Justice Department warns WWE about giving away merchandise at voting polls
In the latest – and hopefully final – twist – to a story that has become increasingly ridiculous, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to WWE’s lawyer Monday stating that WWE’s plan to distribute WWE clothing to voters near certain polling places in Connecticut today is a violation of federal law.
WWE responded by issuing a news release that said, “Under this ambiguous threat of legal action by the U.S. Department of Justice, WWE has reluctantly decided not to give away WWE merchandise near select polling stations.”
WWE had previously announced that it was going to give away the merchandise to celebrate the rescinding of Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz’s directive that poll workers could ask voters wearing WWE merchandise to cover it up before voting.
Bysiewicz, a Democrat, said that wearing the merchandise could be interpreted as campaigning for former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, the Republican Senate candidate. Campaigning – which includes wearing political paraphernalia – within 75 feet of polling places is illegal in the state.
I thought Bysiewicz’s initial decision was an example of politics winning out over common sense, and I was glad to see her reverse it (after WWE CEO Vince McMahon filed a lawsuit, of course).
However, I also thought WWE was taking things a step too far with the merchandise giveaway. I believe WWE knew that such a stunt would generate a reaction from the Justice Department, and that would allow the company to once again portray itself as the victim.
“This is clearly heavy-handed bullying from big government and would appear to be desperate political activity in closely contested elections in Connecticut,” Vince McMahon said in a news release.
Comments
http://www.ejfi.org/Voting/Voting-91.htm
Here is a recap of an incident in a western Virginia town where officials were prosecuted for bribing voters with a variety of gifts, including pork rinds.
McMahon is lucky that the Justice Department said something. I was expecting them to let McMahon commit the felony and zap him for it later.
Posted by: Mike | November 2, 2010 8:11 PM
Your like everyone else. You just want to bad mouth the WWE and it's getting old. Yes giving away things at the polls was to far but don't bad mouth a them.
The WWE dose a ton for charity.
RESPONSE FROM KE: Wow, I've gone from being the biggest WWE mark around to bad-mouthing them. I suppose if I'm seen as both pro-WWE and anti-WWE that I must be doing something right.
Posted by: joe | November 3, 2010 2:20 AM
You're totally a "tweener" Kevin!! Or an anti-hero...I'm not sure which...but the air of mystery that surrounds you makes you that much more of an intriguing character! You are just a character, right? Or wait, is this kayfabe?!? I'm so confused...
Posted by: Curtis | November 3, 2010 10:33 PM
Give me a break, WWE with all of it's money and a legal team that surely gets more of the budget then say the "looking out for employees fund--oops there aren't employee's they are indentured servants--oops again no, not that, they are independent contractors yeah that's it didn't know that it would be illegal to give out merchandise at the polling place, and now that is the heavy handed Federal Government pushing them around. What a joke, if the Government was going to push Vinnie Mac and his Red Boys around they would likely do so in the BS independent contractors area, how independent are you as a contractor when you can't work for anyone else,you need permission to do a TV show etc.etc. Free enterprise is all good but to in any way EVER paint WWE corporate as victims is a sick joke. He "outed" his own business as "Sports Entertainment" only to avoid the Boxing Commission's in the states he does business with back in the 80's,he goes on trial himself for steroids in the same time frame and it all gets swept away. The day the WWE is a "victim" to the Federal Government will be the day that all Americans have Health care which is to say NEVER. Any 12 year old that has taken a civics course would know that they couldn't "give" away jack near a polling place,ever hear of the concept of buying votes,though easily skirted now-a-days it is still technically against the law. Linda as a politician was as brain dead as the many ex-wrestlers that have been eaten up by her business and many other wrestling businesses. Again VKM shows that if confronted he will take his ball and go home. The only one to ever stand up to him that hasn't suffered greatly has been Shane and he still has time to right that wrong as he probably sees it. democracy is not some lame a$$ed business rule to be played with and skirted, we have done to much already letting anyone with a ton of money destroy our system, to blatantly spit on it is a true showing of just how patriotic this man and his business/family truly is. Please don't give me the -- but the WWE has gone to Iraq every year and put on shows he IS SO patriotic,pleeeeeaaasssee, he is PT Barnum, he only does this for the publicity and the money and anybody foolish enough to think else wise is blind. Linda would have been to the Senate what the 1950's to 1980 jobbers were to wrestling, what the Washington Generals are to the Harlem Globetrotters----- human fodder!
Posted by: mickfowl | November 4, 2010 9:29 PM