Clinton Aide Pleads Guilty

[Christians4LessGvt]

Clinton aide, Blumenthal, accepts deal in DWI case
Blumenthal fined $900, had license revoked for 10 months
By ANDREW WOLFE, Telegraph Staff
Tuesday, April 15, 2008

NASHUA: Sen. Hillary Clinton campaign adviser Sidney Blumenthal slipped into Nashua District Court to plead guilty and be sentenced last month, three weeks earlier than scheduled.

Blumenthal, 59, of Washington, D.C., was arrested in Nashua on Jan. 7, the day before the New Hampshire primary, accused of speeding while intoxicated on Concord Street.

Blumenthal and his lawyer, Ray Mello, of Nashua, had negotiated a plea bargain with police prosecutors last month. Notice of the deal was filed March 20, and the court scheduled a plea-and-sentencing hearing Friday.

The district court is a busy place, however, and last-minute scheduling changes are common especially with plea bargains, which are quick and easy for the court to accommodate. Plea bargains are routine; the vast majority of DWI cases and criminal cases in general are resolved by similar deals.

Blumenthal had been charged with aggravated DWI, because police charged he was speeding at about 70 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Blumenthal declined to take a breath or blood test and did not show any obvious signs of impairment during booking at the police station. Blumenthal didn't slur or sway, and he and the officers were all models of politeness, a video of the process shows.
 
Asked about any drug or alcohol use, which is part of the routine questioning before detention, Blumenthal said, "I had some wine at dinner."

It was Blumenthal's first arrest, ever, he told police.

Booking videos and other police reports are generally a matter of public record once a case has been closed; The Telegraph requested a copy of the video Friday afternoon and got it Monday morning.

Blumenthal was brought to a cell after booking and later released after posting $200 bail.

Blumenthal pleaded guilty March 28 to a standard, misdemeanor DWI charge. He was fined $900, and his driver's license revoked for 10 months. Blumenthal can seek to get his license restored after 120 days, however, if he completes and alcohol education program in Washington, D.C., court records show.

Blumenthal also agreed not to contest a six-month administrative license suspension, which was already in effect, police have said previously. Capt. Peter Segal said the plea deal is typical for a first-offense, aggravated DWI charge.

Blumenthal is an unpaid adviser to Clinton, actively involved in her presidential campaign, according to his lawyer. Blumenthal also was an adviser to former President Clinton. He was in southern New Hampshire on the eve of the primaries but got lost on the way from dinner to his hotel, he told police.

Sgt. Michael Masella spotted Blumenthal's rented Buick heading north on Concord Street in the area of Greeley Park at about 70 mph on the night before the New Hampshire primaries, police reported. Masella and officer Christopher Ditullio stopped Blumenthal near the Henri Burque Highway and arrested him after performing a field sobriety test.

Full video of Clinton Aide Blumenthal booked into jail shown at link below:

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080415/NEWS01/424263755

[sirs]

Little, if any, relevence, to anything I'm afraid, CU4

[Rich]

Other than it's Sidney Blumenthal.

Just goes to show you it could happen to anyone. DUI laws are an interesting topic. I think we've discussed it before.

[sirs]

Point taken

[fatman]

DUI laws in this country are a joke.  Driving drunk is no different than pointing a loaded gun at people.  If I pointed a loaded gun at an innocent person, what do you think would happen?

People don't "accidentally" get a DUI, there is a choice before one even begins to drink as to how that person will get home.  Ironically, while I have a lot of sympathy for criminals in general, I have next to none for drunk drivers.

Here in WA, last year the legislators were so proud of themselves for passing a DUI law that will send someone to prison for an automatic year and a day on their 5th DUI offense in 10 years.  Again, if I pointed a loaded gun at someone 5 times in ten years, do you think that I'd really get off with a year?

[Xavier_Onassis]

Not everyone with the illegal alcohol levels in their blood is a bad driver. My guess is that if you were to stop every car on I-95 on a Saturday night at midnight, about a quarter would be driving with too much alcohol in their bloodstream, but more than half of those would be entirely capable of driving to their destination without any problem.

I imagine I have driven a half dozen times after two beers in 30 years, but I have never been stopped for DUI, nor had even a close call while driving.