Nashville’s CBS affiliate reports:
“Appalled! Absolutely appalled!” That’s what a group of women from across the country are saying about how a candidate for Franklin mayor appears to have lifted their social media posts to falsely claim them as her supporters.
Franklin alderman Gabrielle Hanson, a controversial candidate who appears to relish her MAGA Republican ties, may not have thought that anyone would track down the women whose photos she posted last month on her campaign’s social media accounts.
Hanson posted an update on Facebook and doubled-down on her claims. “These are all my friends that have relocated to Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, and they all support me.” Again, the women say that’s a lie.
Read the full article. As you’ll see in the videos below, earlier this year Hanson and her campaign manager helped lead the ultimately unsuccessful campaign to ban her town’s Pride celebration. I reported on those efforts here and here. You really must watch all the videos below. The clip in which the reporter gets both women on the phone is really something and as you’ll see, they claim that calling them out over the fake photos is a violation of their First Amendment rights. In the final clip, Hanson’s campaign manager claims that the Pride festival provided children with “dildos and butt plugs.”
ICYMI: ‘Appalled!’ Women say #MAGA mayoral candidate ripped off their images to claim them as supporters (More in thread below.) https://t.co/F4Y3f09TdY pic.twitter.com/6fS1tLnqzu
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) September 12, 2023
This person, speaking out against Pride at a Franklin BOMA meeting, has the same name and background as the person identified as Gabrielle Hanson’s campaign manager. pic.twitter.com/T1xtFNFaEd
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) September 12, 2023
The Bucks County Rainbow Room “is an LGBTQIA youth program that provides a supportive and empowering environment for youth ages 14-21” located at a progressive church. pic.twitter.com/G9FcKOHHoE
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) September 12, 2023