After news revealed that the Conservative Party’s mayoral candidate in Arendal has built illegally in the beach zone and been reported without being investigated, the local party sent an e-mail to all the members in Sørlandsbyen. In the email, the party describes news’s revelations as “unfounded and unfounded” and makes several allegations against Johnsen. – They insinuate that I am behind a smear campaign. I am being accused of doing something I have not done, says Johnsen. She is a former partner with the Conservative Party’s mayoral candidate in Arendal, Linda Dagestad Øygarden. On Friday, she made a critical statement against the mayoral candidate after the cafe they ran together went bankrupt. – I don’t want any trouble in this matter. I just want the truth to come out, says Johnsen. Dear member, You may have seen the media now against Linda Øygarden mayoral candidate, refer to notices in news (…) Who tipped news about the case is hardly in doubt. See more later below. (…) Incidentally, Linda has not been “accused” by anyone, apart from one former collaborator, who seems to be the main source for news. Several offenses news has previously revealed that mayoral candidate Linda Dagestad Øygarden has built illegally in the beach zone on Hisøy in Arendal. In the e-mail, the party now refers to this as “a miss”. Øygarden has apologized that mistakes have been made in the case, and that she wants to clean up the mistakes and will comply with what the municipality requires. In the same e-mail, Arendal Høyre writes that they have “confidence in Linda as the Høyre’s mayoral candidate and support her 100 per cent”. It ends with a “sigh of a heart” from chairman Per-Jakob Haakstad, where he writes: “In Kristiansand they have their conspiracy environment, to their great detriment there. Likewise in Arendal. Most people know who they are. Who lives on gossip, rumors and assumptions. And some well-known politicians applaud. I resent it.” The chairman believes that he only pointed to Johnsen as the main source in the case about the cafe, which went bankrupt, and that it is the aforementioned “conspiracy environment” that tipped off news about the construction case. Chairman of Arendal Høyre, Per-Jakob Haakstad. Photo: RIGHT – I see that the link can be made to her, which was not intended. This could have been clearer in the email, to avoid such a misunderstanding, writes Haakstad in an email. Johnsen finds the e-mail from Høyre burdensome – I have not been given the opportunity to defend myself. I think it is very inappropriate, says Johnsen. Inger Marie Johnsen (th) ran the cafe Wood & Food together with the Conservative Party’s mayoral candidate in Arendal, Linda Dagestad Øygarden. Photo: WOOD AND FOOD’S FACEBOOK PAGE – Shouldn’t have been sent Central Høyre has received the e-mail, but does not wish to comment. They refer to Arendal and Agder Høyre. – The e-mail from Arendal Høyre should have been worded differently, and the leader of Arendal Høyre has apologized for this to the person in question, writes county leader of Agder Høyre Harald Furre. As far as news knows, no new e-mails have been sent out to the 300 members to clarify the content of the first e-mail. The mayoral candidate himself believes that news’s affairs are “a smear campaign”, according to a statement to the local newspaper Agderposten. Photo: John-André Samuelsen / news – One-sided article After appearing in news’s article on Friday, Johnsen says that she has received many reactions from the local community. The local newspaper Agderposten has also followed up the case, but without interviewing Johnsen. In an article the newspaper published the same day, Linda Dagestad Øygarden states that Johnsen “has no reason to feel cheated” after the bankruptcy, and that the case is a smear campaign. – I think it became a one-sided article where I don’t even get to use my right of reply, says Johnsen. She has now reported the newspaper to the PFU. – I am disappointed that Agderposten does not comply with press ethics rules, and it is very unfortunate that I do not get the opportunity to comment on the matter. Agderposten tells news that they have apologized for the mistake against Johnsen, and their correction log shows that they made changes to the case on Monday. – We have gone through our article again and agree that Johnsen should be allowed to speak. We have apologized to Johnsen and contacted her to allow her to respond in the article or through a separate case. We naturally comply with the press ethics rules, but here there has been a mistake that we want to rectify, says acting editor-in-chief Øystein Bjerkestrand. Photo: John-André Samuelsen / news Johnsen says that she has received support from several people after the publication on Friday, but that not everyone dares to express their opinion on the matter publicly. – People write to me that they support me, but that they do not dare to support me in public, because they are afraid that it will backfire, Johnsen concludes.
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Founder criticized mayoral candidate – Feels left out by the Conservative Party – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
