Last week, a photo surfaced of vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan washing dishes at an Ohio soup kitchen. It has been revealed that the picture has just two problems--the dishes weren't dirty and Ryan wasn't invited.
The president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society Brian J. Antal said Ryan's camp "ramrodded their way" into kitchen, according to the Washington Post.
Antal told the Post that he was not contacted by the Romney campaign ahead of the Saturday morning visit by Ryan.
"We're a faith-based organization; we are apolitical because the majority of our funding is from private donations," Antal said. "It's strictly in our bylaws not to do it. They showed up there, and they did not have permission. They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors."
To add to fuel to the fire, Antal said Ryan actually "did nothing" while there for the inaccurate photo-op.
"He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall."
The Post said Ryan stayed at the soup kitchen for 15 minutes total. He had just left a town hall at Youngstown State University.
The Post said Romney walked in with his wife and three children, who greeted and thanked volunteers before washing dishes that didn't appear to be dirty.
This exposed photo-op has led to a severe public backlash.
An aide for the Romney campaign did contact an employee at the soup kitchen ahead of the visit. The employee said some of the volunteers had already left for the day, but some would remain until Ryan and his crew arrived.
Antal said if he would have known about the visit, he would have never allowed it to take place because the soup kitchen receives funding from private individuals who might reconsider their support if it appears he's favoring one candidate over another.
"I can't afford to lose funding from these private individuals," he said. "If this was the Democrats, I'd have the same exact problem."
He then added: "Had they asked for permission, it wouldn't have been granted. ... But I certainly wouldn't have let him wash clean pans, and then take a picture."
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