Posted on 01/02/2002 7:12:24 AM PST by Jean S
"Not that he wouldn't like to talk. But none of us are allowed to."
Those were the words of Deborah Dymond, wife of Westchester County Police Officer Ernest Dymond, when asked by the National Enquier in November about the injuries her husband sustained on Oct 14 after he was hit by a van carrying New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Officer Dymond was mannning a security checkpoint at Westchester County Airport when Clinton's driver, rushing to get her to a Syracuse fund-raiser, sped by at 35 mph and failed to stop for another 100 yards.
Three days later the injured cop described the incident in detail to the Washington Times' Liz Trotta. He said he had to hurl his body into Clinton's van to get it to halt. "I didn't know if we had a terrorist," he explained.
But after Dymond's interview with the Times, someone apparently decided to it would be better for all concerned if he didn't say anything more.
When NewsMax.com finally reached the injured policeman on Oct. 30, he explained that all further comment would have to go through Westchester County Police Public Information Officer Det. William Rheem.
Before hanging up Dymond did confirm that he was still sidelined by his injuries and that Sen. Clinton had yet to inquire about his health, let alone apologize for the accident. But when asked to describe his physical condition he told NewsMax.com, "I wish I could."
So how is Officer Dymond doing now, nearly three months after his unfortunate encounter with the former first lady?
Apparently he's still not allowed to say. When NewsMax called one day in mid-December he politely but promptly hung up. It was 1 o'clock in the afternoon, from which one might infer that he was still out sick.
That would be only a guess, however, since Information Officer Rheem has declined to return repeated calls inquiring about the case over the course of the last month.
The information lockdown on the Clinton accident has been largely successful.
Besides NewsMax.com, the Washington Times and the Enquirer, the only other print outlets to breathe a word about the police officer injured by America's most celebrated elected Democrat are the Drudge Report, New York Post's Page Six and the website for the local Westchester County Cablevision station. (Dymond's plight did attract some attention on talk radio, where Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Don Imus offered initial reports.)
Contrast that with the October altercation between GOP House leader J.C. Watts and an Oklahoma airport security guard, who, unlike Dymond, suffered only insult. The Watts incident was the subject of dozens of reports coast-to-coast, including coverage in mainstream venues like the Los Angeles Times and the Arizona Republic.
But for Officer Dymond, not only hasn't there been any follow-up outside of these pages, there's been no concern whatsoever that the Clintons seem to have successfully imported their unique brand of Arkansas omerta to New York.
The vanishing case of the Westchester cop may be worth remembering the next time you hear someone wondering out loud how Hillary managed to get herself elected Senator in the first place - or dimisses out of hand any prospect that she could one day fullfill her dreams to return to the White House.
Nothing can be inferred from the time of day. Law Enforcement operates 24 hours a day; maybe he was about to go to work for the afternoon shift, or maybe it was his day off.
or maybe he was about to go to bed.
After all, they ALWAYS mention Laura Bush's unfortunate accident in her HIGH SCHOOL days.
Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown
Many New Yorkers are fully aware of how they've been played for fools by her. They'll remember this incident, as well as others, and I seriously doubt that she'll get re-elected in 2006 as Senator, let alone win the Presidency.
Does this strike anyone else an not too bright? He hit the van, not the other way around.
OMG, are you serious? I don't watch (P)MSNBC. However, I can tell it wouldn't be good for my blood pressure. What a bunch of hacks.
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