In Fair Haven, Chelsea Clinton may have broken election law, WTNH says
In Fair Haven, Chelsea Clinton may have broken election law, WTNH says
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Chelsea Clinton came to New Haven to deliver breakfast — but she left accused of breaking the law.
While her mother locked horns with Barack Obama on Super Tuesday, Chelsea Clinton faced a battle of her own: against New Haven’s local television station, WTNH, and Connecticut’s election enforcement agency.
The daughter of presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton LAW ’73 was seen bringing coffee and doughnuts to volunteers in Fair Haven when the polls opened at 6 a.m. on Super Tuesday, the Clinton campaign confirmed Tuesday night.
A camera crew for WTNH was also at the polling place and taped Clinton’s appearance.
Their report raised the question of whether Clinton’s presence at the Lombard Street polling station could have violated Connecticut’s ban on representatives of any candidate within 75 feet of a polling place on the day of a primary. But no formal complaint was filed with the state Elections Enforcement Commission.
Clinton campaign spokesman Philippe Reines said Chelsea Clinton’s departure was delayed by an interview with the WTNH crew. WTNH denied that they prevented her exit.
When polling-place moderator Nilda Torres announced the official start of voting, Clinton immediately left the station.
“I did not consider it an issue because she didn’t come here, as far as I’m concerned, to influence anything here or disrupt us,” Torres said in news reports. “She was here, I opened the polls and then she left.”
Torres did not return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday night.
WTNH reported that the Connecticut secretary of state’s office e-mailed the New Haven registrar of voters about the incident. Sharon Ferrucci, New Haven’s Democratic registrar, said she had only heard rumors about the incident and was not aware of any e-mail from the secretary of state.
Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz said in an interview on WTNH that she spoke to the Clinton campaign Tuesday afternoon “and they apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again.”
Bysiewicz could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
The former first daughter’s unexpected visit came the day after Hillary Clinton’s visit to the Yale Child Study Center on Monday morning.
-Issac Arnsdorf
Comments
None 4 years ago
Could someone at the YDN please post some real news, and not allow this kind of divisive article to make it to the front page? This borders on the partisan-style trash of Fox news, looking for digs and stories where none appear. We get it: Yale is under Obama's spell. But that's no reason to write a trashy, accusatory non-story of Chelsea's kindness to volunteers. Anyone with common sense reads that and knows not to print this kind of trash.
None 4 years ago
i knew if one was holding a sign and wearing buttons/stickers/pins -you had to take them off before stepping into the 75 ft.perimeter.but you can enter that cordone During the Dem.Governor Primary ,one split second i stepped onto the sidewalk and got reprimanded by some middle aged woman..The other team was in violation all day and even cheered her from the other side of her car
None 4 years ago
This is a non-story. Let it die.
None 4 years ago
Oh, wow, Hillary's daughter bought us coffee! See how nice they treat us? Boy, we have to vote for Hillary now!
Sneaky Clintons....
None 4 years ago
No, this isn't a non-story. Why in the hell did Chelsea Clinton feel she needed to personally bring breakfast to the polling station? If she felt the pollworkers really needed breakfast, she could have simply paid for it and had it delivered. This is just another example of the subtle, dirty politics the Clintons have made the hallmark of their campaigns and lives. I will watch with great glee as Hillary Clinton goes down to defeat in the primaries, if not the general election. We should never allow this snake to be president.
None 4 years ago
to the editor of this article, isaac, regarding this article about chelsea being at a poll on day of primary, well they should look into Oprah being at a poll and standing in line with a voter until the voting poll doors opened up because the doors were locked and she wanted to make sure the woman got in. I like oprah but it is a similar incident as chelsea's and if hillary's campaign is in trouble for chelsea being at a poll on primary day then barack's campaign should be in trouble for oprah being with a voter at the doors of a poll on primary day. pass this on to the appropriate people. thank you
None 4 years ago
This is news - sad pathetic coverage by the WTNH team -they are on the payroll,well the Register is a Republican outfit and suspicions abound as to the supporters of Barack ,but thats another story...Thanx Isaac for the story, i just can't believe the fault finding mission and belittling of a young lady bringing coffee to poll workers. If you work at a poll your telling me you can't go inside for any reason ? Bathroom,Telephone or to report illicit activity by an opponent...maybe they crapped their drawers when Chelsea showed up
None 4 years ago
"If she felt the pollworkers really needed breakfast, she could have simply paid for it and had it delivered."
I'm sure the pollworkers appreciated the gesture. I'm a right-wing partisan who hates all the politics of the Clintons, but there's no harm, no foul in this instance. Save your breath for real problems.
None 4 years ago
She broke the law Put her in jail
None 4 years ago
Take her to Mory's first
None 4 years ago
Whatever. Chelsea is a hottie now, who cavorts with the celebs. She should be held to the same standards -- immunity until her first DWI or vehicular manslaughter.
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