Clinton adviser arrested in Nashua (Sid Blumenthal)

Nashua Telegraph ^ | 1/12/08 | STEPHANIE HOOPER

[jimbo123]

NASHUA – A top Clinton adviser faces charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated after city police caught him speeding through Greeley Park a day before the state primary.

Sidney Blumenthal, longtime friend and senior adviser to presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. was allegedly driving a rented car north on Concord Street at a speed of 70 mph when Nashua Police Sgt. Mike Masella decided to stop it at about 12:30 a.m. Monday.

-snip-

Blumenthal was arrested after completing the test and taken to the police department where he refused to take a breath test and was booked on a charge of aggravated driving while intoxicated, Masella said.

[justiceseeker93]

To call Blumenthal “one of the most prominent men in the U. S.” is a bit deceiving. Mr. Vicious deliberately tries to lay low as he conducts his nefarious activities for his masters.

I will guarantee you that he has been involved in much more heinous crime than DWI.

[Cheburashka]

Now you’re talking about the odds he’s going to get help. A slightly different topic.

[apocalypto]

Thanks to FR I hear about it.

[Tall_Texan]

Heyyyy, Sid Vicious! Stopped beating your wife lately?

[don-o]

Thanks to FR I hear about it.

Ain't it the truth. That's why I have my tagline.

[apocalypto]

bttt

[mewzilla]

Update....

Top Clinton Adviser Arrested for Drunk Driving, Media Mum

[don-o]

Good find. Keep it bumped and it’ll get traction. FR is show prep.

[mewzilla]

And what's even more telling is what we're not seeing, eh?

[doug from upland]

We can fight back. Let's pump up this YouTube mocking on the internet.

COME AND JOIN THE MOCKING SING-ALONG ON YOUTUBE (leave a nice comment for Sid, but please be careful about the rumor that got Drudge sued)

[BlessedBeGod]

I’d drink, too, if I worked for Hillary.

[AGreatPer]

In my state if you refuse a breathalizer you lose your license for one year.

[snowsislander]

To call Blumenthal “one of the most prominent men in the U. S.” is a bit deceiving. Mr. Vicious deliberately tries to lay low as he conducts his nefarious activities for his masters.

Prominence is of course in the eye of the beholder, but I did check around the Internet to verify that my perception of his prominence is not unreasonable. Mr. Blumenthal has apparently authored over 250 articles at Salon alone (the ever-unreliable Wikipedia currently says 1800 but I don't see them at Salon), written numerous books, is a paid speaker on the college lecture circuit (Lavin Agency) and even acted in a movie in 2004 (and apparently has also appeared on several different televised programs (IMDB)), so I cannot agree with you about him "laying low" in general (although of course in the case at hand, he did manage to lay very low for almost a week. ;-)

[don-o]

Not seeing yet

Dog may yet bark. Ears and eyes wide open here

[aculeus]

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Sid the Squid.

[mewzilla]

It looks as though NH's messed with its DWI laws recently. An update on what happens if your refuse...

TITLE XXI MOTOR VEHICLES CHAPTER 265-A ALCOHOL OR DRUG IMPAIRMENT

Section 265-A:14
265-A:14 Refusal of Consent. –
I. If a person under arrest for any violation or misdemeanor under RSA 265 or RSA 215-A refuses upon the request of a law enforcement officer, authorized agent, or peace officer to submit to physical tests or to a test of blood, urine, or breath designated by the law enforcement officer, authorized agent, or peace officer to as provided in RSA 265-A:4, none shall be given, but:
(a) If this is the first refusal with no prior driving or operating while intoxicated or aggravated driving or operating while intoxicated convictions:
(1) The director shall suspend his or her license to drive or nonresident driving privilege for a period of 180 days; or
(2) If the person is a resident without a license or permit to drive a motor vehicle in this state, the director shall deny to the person the privilege to drive and the issuance of a license for a period of 180 days after the date of the alleged violation.
(b) If the person has a prior driving or operating while intoxicated or aggravated driving or operating while intoxicated conviction or a prior refusal of consent under this section:
(1) The director shall suspend his or her license to drive or nonresident driving privilege for a period of 2 years; or
(2) If the person is a resident without a license or permit to drive a motor vehicle in this state, the director shall deny to the person the privilege to drive and the issuance of a license for a period of 2 years after the date of the alleged violation.
II. The 180-day or 2-year suspension period or denial of issuance period imposed pursuant to this section shall not run concurrently with any other penalty imposed under the provision of this title. Any such suspension or denial of a license or privilege to drive shall be imposed in addition to any other penalty provided by law, subject to review as provided in RSA 265-A:31.
III. A refusal of consent for both post-arrest physical testing and testing of blood, urine, or breath following any one arrest shall be deemed one refusal for the purposes of this section.
IV. The provisions and penalties of this section, relative to the refusal of consent, shall apply to any person under arrest for any violation or misdemeanor involving the operation of a boat, after a hearing and upon satisfactory proof of the following:
(a) That the authorized agent or peace officer had reasonable grounds to believe the arrested person had been operating, had been attempting to operate, or was in actual physical control of a boat upon the public waters of this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or controlled drugs or any combination thereof;
(b) That the person has been arrested;
(c) That the person refused to submit to the test upon request of the authorized agent or peace officer;
(d) That the agent or officer informed the person arrested that his or her refusal to submit to such a test would constitute a violation; and
(e) That the agent or officer informed the arrested person of his or her right to have a similar test or tests conducted by a person of his or her own choosing. Source. 2006, 260:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007.

[justiceseeker93]

You have some good points. I was thinking of prominence in terms of general public name recognition, where Bloomy would lag far behind many others, even considering only those in the political world. After all, he has never even ran for public office and is more of a shadowy figure. Of course, he is fairly well known to political “junkies” like us.

[justiceseeker93]

Would anyone happen to know if Blumenthal could be hit with a felony charge in this incident?

[don-o]

bump

[Heatseeker]

I guess now we know why Hillary was crying - she thought they not not be successful in muzzling the story.

Had this gotten out, all those women who switched at the last minute from Obama to Clinton would have never switched, or switched right back; Obama would have won by a large margin, and Hillary might well be on her way out of the race today.