Obama finally pays local parking tickets

The Somerville News ^ | March 07, 2007 | George P. Hassett

[Brown Deer]

Before Barack Obama was a United States senator and a presidential hopeful, he was a Harvard University law student living in Somerville who parked in bus stops and accumulated hundreds of dollars in parking tickets. And for nearly two decades those parking tickets went unpaid, until a representative of Obama’s settled all his outstanding debts with Cambridge’s Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department Jan. 26.

Obama attended Harvard Law School from 1988 to 1991. During his time at Harvard, Obama lived at 365 Broadway in Somerville, according to his parking tickets. Records from the Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation office show that between Oct. 5, 1988 and Jan. 12, 1990 Obama was cited for 17 traffic violations, sometimes committing two in the same day. The abuses included parking in a resident permit area, parking in a bus stop and failing to pay the meter. Twelve of Obama’s 17 tickets were given to him on Massachusetts Avenue.

In one eight day stretch in 1988, Obama was cited seven times for parking violations and was fined $45. Thirteen of the 17 violations occurred within one month in 1988.

Obama’s disobedience of the rules of the road earned him $140 in fines from the City of Cambridge. The tickets went unpaid for over 17 years and $260 in late fees were added to the tab. On Jan. 26, the fines and late fees were paid in full. The final tally for Obama’s parking breaches was $400, according to Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation.

Obama spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said the presidential candidate’s parking violations were not relevant.

“He didn’t owe that much and what he did owe, he paid,” Psaki said. “Many people have parking tickets and late fees. All the parking tickets and late fees were paid in full.”

Psaki declined to comment further. She refused to say how the fines went unpaid so long and what prompted Obama to finally pay them.

At Harvard, Obama became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. After school, he spent eight years in the Illinois state senate before becoming a United States Senator in 2005. He is currently campaigning for the Democratic nomination for president.

[an amused spectator]

http://www.cambridgema.gov/CityOfCambridge_Content/documents/tpat_regulations_sept_2007.pdf

Appendix D (at the very end of the PDF) is fascinating. There's a 1st late fee, a 2nd late fee, and a 3rd late fee for each violation. As of March 28, 2008 (The One's servant paid the "fines" in January 2008, apparently), the 1st late fee was $10.00, the 2nd late fee was $20.00, and the 3rd late fee was $40.00. Per violation.

So, knock off half each for ancient days, and you're still looking at $50.00 a crack per violation [$15.00 for the initial, $5.00 first late fee, $10.00 for second late fee and $20.00 for third late fee]. That's only about 8 violations - and that's if the local gendarmes don't get bent out of shape at you flipping them off for 17 years.

Something smells REAL ripe here.

[Aliska]

It sounds like he did it on purpose rather than drive around and look for an available one. I think maybe I've had 5 in my life. None were on purpose. And I paid right away so I wouldn't forget and get hauled into court which I think they do here and fined.

Sometimes they do blow off your car, but not that many.

Nothing will come of it. I think I could overlook it if it weren't for all the rest. It's like laws only apply to the proletariat.

[an amused spectator]

Same in our area. Some Ones are above the law, apparently...

[DannyTN]

Campaign expense?

[El Gato]

I’m wondering if the campaign paid them. If so, that would really be disgusting

Probably illegal too. But the campaign donated $800,000 to an offshoot of ACORN, so anything is possible.

[Enchante]

While the Mediascum are so busy going over Joe the Plumber’s kindergarten records you’d think they might find a little time to scrutinize everything about the PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Barack Obama.

[rockinqsranch]

Believe it or not this really is a reflection on the character of Obama.

[antioscar]

Somerville can thank “Joe the Plumber”....;)

[LikeLight]

Thugocracy.

[an amused spectator]

OK. I got to 2005 in the Wayback Machine. Parking meter overtime was $20.00, bus stop was $20.00 and resident permit only was $30.00. Add $35 for maxing out the late fees, and you get an average of $50 or more per pop.

Let's say $25 in late fees per violation, times 17 violations. The late fees for the 17 violations come out to $425 - $25 more than reported total. Apparently, Cambridge was PAYING people to commit parking violations - in Obama's case, a negative $25.00.

[mlocher]

In one eight day stretch in 1988, Obama was cited seven times for parking violations

Seven for eight is a pretty good batting average!

[apt4truth]

How did he graduate with unpaid parking tickets?

[antioscar]

Harvard Law School! He was in "law school", HARVARD none the less, and doing this!!! That goes to show his complete disregard for the law.

[Yaelle]

Dude, where's my car???

[Galleta]

DMV in Massachusetts

If You Get a Traffic Ticket in Massachusetts

You have 20 days to pay your ticket or request a hearing. If you don’t do one or the other, you are technically in default and face suspension of your license indefinitely. Continue to ignore the payment and the RMV can file charges in court, which can result in a warrant being issued for your arrest.

Parking tickets are not considered traffic violations and are due to the municipality where the violation occurred. You need to pay the traffic tickets or you will not be able to renew your driver’s license or registration.

http://www.dmv.org/ma-massachusetts/paying-tickets.php#If_You_Don’t_Pay_Your_Traffic_Ticket

[RatsDawg]

Didn’t we hear right away in the msm about how Sarah Palin got some hunting fine back in the early 90’s for not having the proper license?

[Galleta]

“Obama spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said the presidential candidate’s parking violations were not relevant”

I bet if Obama was JOE THE PLUMBER they would be very relevant!

[Paladin2]

I still have outstanding Boston parking tickets, I'd guess. In the days before computerized databases, they didn't followup on tickets for out of state plates. The tickets made nice mobiles when artistically attached to each other and hung by the window.

In Boston, double parking was a regular practice and triple parking an art form.

It's free parking that made America great.

[BobbyT]

I believe it was fishing.

But you need to understand that on the great socialist farm, some are more equal than others.

And here in O’Teleprompter’s home of Chitcago, there is no way on earth 17 tickets, plus 2nd warnings, plus 3rd warnings and late fees would come out to $400. I doubt Boston is any better...barring some Chicago-style Rezko-esque favors, it should probably be at least 3-4x that.

[Redbob]

Parking tickets:
That’s the only reason *I* haven’t run for President!