A leading candidate in the Ward 7 District Council race dropped out because she was the victim of a “dirty” smear campaign, she said Thursday.
Carrie Thornhill, who until this year served as a member of the District Board of Education, listed $9,605 in contributions on her campaign’s financial disclosure report, which was due Wednesday. That amount put her among the top fundraisers in the race, which has been flooded with more than 25 potential candidates.
Thornhill, who said she left a job as president and chief executive officer of the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization last year, said she chose to leave the race last weekend after anonymous flyers began to appear around the ward around Jan. 19 accusing her of stealing money from her former employer.
“They’re saying I stole money, and that’s not true,” Thornhill said. She said she has “no idea” who is responsible for the flyers. “I have no idea, absolutely none,” she continued. “I can’t face my accuser.”
The Marshall Heights organization stood behind Thornhill, issuing a statement condemning whoever was behind the flyer, which it said it had no part in producing.
Thornhill, a former chair of the District Board of Zoning Adjustment, had loaned her campaign $5,000. She was out-raised in her campaign by Victor Vandell, who coordinated Mayor Adrian Fenty’s Ward 7 campaign. Vandell, who did not return a phone message Thursday, had raised $19,126 in contributions as of his Jan. 31 campaign finance report. Fenty has not endorsed a Ward 7 candidate, spokeswoman Mafara Hobson said Thursday.
Cleve Mesidor, 33, has raised $13,808 for her campaign, her first after having worked on several national campaigns. She said her campaign was not behind the attack on Thornhill.
“I can assure you, my campaign, our focus is on being professional and showing integrity,” said Mesidor, a Ward 7 business owner and former broadcaster.
