President Bill Clinton plays Pied Piper in Massachusetts

Yesterday, former President Bill Clinton campaigned for his wife Hillary Clinton against Bernie Sanders in Massachusetts. Massachusetts was the closest of 12 states up for grabs on Super Tuesday and President Clinton was likely sent to the state to seal the deal. Hillary won Massachusetts by 1.8% (about 20,000 votes) so it worked. The problem? Many people feel he broke voting laws by campaigning in front of a polling stations.

Some suggested that the President’s presence at the Buttonwood Park Ward 5 polling station blocked people from voting. I don’t think that argument holds water because the vast majority of the people in the crowd were Hillary Clinton supporters. Of the 1,000 or so that showed up to Buttonwood Park in New Bedford, 900+ were likely there to support Hillary Clinton or simply to see a former President. And that’s where he crossed the line. He played the Pied Piper by drawing out all the Hillary Clinton supporters to a polling station and then told them to vote in front of it. It’s reported that he did it in Boston and other cities as well likely getting the 1.8% needed to take MA. The voting laws in Massachusetts against these actions are very clear:

Within 150 feet of a polling place no person shall solicit votes for or against, or otherwise promote or oppose, any person or political party or position on a ballot question, to be voted on at the current election. No campaign material intended to influence the vote of a voter in the ongoing election, including campaign literature, buttons, signs, and ballot stickers, may be posted, exhibited, circulated, or distributed in the polling place, in the building where it is located, on the building walls, on the premises where the building stands, or within 150 feet of an entrance door to the building. ( 950 CMR 53.03(18); 54.04.22)

The part that should grab your attention: “Within 150 feet of a polling place no person shall solicit votes for or against, or otherwise promote or oppose, any person or political party.”

A New York Times article even explained that William Galvin, the MA Secretary of State, called ahead to New Bedford to warn poll workers of the 150 foot rule because of reports of violations earlier in the day.

We had to remind everybody what the rules are, that there is no campaigning within 150 feet of the voting booths because people are entitled to their privacy,” Mr. galvin said. “And it’s not just him but his media entourage.”

Because of the situation in Newton, Mr. Galvin said that his office called ahead to Mr. Clinton’s next stop, New Bedford, to remind those poll workers of the rules.

Now watch the video of his speech and it is clear that he 1) promoted the Democrat party 2) solicited votes for Hillary Clinton 3) promoted Hillary Clinton and 4) opposed the Republican party. All within 150 feet.

Then after the speech, an official went over to a group of Bernie Sanders supports holding signs and asked them to move to the corner. They were much further away from the polling station than Bill Clinton.

The idea of Bill Clinton blocking a huge crowd of Hillary Clinton supporters from voting is silly. The real issue is he played the Pied Piper and broke clear Massachusetts voter laws in New Bedford.