Senior Clinton adviser faces N.H. drunken driving charge

NASHUA, N.H. -- 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 Monday morning after an officer pulled over a car traveling 70 mph in a 30 mph 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.

"I asked if he was here with a campaign. He said he was here with Clinton," Sgt. Mike Masella, one of the arresting officers, told newsweek.com.

Masella said Blumenthal told him he got lost after leaving a restaurant in Manchester, about 20 miles away, to return to his hotel.

Smelling alcohol, officers said they administered a field sobriety test, which Blumenthal failed. Though Blumenthal declined to take a Breathalyzer 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 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 spokeswoman had no comment on the matter when reached Saturday.

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