep up-to-date on the competition. But Reese said she's a freelance journalist hired by no one, but the Washington Post.
"I think it's important for voters to know about things like this that are happening," she said. "I felt like it was indicative of the type of campaign they're running - their level of paranoia, to me, it was part of the story."
Reese said she was led back into the front row of the rally and was given one-on-one interview time with Akin. She said the campaign was very apologetic.
KCTV5 reached out to Akin's spokesperson and hasn't heard back.
Click here for more political news.
Click here for Reese's story on being asked to leave the Akin rally.
Click here for the She the People website.
Click here for Reese's story on Lulli Akin and her comment on rape.
Copyright2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
