The Blog

Obama Gets Detention

3:06 PM, Apr 14, 2008 • By BRIAN FAUGHNAN
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When I visit the 'Barack TV' portion of the Obama campaign website, the Obama ad which automatically loads centers on a school in the Bronx, New York. But according to the New York City Education Department, the video -- which was also featured in an Obama fundraising appeal -- was shot in violation of city rule:

Sen. Barack Obama's campaign violated New York City Education Department regulations by making a video in a Bronx classroom starring high school kids inspired by the presidential candidate's speeches. The video was attached to a mass e-mailing Friday that included a pitch for donations.

Filming in school buildings for political or promotional purposes is "a violation of the chancellor's regulations," said Margie Feinberg, a department spokeswoman, after viewing the video and e-mail.

"We're considering disciplinary action against the school administration," she added...

Shafer, who has taught at the school for three years, said he was unaware that the campaign distributed the video alongside a donation pitch.

"This was not about helping them fill their coffers," he said.

More by Brian Faughnan

Did it really not occur to the teacher or the Obama campaign that there just might be a rule against using taxpayer property to boost a political campaign? And is it really too much to expect that the campaign might have actually taken the video down in the week since they were informed of the impropriety.