Thread by @MegKinnardAP

NEW: Sen.@KamalaHarris is pulling out of an SC criminal justice forum tomorrow, after President @RealDonaldTrump today received an award from the organizers. Most 2020 Dems are scheduled to appear this weekend.

Here's some context from @APkfreking and me. apnews.com/b59668424ae246…

@KamalaHarris @realDonaldTrump @APkfreking MORE: Harris received the same "Bipartisan Justice Award" in 2016, along with @SenatorTimScott of South Carolina.
Calling it "shameful" that today's event excluded all but 9 students, Harris plans to host her own forum tomorrow in Columbia, with details, TBA. Story in edit.

@KamalaHarris @realDonaldTrump @APkfreking @SenatorTimScott “There is nothing in his career that is about justice, for justice, or in celebration of justice," said Harris.

apnews.com/e0b6a100525244…

@KamalaHarris @realDonaldTrump @APkfreking @SenatorTimScott NEWS: On the heels of @KamalaHarris' withdrawal from tomorrow's criminal justice forum, Columbia Mayor @SteveBenjaminSC tells me that he is organizing a separate event at Benedict for any candidates who are also interested in an alternative event. The theme is "Students First."

MORE: Benjamin will host what he's calling the Inaugural Benedict College Presidential Forum, and it will be held in the chapel. "I honestly wanted to give everyone else another option," Benjamin told me. So far, he says, the Booker and Biden campaigns have confirmed attendance.

This is all in response to today’s event in which a total of only 9 Benedict College students were allotted seats for President Trump’s award and speech from the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center.

According to her campaign, @KamalaHarris will also attend the alternative event, along with @CoryBooker and @JoeBiden. Mayor Benjamin also told me @BernieSanders is “likely” to attend.

To clarify, at this moment, @KamalaHarris is still the only candidate to pull completely out of the original forum. The other candidates I mentioned will attend both. Will update if that changes.

@KamalaHarris Story has been updated to include information about Mayor @SteveBenjaminSC's alternate forum, which will also be held at Benedict College tomorrow. “I honestly wanted to give everyone else another option,” he told me.

Goodnight! 😘
apnews.com/e0b6a100525244…

@KamalaHarris @SteveBenjaminSC UPDATE: Mayor @SteveBenjaminSC now tells me that there will only be ONE forum on the Benedict College campus today, which he will host. It will take place in the Little Theater. The college has taken over the candidate forum, completely. (1/2)

(2/2) The candidate schedule will remain as it was for the previous forum which was sponsored by the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center. That group will now host two separate (non-candidate) panel discussions at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

So to (try to) break this down:
1. There was a candidate forum scheduled for today at Benedict College, sponsored by 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Ctr.
2. That group gave Trump an award.
3. @KamalaHarris pulled out in protest.
4. New event scheduled.
5. 20/20 group no longer hosting.

@KamalaHarris UPDATE: @the2020club still claims to be sponsoring the candidate portion of the forum. And they are advertising @KamalaHarris as a participant. This contradicts @SteveBenjaminSC, @BenedictEDU and other campaigns.

Grab your popcorn, folks. 🍿

@KamalaHarris @the2020club @SteveBenjaminSC @BenedictEDU MORE: The @KamalaHarris campaign reached out to to me to reiterate that they will not participate if the claim by @the2020club turns out to be correct. I'm ducking into another assignment, now. Will update as I'm able.

@KamalaHarris @the2020club @SteveBenjaminSC @BenedictEDU MORE: Mayor @SteveBenjaminSC - also a trustee of @BenedictEDU - disputes the claims by @the2020club.

"This is not a 20/20 event, " he just told me.

He says the group is still doing their own panels but not candidate part. Says 20/20 signs will be replaced w/ Benedict signs.

@KamalaHarris @the2020club @SteveBenjaminSC @BenedictEDU Continuing to watch this unfold, @the2020club tweeting as though they are still sponsors.
One of the more bizarre things I have ever seen.
As @CoryBooker was on stage congratulating @BenedictEDU for taking over the event, 20/20 was tweeting this:

https://twitter.com/the2020club/status/1188114789358329856?s=20

@KamalaHarris @the2020club @SteveBenjaminSC @BenedictEDU @CoryBooker And there it is: @the2020club, claiming they are still sponsoring forum, tweets @KamalaHarris speaking at 'their' event. She agreed to speak after 20/20 was removed as the event sponsor. It will be very interesting to see how the Harris campaign responds.🍿

https://twitter.com/the2020club/status/1188158409973080064?s=20

@KamalaHarris @the2020club @SteveBenjaminSC @BenedictEDU @CoryBooker The group, @the2020club, continued to claim that it was still the sponsor of the event, advertising Harris’ appearance and tweeting photos of her onstage with captions indicating she was still participating in their event.
My story on today's confusion. apnews.com/1ac90163b37f44…