Imagine if a longtime adviser for Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, or Fred Thompson had been arrested for drunk driving two nights before the New Hampshire primary. Do you think this would have gotten reported?
Probably as much as Hillary's crying game, or even more, correct?
Well, Newsweek's Stumper blog reported Friday evening that longtime Clinton adviser and confidante Sidney Blumenthal was so arrested in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Monday, astoundingly with no press coverage of the event (emphasis added, h/t NBer EvilCon555):
Sgt. Mike Masella, one of the arresting officers, said the movements of a Buick caught his eye. "I observed all his erratic driving," Masella said. "When I first noticed him it was at an intersection. He abruptly stopped. That caught my eye ... He was drifting in his lane." Masella followed the car, a rental, for a mile and a half, and clocked its speed at 70mph in a 30mph zone--more than twice the legal limit. Masella pulled the car over at 12:30 a.m. Monday morning. Blumenthal told the officer he was returning to his hotel from a restaurant in Manchester. After declining to take a Breathalyzer, Masella says, Blumenthal failed a field sobriety test. Blumenthal was handcuffed, booked, had his fingerprints taken and was held for four hours--standard operating procedure in such arrests in New Hampshire--before posting bail and being released. (He will be arraigned later this month.) Because the car was moving at excessive speeds, Blumenthal was given the more serious charge of "aggravated" DWI--which carries a mandatory sentence of at least three days behind bars. "He's charged with a serious crime," says Nashua Police Capt. Peter Segal, who will oversee the case as it moves toward a court date.
As this occurred at 12:30 AM Monday, this means Blumenthal was arrested just hours before Hillary shed a tear in a New Hampshire diner dramatically changing the results of the following day's primary.
Did the Clinton campaign know that Blumenthal had been arrested hours earlier? Did this somehow get embargoed from the press, or did local media intentionally boycott it?
More importantly, how did this possibly elude so-called journalists for almost five full days? Would the same have happened if an adviser to a Republican presidential candidate had been arrested hours before a primary?
Finally, now that Newsweek has broken the story, and Drudge linked to it, will this get any coverage, or just stay buried?
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
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Sid Vicious gets arrested,
January 12, 2008 - 12:37 ET by motherbeltSid Vicious gets arrested, for "aggravated DUI" and no word?
Nothing to see here....move along.....
Would the same have happened if an adviser to a Republican presidential candidate had been arrested hours before a primary?
Are you kidding? It probably would have push HRC's little sobfest off the front pages....
Blumensozzled
January 12, 2008 - 12:50 ET by Jack BauerHere are the penalties Sid Vicious can expect... speeding over the 30 mph limit raises the offense to AGGRAVATED DUI, with a sentence of a MINIMUM of 10 days in the clink.
New Hampshire DUI Law
It is illegal to drive or attempt to drive in New Hampshire with a BAC of .08 or greater.
Penalties
First Offense:
The first offense is a Class B misdemeanor. It is punishable by a fine of at least $500 and license revocation for 9 months – 2 years. Additionally, the court will require you to complete an impaired driver intervention program before it restores your license.
Aggravated DUI
The penalties increase if you are driving while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and:
- Driving more than 30 mph over the speed limit;
- Cause an accident that results in serious bodily injury;
- Attempting to elude a law enforcement officer; or
- Carrying a passenger under the age of 16.
The Aggravated DUI charge will also apply if your BAC is .16 or greater.
Aggravated DUI Penalties
First Offense:
The first aggravated DUI is a Class A misdemeanor. It is punishable by a fine of at least $750 and a minimum of 10 days incarceration in the state’s DWI Offender Intervention Detention Center.
Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test
New Hampshire makes it illegal to refuse to submit to a blood, urine, or breath test for alcohol concentration upon arrest. If this is your first offense and you have no prior DUI convictions, the state will suspend your license for 180 days. If you do have a prior DUI conviction, the license suspension will be for a 2 year period.
That refusal is a bit tricky
January 12, 2008 - 13:28 ET by PamWhen I wrote about this yesterday, I was thinking the same thing you did about a refusal on the breathalyzer..If I understand correctly, he had the choice of that or the field sobriety..he failed the field sobriety..I am wondering if he did a blood sample though..
Hey Pam... from what I read
January 12, 2008 - 13:37 ET by Jack BauerHey Pam... from what I read into the NH DUI statutes, the refusal to take a breath test on the scene is a perfect strategy if you have the resources to attack the integrity of the policeman, and the FST process.
That's my focus on the post above. .. and he does.
Yes, we don't know if he further refused a blood test at the station, but I'm guessing he did.
It's not the refusal of the chemical tests which raises it to Aggravated DUI and mandatory jail time if found guilty. It's speeding over 30 does that.
And I'll go on a limb and say I think the bast+rd will get off with it. Ho hum.
It is curious the story
January 12, 2008 - 12:49 ET by JerIt is curious the story wasn't broken for serveral days...but, why Newsweek? I thought it was just another liberal media outlet in the tank [npi] for the Clintons--or at least the Democrats.
Jer
.
January 12, 2008 - 12:58 ET by dervishYeah, there must be at least a couple hundred people that saw that blog entry before Drudge picked it up. Way to shout it from the rooftop, Newsweek!
They think we can't see through this rhetoric
January 12, 2008 - 13:01 ET by kgThe news was broke. They didn't want to do another Foley thing and affect the election as well as the back slapping aftermath. Plus releasing it on Friday evening allows it to be long forgotten by Monday.
Jer
January 12, 2008 - 13:11 ET by Noel SheppardJer,
This wasn't reported by Newsweek. It was reported at the Stumper blog at its website. And, if you look at the Newsweek homepage, the headline is such that it doesn't say anything about Hillary or a drunk driving arrest. Instead, the headline is "Blumenthal on the Boil."
Think THAT'S going to draw a lot of attention? How many people know who "Blumenthal" is, and that he's connected to Hillary? Why didn't the headline say something like, "Top Clinton Adviser Arrested for Drunk Driving?"
Think about it.
Finally, let's see whether this makes this week's print edition with a headline that isn't as nebulous. ns
One Outlet Got It Right
January 12, 2008 - 14:11 ET by Del DolemonteThe Nashua NH Telegraph Story Headline was
"Clinton Advisor Arrested in Nashua"
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080112/NEWS01/909595977/-1/news
Of course, we all know the Telegraph has a nationwide circulation /sarc
-
January 12, 2008 - 22:12 ET by dahliatravers"Blumenthal on the Boil"??
That makes it sound like he dressed down his waiter for bringing the wrong designer coffee, not that he was doubly endangering the public by speeding drunk.
We'll be expecting such courteous "accuracy", Newsweek, if/when a Republican adviser does something equally irresponsible.
Another Source
January 12, 2008 - 13:19 ET by Del DolemonteI posted this story this morning on the Weekend Captionfest
thread (the one with Hillary tearing up) but forgot to include the source-it was from today's Nashua NH Telegraph.
When it takes the local paper from the city where this incident occured 5 days to get the story out, you know they're sitting on it.
What Double Standard
January 12, 2008 - 13:01 ET by allanfNoel,
Double Standard. Are you kidding?
Do you think the media would publicize the indictment of Bernard Kerick, the former New York City Police Commissioner appointed by Guiliani?
The were only on that story like a pack of hungry wolves
Sid's scum lawyers will attempt assassination of cop
January 12, 2008 - 13:21 ET by Jack BauerThis is how he may possibly "walk" (though I prefer the term stagger) from the charge.
You'll note that he refused a breath test. Which means the police officer has no official record of the level of alcohol in his system.
Unless the FST was captured on his cruiser's DashCam and is visibly conclusive, then it will come down to the word of the officer.
You'll start to see a slew of stories in the media about the state police in general, and this officer in particular.
EveryDUI arrest this guy ever did will be scrutinized and investigated for even technical irregularities.
"Officer, have you ever made racial and ethic slurs against Jews?"
Experts will be brought in at great expense to explain how FSTs are "unreliable."
There's going to be a full court press for Sid weasel, with the aim of destroying the policeman and his reputation.
His Lawyer Says
January 12, 2008 - 14:03 ET by Del DolemonteSid's lawyer had this to say
"Ray Mello, a New Hampshire attorney, says he is representing Blumenthal and will explore “all of the avenues of discovery.”
“In reality, it’s a traffic violation,” Mello said, noting that the more serious “aggravated” DWI charge is due to the alleged speeding, not “degree of intoxication.”
As I recall, many Dubyah defenders used the same "traffic violation" line back in 2000 when his decades-old DUI came out. They were roundly laughed at by the Gore supporters.
Mistaken Identity
January 12, 2008 - 13:28 ET by BeresfordI believe that the person arrested must have been impersonating Blumenthal.
Why? Because the Newsweek story quotes the arresting officer as saying the fellow was a "perfect gentleman" and by all accounts Blumenthal is a perfect ass.
Wrong Turn
January 12, 2008 - 14:04 ET by Del DolemonteSid was actually driving down to MA to see Teddy Kennedy-he just took a wrong turn.
Good point.
January 12, 2008 - 15:01 ET by dervishGoes to show you just how drunk Sid was at the time.
Well the filthy
January 12, 2008 - 16:15 ET by bigtimerWell the filthy lyin' Clinton attack dog got arrested for a DUI...and zilch in the press..still as far as I know because this is the first I have heard of this...
Of course this is covered up but good...makes me ill...if this was reversed of course we would of heard about it all non-stop..at least in between the continuing OJ saga and such.
Wonder what spin little Sidney will come up with...Rove made him do it?
He is a real slimy piece of work that is for sure...the msm work hand in hand still...
Verrry Interesting...
January 12, 2008 - 19:11 ET by Del DolemonteThe Nashua Telegraph, which sat on the Sid story for 5 days, only took 3 days to report the following "crime story", despite the fact that this incident occured only 4 or 5 hours after Sid was busted:
http://www.nashuatel......
"NASHUA - Police caught two teens stealing stuff from cars early Monday morning, they reported.
Joshua Higgins, 17, of 22D Blossom St., and Richard Elliott, 18, of 1 Bittersweet Road, were arrested at about 5:20 a.m. on Spit Brook Road. Officers were in the area, investigating reports of thefts from vehicles, when they spotted the suspects, and later recovered some of the stolen goods, Detective Lt. George McCarthy said."
HELL it's 9:20pm sat. and I
January 12, 2008 - 22:22 ET by obxrayHELL it's 9:20pm sat. and I still havn't seen anything.