Four newspaper reporters were welcomed into the swanky University Club of Toronto on Monday evening to hear Rob Ford give a campaign speech to a group called the Society for the Young and Politically Engaged.

They were kicked out upon the mayor’s arrival. There had, apparently, been a misunderstanding.

Club general manager Nico Barrett told Ford’s campaign in a Friday email that “no media” had been invited, specifying that “there are to be no television or radio reporters invited.” But the society, a different entity, issued a press release to the print media two hours later.

“There is the possibility the mayor, because he was not properly informed that the media would be present — that he may not speak tonight if there is media present,” Barrett told the reporters after hastily calling them into a hallway.

“It’s a screw-up on our end,” said Sean Lawrence, chair of the club’s programming committee. “Don’t misunderstand me: we’re not in a situation where the mayor is saying ‘I’m not coming if the press are coming.’”

The mayor’s aides never asked the club to evict the reporters, press secretary Amin Massoudi said later, only “to keep their word and go ahead with the event as it was planned.” Despite that request, Massoudi said Ford “probably would have still done it” had the reporters been allowed to stay.

Asked why the campaign made the request at all, in that case, Massoudi said, “I can’t answer that question.”

Ford’s remarks ended up being publicized anyway. Attendees recorded his comments on Twitter as he uttered them.

The reporters were from the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Globe and Mail, and National Post.