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[TWO UPDATES: Gerstein had a second story on Nov. 19 (see below). The Clinton campaign has issued a statement in response.]
Nov. 17, 2007: According to the New York Sun's Josh Gerstein, a Sikh-American fundraiser for Hillary Clinton scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 18, has run into trouble. From "Sikhs-for-Clinton Fund-Raiser Scuttled for 'Security Reasons':"
A $1-million fund-raiser Sikhs were planning to hold in Bakersfield, Calif. on Sunday morning for Senator Clinton's presidential campaign has been abruptly canceled, or at least postponed, people familiar with the event said today.
The invitations said both Mrs. Clinton and President Clinton were to attend, a rare occurrence that signals the large sums that were expected and the political pull of the organizers.
"It was canceled for security reasons," a person behind the $1000-a-plate breakfast, Sharnjit Dhaliwal, told The New York Sun today. She initially would not elaborate on the problem, but said they were hoping to stage the event later.
A Democratic Party official in Kern County, Calif. said the fund-raiser ran into trouble because the Secret Service would not "clear" one of the organizers of the gathering. "One of the promoters had recently been to India. His hometown is on the Pakistani border and he crossed into Pakistan," the Kern County Democratic Chair, Candi Easter, said.
Read the full story here and post your comments below.
UPDATE: Nov. 19, 2007 - Josh Gerstein has an update in today's New York Sun, with quotes from angry organizers and more details. See "Sikhs Seethe Over a Snub by Clintons" and post your comments below.
UPDATE: Nov. 19, 2007 - The Clinton campaign has issued a statement in response.
Recent items on SAJAforum's Presidential Politics category:
- POLITICS: Ethnic diversity in the presidential campaigns
- EDUCATION: IIT Alumni Gather in California - And So Does the Press
- PREZ POLITICS: Obama's Unusual Pakistan Plan
- PREZ POLITICS: Bal Das, "a quiet rainmaker"
- POLITICS: Hillary takes in $2 million at Indian-American fundraiser
Please note: SAJAforum is regularly sent press releases and other info by South Asian supporters of the Clinton and Obama campaigns. We have never heard from any of the other campaigns - Democratic or Republican. If you know folks who support these campaigns, please have them e-mail saja[at]columbia.edu
