Chelsea Clinton in CT Polling Place on Day of Primary- Illegal campaigning?

Chelsea Clinton in CT Polling Place on Day of Primary- Illegal campaigning?

www.wtnh.com

This might cause a headache for Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign in Connecticut. It's Chelsea Clinton inside a New Haven polling place at 6:00 a.m.

So why might this be an issue? According to state law, candidates or a candidate's representative, such as someone wearing a sign, have to stay 75-feet away from polling places "on the day of any primary".

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
abcnews.go.com

The Clintons may not have intentionally broken the law, but here we go again with dirty tricks. How can we be sure she wasn't there doing something suspicious?

The daughter of the Democratic presidential candidate was delivering a box of coffee to poll workers and talking with a firefighter in New Haven. According to a News Channel 8 photographer who was there, when the moderator announced that the polls are open, Clinton immediately went outside.

"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," said New Haven election moderator Nilda Torres.

As far as you're concerned Nilda, you did not write the law. We have these sorts of rules in place for a reason. Chelsea Clinton broke the law and should be held accountable (Hillary I mean).

In a live interview on News Channel 8 at 5:00, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said, "I did speak with the Clinton campaign this afternoon and they apologized and said it wouldn't happen again."

And were they held accountable? Of course not.

Thanks Secretary of State Bysiewicz for not following the law.

I'll see you all in court...As soon as I get some funds for it .


The additional link has a video report of the story.




www.wtnh.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I don't see anything untoward about this.

She got there before the polls opened and she left as soon after they opened as she could.

I really can't see how Chelsea Clinton's physical presence alone, especially under the circumstances could be construed as trying to influence voters.

I don't think it would influence voters, regardless of the intent.

According to state law, candidates or a candidate's representative, such as someone wearing a sign, have to stay 75-feet away from polling places "on the day of any primary".

www.wtnh.com...

reply to post by GradyPhilpott


The link I posted mentions how any candidate's representative can't be onsite "on the DAY of the primary." It doesn't mention anything about what time. She left the polling place just as the polls opened.

I'm not calling foul play here, but the Clintons aren't exactly following the rules.

The rules are very straightforward: no representatives or signs within 75 feet of the polling place. Well, it just so happens there was a representative, in fact, a RELATIVE, of a candidate at the polls on the day of the primary.

I'm amazed this sort of thing was OKed by the Secretary of State.

I guess I just don't like the Clintons...

I wouldn't even recognize her if I saw her. How many other people would? I'm looking at a picture of her now and she's not exactly the sharpest tack in th.. erm... brightest bulb on... curliest fry in the... she's not hot. I'd probably mistake her for a coat rack.

I mean did she even have a name tag or anything?

apc,

She was interviewed by a New Haven television station inside the polling place apparently.

People knew who she was, guaranteed.



Grady,

My state makes it clear that no candidate or their representative are allowed within 75 feet of a polling place on the day of a primary or election.

Chelsea Clinton flat out violated our state law and should be held accountable.

Any state resident can file a complaint with the SEEC and guess who did?

I'm awaiting a response from my state's officials.

Here's the law to prove that the Clintons should be disqualified from Connecticut:

www.cga.ct.gov...-236.htm

Sec. 9-236. Activities prohibited in and near polling place; distance markers; entry restricted; exceptions. (a) On the day of any primary, referendum or election, no person shall solicit in behalf of or in opposition to the candidacy of another or himself or in behalf of or in opposition to any question being submitted at the election or referendum, or loiter or peddle or offer any advertising matter, ballot or circular to another person within a radius of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in use as an entry to any polling place or in any corridor, passageway or other approach leading from any such outside entrance to such polling place or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach, except as provided in section 9-294.

She violated state law, simple as that.

She should be disqualified.

I not very fond of the Clintons either, but I don't see anything in the quote you cited that she violated.

However, since you have filed a complaint, I guess we'll see how it turns out.

Keep us informed.

reply to post by biggie smalls


Interesting. Yes, Clinton should lose her Connecticut delegates via state disqualification.

If only to uphold the law. Considering what Chelsea was actually doing, and the time frame as Grady mentioned, it does not seem foul play was going on.

But like I said, uphold election law if only to reinforce respect of it.

[edit on 2008/2/6 by SteveR]

reply to post by SteveR


I don't really care what she was doing inside. The news said she was delivering coffee to the poll workers. That in itself is suspicious enough. Why would she need to do that? Its not like she lives in New Haven or anything?

The law states that no representative of the candidate may be on the polling grounds the day of the primary...

I'm glad you agree with me on this one . If only for a matter of "upholding the law."

Its all we got ain't it?

reply to post by biggie smalls


Yes.. well, there was a news piece floating around here recently that proved the Obama camp broke the very same law.

reply to post by SteveR


Then he should be prosecuted as well.

If these people think they can represent us in government they should at least expect us to uphold the law for their actions.

I don't follow every single law, I think it would be impossible. There's so many of them these days.

However, if and when I run for office, I would hope others would hold me accountable for my actions regardless of the intent.

I could care less what Chelsea Clinton was doing at the polling place. Fact is, she was. She was on site even when the polls opened. That is a breach in state law.

If Obama or any other candidate did the same, then they should also be disqualified.

Simple.

following the rules? lol... i guess there's no laws on the books about stealing an election or putting thousands of legit people on the "no vote" list or making it hard for people in democratic districts to vote or buying electronic voting machines that don't work or... man, this kind of "knit picking" blows my mind...

Originally posted by never_tell
following the rules? lol... i guess there's no laws on the books about stealing an election or putting thousands of legit people on the "no vote" list or making it hard for people in democratic districts to vote or buying electronic voting machines that don't work or... man, this kind of "knit picking" blows my mind...

Well, the difference here is that the things you mention are a figment of someone's imagination and Chelsea Clinton was actually at the polling place.

I still think that it will be hard to prove that she was electioneering, but that would be something the courts or some other governing body would have to determine.

reply to post by GradyPhilpott

Well, the difference here is that the things you mention are a figment of someone's imagination and Chelsea Clinton was actually at the polling place.

was she? perhaps it was a hologram intended to create a headline... or is that just a figment of "someone's" imagination too? lol .... i suppose its hard to prove anything when you own all the devices designed to "get to the bottom" of things.... sigh... denial must be bliss...

Originally posted by biggie smalls


The Clintons may not have intentionally broken the law, but here we go again with dirty tricks. How can we be sure she wasn't there doing something suspicious?

We can't. And you really shouldn't be turning me on this much with this but you are. I don't care what that overweight drug addled hillbilly heroin addict on AM radio said about her as a 12 year old defenseless girl all through the 90's...

Chelsea Clinton is a buck toothed hawt Southern girl now. And if you're too liberal elite to get that, go back to your Florida mansion with Rush and doctor shop for pain pills.

What are you talking about? What does Rush Limbaugh have to do with this?

I'm confoosed.

reply to post by GradyPhilpott


I didn't accuse her of election fraud. She was caught red handed at the polling place. It doesn't really matter what she was doing. Its against state law for her to be there on the day of the primary.

Well, I interpreted the law differently.

To have broken that law, she must have done something listed in that paragraph and I don't think she did.

It wasn't a smart thing to do, but I don't see that she did any of the things listed, not even loitering.

Keep us informed.

reply to post by biggie smalls


By your logic, it's illegal for Chelsea Clinton to vote, since that would entail entering a polling place.

Sorry bud. She went there to run an errand, and left when the polls were opened. Not a damn thing illegal about it.