More From Lyin' Ryan

Paul & Jenna Ryan. A picture paints a thousand words and, apparently, washes dishes twice.

We've seen all kinds of photo ops throughout the years. Politicians shaking hands and kissing babies, and trying not to kiss hands and shake babies. Celebrity weddings photo ops, and, of course, the ritual of trotting out the new celebu-spawn on the cover of people for a million or so dollars. So, we've all become a bit cynical to those posed pictures.

Then you add serial liar Paul Ryan to the mix and photo op becomes a new thing entirely. It seems that Paul Ryan and his lovely wife, Jenna, paid a visit to an Ohio soup kitchen last week and wanted to help out by washing some dishes for the homeless folks who'd just finished their lunch. Trouble is, it didn't go down exactly like that.

Brian Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society, says that the Romney campaign last week “ramrodded their way” into the group’s Youngstown soup kitchen so that GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan could get his picture taken washing dishes in the dining hall. Anta says the Romney team never contacted him, nor asked permission for Ryan's visit.

“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 [and] the photo-op they did wasn’t even accurate. He did nothing. He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall.”

After giving a speech, possibly filled with more half-truths and lies, Ryan, his wife, and their three children, stopped by the soup kitchen for about 15 minutes on their way to the airport. When Ryan had arrived the soup kitchen was finished serving lunch, the patrons had left, and the building was cleaned up for the next day's service.

But that didn't stop Ryan from tying on an apron and standing in front of a sink to be photographed washing dishes. It also didn't stop his wife from doing the same. Except the dishes that the Ryan's washed were already clean, and were not in need of a GOP hand job.

One of Romney's "people," not authorized to speak publicly about the event, says the campaign followed its usual protocol for impromptu visits. A staffer went to the St. Vincent De Paul Society ahead of Ryan’s visit and spoke with a woman in charge, who said that it would be fine for the congressman to stop by, but the campaign never contacted Brian Antal ahead of the visit.

Chris Maloney, Ohio communications director for the Romney campaign, said Ryan's visit was an effort to "highlight" the work of the soup kitchen volunteers: “Our campaign and Congressman Ryan were pleased to bring attention to the meaningful charitable contributions the St. Vincent De Paul Society makes to people in need.”

Uh huh. Brian Antal, who calls himself an independent voter, maintains that the campaign “didn’t go through the proper channels.” And he made mention of the fact that the soup kitchen relies on funding from private individuals who might reconsider their support if it appears that the charity is favoring one political 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 ... Had [the Romney campaign] asked for permission, it wouldn’t have been granted. … [and] I certainly wouldn’t have let him wash clean pans, and then take a picture.” 

But then how would Paul Ryan look so compassionate and caring?

source