Al Jazeera checks out the race

4:25 p.m.: It's official. The Specter-Sestak war has gone global. Reports filtered into the office today that a film crew from the Quatar-based TV network Al-Jazeera was in the county.

They took some film at a couple of polling places in Aldan. Reporter Marlene DiGiacomo got this account of their visit:

Derek Woodward, a judge of elections at the Aldan West polling place in the Aldan Elementary School, at Providence and Woodlawn Avenues, Aldan, said a reporter/producer and photographer identifying themselves from Al-Jazeera tried to film inside the polling place around 10 a.m. but were denied.

"They weren’t allowed because they were deceptive,’’ he said. ``Ultimately it’s my decision whether to allow cameras in. They said they had prior permission and when I asked `from whom’ they gave me several different people (including the county election solicitor).’’
Woodward said he checked and they didn’t obtain that permission so he asked them to step outside which they did.
County Solicitor Frank Catania said arrangements should be made by the news media prior to an election, which is the usual rule, if reporters want to be allowed inside a polling site.

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