Drudge: First Lady caught "electioneering" in Chicago

[seabelle]

http://drudgereport.com/flash2.htm

FIRST LADY CAMPAIGNS INSIDE POLLING PLACE
Thu Oct 14 2010 16:19:25 ET



First lady Michelle Obama appears to have violated Illinois law -- when she engaged in political discussion at a polling place!

The drama began after Mrs. Obama stopped off at the Martin Luther King Center on the south side of Chicago to cast an early vote.

After finishing at the machine, Obama went back to the desk and handed in her voting key.

She let voters including electrician Dennis Campbell, 56, take some photos.

"She was telling me how important it was to vote to keep her husband's agenda going," Campbell said.

According to a pool reporter from the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES at the scene, the conversation took place INSIDE the voting center, not far from the booths.

Illinois state law -- Sec. 17-29 (a) -- states: "No judge of election, pollwatcher, or other person shall, at any primary or election, do any electioneering or soliciting of votes or engage in any political discussion within any polling place [or] within 100 feet of any polling place."

A top Ilinois State Board of Elections official tells the DRUDGE REPORT that Mrs. Obama -- a Harvard-educated lawyer -- may have simply been ignorant of the law and thus violated it unintentionally.

"You kind of have to drop the standard for the first lady, right?" the official explained late Thursday. "I mean, she's pretty well liked and probably doesn't know what she's doing."

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS ELECTIONEERING

When questioned about the brazen nature of Mrs. Obama's campaigning, press secretary Robert Gibbs defended the action.

"I don't think it would be much to imagine, the First Lady might support her husband's agenda," Gibbs smiled.

Developing...

[rich_t]

It will be swept under the rug.

[RightCoast]

It will be swept under the rug.

And then the rug will be thrown away.

[JohnnyReb]

And then the rug will be thrown away.

Not if it's the Zeros' prayer rug.

[RightCoast]

Not if it's the Zeros' prayer rug.

lol

[true_blood]

FIXED!!!

A top Ilinois State Board of Elections official tells the DRUDGE REPORT that Mrs. Obama -- a Harvard-educated lawyer -- may have simply been ignorant. of the law and thus violated it unintentionally.

"You kind of have to drop the standard for the first lady, right?" the official explained late Thursday. "I mean, she's pretty well much not well liked and probably doesn't know what she's doing."

[zeitgeist]

And then the rug will be thrown away.

In Ft Marcy Park.

Vote Early Vote Often, it is the Chicago way. 

Ignorance of the law is no excuse or so I have been told.

[rich_t]

In Ft Marcy Park.

Vote Early Vote Often, it is the Chicago way.  

Ignorance of the law is no excuse or so I have been told.

I've heard that too.  Not to mention I experienced it once.

Thankfully, the cop was cool and let me off with a warning.

[ColonialMarine0431]

"Move along folks. Nothing to see here."

[Boudicca]

FIXED!!!

Yeah, yeah, like the media wouldn't have been ALL THE **** OVER this story if it had been Mrs. Bush.  Even SoS Clinton.  Guess no one wants to criticize the first grifter for fear of being labeled a racist.

[foghorn]

she don' be knowin'

[Chris_]

I hate to say it, but this will go nowhere.  If the Obama administration doesn't have the balls to prosecute the Black Panthers, there's no way they're bringing charges against the Pres0dent's wife.

[dandi]

Wow. Just, wow.

To me, it's not so much that she broke the law. She may very well have been ignorant of it (though ignorance is no excuse).

It's the cavalier attitude of the elections official and Robert Gibbs. ""You kind of have to drop the standard for the first lady, right?"

Uh, no.

You don't have to throw her in Leavenworth, but I think at the minimum an admonishment not to do it again might be in order. You could at least pretend we're still a nation of laws.

[TheSarge]

I'm stunned at the willingness to just dismiss this as no big thing.

Here we have a woman pumped up by the MSM as being gifted...smart...talented..yet they turn around and accuse this same person of being ignorant of a very simple and clear cut law?

 

Wonder if they'd have given Laura Bush the same kind of pass?

[Carl]

This as much as anything shows the "I know everything" arrogance of the first couple and the sycophants they have as staff.
Remember back to the early days of the administration where it was one protocol after another broken and we wondered why there was no one telling O the proper formalities when meeting foreign leaders.

I have no doubt Michelle was ignorant of the law just because that is what her and the President are...ignorant ideologues.
Where was the staff to coach her on what can or can`t be said inside or near a polling place when asked questions that could trap her in a violation of the electioneering law?

Was there no one,that we as taxpayers are paying,who didn`t take her aside and say listen.."If asked about the President or anything political just smile and say you love and support him but beyond that any comments are inappropriate"?

I know that is really a rhetorical question as the king and queen have only surrounded themselves with loyal subjects but once more the picture of an incompetent Administration is very clear and frightening to think about.

[TheSarge]

This as much as anything shows the "I know everything" arrogance of the first couple and the sycophants they have as staff.
Remember back to the early days of the administration where it was one protocol after another broken and we wondered why there was no one telling O the proper formalities when meeting foreign leaders.

I have no doubt Michelle was ignorant of the law just because that is what her and the President are...ignorant ideologues.
Where was the staff to coach her on what can or can`t be said inside or near a polling place when asked questions that could trap her in a violation of the electioneering law?

Was there no one,that we as taxpayers are paying,who didn`t take her aside and say listen.."If asked about the President or anything political just smile and say you love and support him but beyond that any comments are inappropriate"?

I know that is really a rhetorical question as the king and queen have only surrounded themselves with loyal subjects but once more the picture of an incompetent Administration is very clear and frightening to think about.

The flip side to this is that she knew the law...but did it anyway.

Dammit she's the First Lady...she's above the law.

[JohnnyReb]

The flip side to this is that she knew the law...but did it anyway.

Dammit she's the First Lady...she's above the law.

Right....laws are for the little people.

[NHSparky]

A top Ilinois State Board of Elections official tells the DRUDGE REPORT that Mrs. Obama -- a Harvard-educated lawyer -- may have simply been ignorant of the law and thus violated it unintentionally.

I'm not a lawyer and I'm pretty ****ing sure you can't go electioneering in ANY polling place in ANY state.  The only "ignorance" issue is how many feet from the entrance which varies from state to state.

[Wineslob]

Mrs. Obama -- a Harvard-educated lawyer

probably doesn't know what she's doing."

Seems to be the meme with this admin.

[ToddWB]

Right....laws are for the little people.

Yeah...this one pretty much hits the nail on the head.....why would she follow the law..it was all made up by the enemy...the white man.

[DLR Pyro]

 The only "ignorance" issue is how many feet from the entrance which varies from state to state.

I think arrogance had alot more to do with this violation than ignorance.

[littlelamb]

Michelle is above the law after all her husband is the POTUS (DUmmy mode on)

[zeitgeist]

Any bets on what got thrown when Michelle found out she had been called "ignorant" in the press.  These are very vain folk, being called "ignorant" in the press is a major blow to ones ego, affirmative action or not.

[true_blood]

I think arrogance had alot more to do with this violation than ignorance.

I agree there.

[cavegal]

http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/15/no-complaints-filed-against-michelle-obama/

The Chicago Board of Elections said no complaints have been filed following allegations that First Lady Michelle Obama violated Illinois election law Thursda

Shocking just shocking........Like they even thought about it!