Mitchell Defends Clinton’s New Bedford Visit: ‘Get Over Yourselves’

State law indicates there can be no electioneering within 150 feet of the entrance to a polling place on election day. That rule has many people questioning whether former President Bill Clinton and New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell violated campaign rules as they stumped for Hillary Clinton right in front of a city polling location Tuesday.

Speaking on his weekly radio program with Taylor Cormier, Mitchell says the complaints are short-sighted:

Mitchell: People can sit here and focus on 'Well, was he in 'x' number of feet within the polling location?' It's like, come on, get over yourselves.

 

Cormier: But them's the rules, Mayor. Right?

 

Mitchell: So the rules were followed. The polling location remained open the whole time, Taylor. The signs were all on the periphery. So, what did you want him (Clinton) to do, walk through silently?

Mayor Mitchell further dismissed the dispute. "Nobody got a tape measure out there. But, the reality is there was a major press corps right there, right in the middle of it, including from this station, all in full view of what was going on. So it's not as though there was anything untoward going on. It lasted just a few minutes. And there you have it, right? A former President of the United States right here in the city."

Mitchell says the Buttonwood Park Warming House was open to voters during the presidential visit. The Secretary of State's office sent a warning to the Clinton campaign, but said no rules were violated.