Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) is accused of making misleading claims on her Web site by including what appears to be an endorsement by Hillary Rodham Clinton,who as secretary of State cannot endorse a candidate. Clinton is featured on the carolynmaloney.com home page under a banner that reads, “What People Are Saying,” and a red button that reads, “Endorse Carolyn.”
Clinton is quoted as saying, “Carolyn Maloney has been a tireless and effective advocate for women in America and abroad. I applaud her ongoing efforts to highlight issues affecting women and to fight for solutions that improve women’s lives.”
But supporters of Reshma Saujani, 34, who is fighting Maloney, 64, in the Democratic primary, insist Clinton made that comment about Maloney’s book, “Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated,” in 2008.
Saujani is challenging Maloney for her seat in the state’s 14th Congressional District, held by Maloney since 1993.
A pro-Saujani source told Page Six, “This just shows how nervous and rattled Carolyn is by Reshma. Carolyn already has an Obama endorsement; why would she need to manipulate an old quote by Hillary Clinton? It is placed on the same spot with several other actual endorsements.”
A rep for Maloney declined to comment. But a source close to her campaign said, “The Web site layout makes it very clear that Hillary’s comment is not an endorsement but is praise about Carolyn which was said at a book signing.”
On Friday, following a poll that showed Maloney with 75 percent of the vote compared to her rival’s 7 percent, Saujani claimed that Maloney stole some of her ideas and proposed them as legislation.
Saujani’s spokesman James Allen said, “Apparently, the incumbent’s book title is also her campaign slogan: ‘Rumors of Her Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated’ — along with her endorsements, her support and her ‘new’ ideas.”