Thread by @NateMorabito

THREAD: Taking a closer look at the #ElectionDay arrest of Justin Dunn. Police arrested him for trespassing, not intimidation, despite reports he was possibly intimidating voters. He showed up to vote at a #Clt polling site with a handgun on his hip, which is legal. #Defenders

First, let's rewind. Justin Dunn is no stranger to #ELECTIONDAY He previously ran unsuccessfully for #CLTCC and #ncpol as a republican several years ago. Now, let's fast forward. Yesterday, he called himself a @realDonaldTrump supporter. #Defenders

Before we even get to why police showed up to the voting site on Doug Mayes Place yesterday, there's something else. I found this right after his arrest broke yesterday, but wanted to be sure before reporting anything. He's registered with @NCSBE as a black democrat. #Defenders

I talked to Justin Dunn today. I asked him why he listed his race as Black or African-American. "I checked the boxes to register as a Black democrat just to see what happens." He said the lady who checked him in gave him a funny look, but let him vote. #Defenders

Dunn told me his only goal on #ELECTIONDAY was to vote and leave. @CMPD says that's not what he did. Instead, police say he loitered and possibly intimidated voters. An election worker asked him to leave. He did. Police say that worker also banned him from returning. #Defenders

This is where things get murky. Dunn is adamant no one banned him from returning. He says he talked to a @MeckCounty administrator who agreed he had a right to be there, so he came back. "I think it's very unfair of that election official to single me out." #Defenders

Dunn swears he didn't intimidate voters. "I did not make eye contact or engage the first or second time." It's worth repeating. He was well within his legal rights to carry a gun to vote. As for the trespassing charge, that's now in the hands of the legal system. #Defenders

We know @CLTMayor @ViLyles was at the polling site when an election worker first asked Dunn to leave, but a @CLTgov spokesperson told me, "...she was not really aware of what was going on at the time." #Defenders

.@MeckCounty Election Dir. Michael Dickerson defended the handling of the situation, telling me, "Keep the places open and unobstucted, keep the voters free from intimidation and safe when they go vote and that's what my poll workers did. They did the right thing." #Defenders

JUST IN: @CMPD is looking for Justin Dunn on another trespassing charge, now accused of again returning to the site Tuesday after his original release from jail. "Officers are working with court officials to determine if there have been any additional laws violated." #Defenders

.@RepAdams was also at the voting site while Dunn was there. That location is known for its high voter turnout for democratic candidates. Dunn said he didn't see her during his brief time there. "My initial visit was 20 minutes tops and my second was 25 tops." #Defenders