John Kerry Fined $50 For Not Shoveling His Snow

John Kerry has been fined by the city of Boston for not shoveling the snow in front of his house.

The United States Secretary of State received the fine shortly after city officials noticed that the Pinckney Street sidewalk of his Beacon Hill mansion had been clogged with snow, following the intense blizzard that hit the East earlier this week. Kerry violated a city ordinance that required citizens living in residential properties with 16 or fewer units to shovel snow or ice from their sidewalk.

Kerry was on a diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia to accompany President Obama during the late King Abdullah’s funeral when the blizzard hit the city earlier this week. He was also unable to appear during the city-wide clean-up operations to tend to his property.

John Kerry’s spokesperson, Glen Johnson, has already explained the circumstances that lead to why Kerry failed to shovel his snow after the massive blizzard.

“Diplomats — they’re just like us. Secretary Kerry was working overseas while the blizzard packed a wallop back home,” Johnson said.

Johnson also says the snow has been cleared up, the Boston Globe reports, and that a staffer has already been tasked to pay for the $50 fine.

He said, “The snow has all been shoveled now, the secretary will gladly pay the ticket, and let’s hope this is the last blizzard of the year.”

John Kerry’s fine was in response to a violation of the Boston City — City Sidewalk Ordinance (CBC CHAPTER 16-12.16), a city-wide law “regarding the prompt and complete removal of snow and ice from sidewalks.” The provision in the ordinance that led to Kerry’s penalization states.

“No owner, manager, or tenant of a residential building, estate, or land abutting on a sidewalk containing six (6) or fewer residential dwelling units shall place or suffer to remain in place for more than six (6) hours between sunrise and sunset any slush or any loose, granular, or packed snow upon such sidewalk. Removal of any slush or snow should be conducted along the full paved width of such sidewalk and in a manner that ensures the orderly flow and safety of pedestrian traffic upon such sidewalks. Removal of any slush or snow shall be conducted in a manner that clears the full paved path or a minimum of forty-two (42) inches wide. Each day that a violation exists shall be considered a separate and distinct violation.”

John Kerry is set to visit an icier place — Moscow City — on February 4 for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

[Image from Center for American Progress Fund/Flickr]