Secretary William Galvin’s sterling reputation sacrificed to Clintons.
Over 100,000 people are calling for the arrest of Bill Clinton. Are they the typical right-wing, Clinton-hating pitbulls? Nope. They are as liberal as they come. Clinton has managed to infuriate the left in ways not seen since Chicago ‘68.
As Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Galvin continues to contradict himself, with his office at one point holding that Bill Clinton’s mere presence within a polling station constituted electioneering, then at another saying it did not, national media has noticed that 100,000 people are calling for Clinton’s arrest. In today’s piece “Why nearly 100,000 people are calling for Bill Clinton’s arrest,” the New York Post has reported:
“Nearly 100,000 people have signed an online petition calling for Bill Clinton’s arrest for violating Massachusetts election law on Super Tuesday by campaigning close to — and even inside — polling places.”
On March 1st, the day of the primary, Brian McNiff, a spokesman for Galvin, said that Hillary Clinton’s campaign “has been reminded” of the “150-foot rule.” Under the rule, similar to rules governing every polling station in every state, all campaigning activity must cease 150 feet from the polling station. Even a sticker, a “paster,” cannot be put on a telephone poll if it is within 150 feet.
McNiff was then asked by the Globe if Clinton’s presence would, on its own, constitute a solicitation. McNiff answered:
“He’s a well known person. And he’s a spouse of a candidate…That should answer the question.”
The clear indication by the Secretary’s office that the answer to this question was “yes” is at odds with what Secretary Galvin now tells the media, that Clinton’s mere presence was not, in fact, a campaign violation. Galvin told the Globe:
“He had the right to go into the polling locations, and say ‘Hello’ to workers who were there. The issue is, you can’t go inside and say, ‘Vote for my wife,’ or ‘Vote for Hillary,’ ”
Clinton entering Newton Free Library polling place in Newton, MA
Thus the larger-than-life presence of perhaps the most heavily-covered, and heavily-accompanied, president in history is the same as state representative John Schlomo’s brother walking in to say hi. Clinton is surrounded at all times by a phalanx of local, state, and Secret Service armed bodyguards, press, and personal staff entourage. Galvin’s first answer was the right one, which came from the gut, and not from the now dissembling and ordinary sleazy politician he has become, thanks to covering for Bill Clinton.
Galvin fell on his sword yet a second time, when he said preposterously of a life-long politician, Bill Clinton: . "He's not from here, so he may not know." Campaigning in or near a polling station is a crime in every state of the union, as is blocking votes. A summary of the laws is published by the National Association of Secretaries of State.
If a rock star like Bono, a court hearing into the matter might ask, were to walk into a polling station being clearly associated with one candidate, would that not constitute campaigning? Or did Bono just walk into some backwater just because there was no place else to go, and he heard he could buy a cheap cup of coffee?
Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin
MassLive reports that Clinton bought a cup of coffee in the West Roxbury polling station. At press time, it is as yet unknown if he takes it with cream, sugar or both.
The Bono analogy is not facetious. The judge might continue his interrogatory: “If this would be frowned upon as campaigning by the Secretary, as it was at first, because Bono is no ordinary person but a rock star, then would the same not go for any other rock star? And is Bill Clinton, for better or worse in our culture, not a kind of rock star? Where he goes hundreds of people assemble and wait, even in the cold or rain. He brings along a small parade. Everybody would know why he is there, and it is not to buy a cup of coffee.”
The kicker is, state representative John Schlomo’s brother, seen by the wrong people making small talk to election workers and waving hi to everyone, might get arrested.
But not Bill Clinton. Because Bill does what Bill wants. Heah?
Despite the petition’s success at settling the question of whether anyone still gives a hoot about the law, in a heartening way, more is yet to follow. The best part. When Bill stepped in it he stepped in but good, as Bill will, and investigation into the more serious charge of obstructing voting at a polling place is ongoing. At least one eyewitness and citizen-journalist has posted a video of the scene in front of the New Bedford polling place, where Clinton is standing with a bullhorn approximately 20 feet from the polling station and thanking “especially those of you who are supporting Hillary Clinton.”
Below: Clinton in New Bedford, MA
As reported by Boston Magazine, the New Bedford witness, Angela Grace, narrated in her video capture:
“I haven’t seen one person be able to come in and be able to vote in here. Everything is blocked off. No person can park here. They are affecting the voting at this poll. It’s ridiculous. It’s fraud and illegal. From one side of the street to the other, there’s no way anybody can get down here to vote.”
Boston Magazine also uncovered other evidence of vote-blocking, writing:
“Paul Feeney, Massachusetts state director for the Sen. Bernie Sanders campaign, says he received 12 calls in half an hour from voters who said the polling place was blocked by Clinton’s appearance. “Folks were calling the hotline saying they wanted to vote but couldn’t,””
Secretary Galvin’s office did not comment on Clinton’s campaigning with a bullhorn within 150 feet of a polling station, which is prohibited in MA law. Nor did he comment on reports of the more serous vote-blocking, a violation of the Voting Rights Act, and a felony.
The Massachusetts Democratic primary race was incredibly strategic for Hillary Clinton, who would have taken a major blow with momentum possibly shifting to Sanders, as he took the heart of “Hillary Country,” and nearly tied the state count with five to Sanders, six to Clinton. On Super Tuesday Sanders took Minnesota, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Vermont. Colorado he took by nearly 20 points, and showed surprising depth in conservative Oklahoma. A media meme has been that Sanders, a nominal “socialist” in his youth, cannot win in conservative states.
The final vote was 50% to Clinton, 49% to Sanders, with NBC reporting:
“The race in Massachusetts was neck and neck, with Sanders having led his rival at one point.”
A criminal complaint or class-action lawsuit against Bill Clinton, no longer immune from civil proceedings once out of office, might become a breaking point for decent and law-abiding Hillary supporters weary of two standards being applied to rich and poor.
The petition calling for the arrest of Bill Clinton on various charges of violations of the campaign law and of the Voting Rights Act, is located at Change.org: “Arrest & Prosecute Bill Clinton for Violation of Mass. Election Laws.
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