Police charge top Clinton guru
2008-01-13 08:00
Nashua, New Hampshire - A senior adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was arrested and charged with aggravated drunken driving a day before the New Hampshire primary.
Nashua police say Sidney Blumenthal was arrested early on Monday morning after an officer pulled over a car travelling 112km/h in a 48km/h zone. Blumenthal, 59, is a journalist and former White House adviser to President Bill Clinton who is now serving as an unpaid adviser on Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Sgt Mike Masella, one of the arresting officers, told newsweek.com that Blumenthal said he got lost after leaving a restaurant in Manchester, about 32km away, to return to his hotel.
Officers said they administered a field sobriety test, which Blumenthal failed. Though Blumenthal declined to take a breathalyser test, he was arrested on a charge of aggravated drunken driving due to the speed, Masella said.
A handcuffed Blumenthal spent about four hours at a police station before being bailed out on Monday morning, Masella said.
Blumenthal will be arraigned later this month.
His lawyer, Raymond Mello of Nashua, did not immediately respond to a message left at his office on Saturday morning. A Clinton campaign spokesperson had no comment on the matter when reached on Saturday.
- AP