Hopes for Collecting $1M for Streaking in front of Obama Could Shrivel
Don’t you hate it when rich people try to welsh on a bet? British billionaire Alki David dared somebody to streak — that means “running while naked and probably drunk,” if you’ve never been to college — in front of President Obama. Alki said he’d give the person who streaked in front of the president, with the name of Alki’s website emblazoned on his or her body, the tidy sum of $1 million.
Somebody from Staten Island (why am I not surprised) performed the feat (or substantially attempted to perform the feat) during an Obama event in Pennsylvania. Now Alki is considering hiding behind the law to avoid payment.
This must be how rich people get rich: make outlandish promises, then use fancy law talk to avoid payment…
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The ABA Journal reports that Alki’s first argument for non-payment involves non-performance on the part of Staten Island man, Juan Rodriguez:
First, it’s unclear whether Rodriguez came within “earshot and eyesight of the president” and whether he shouted the name of David’s website six times—all conditions of his dare.
Come on, did the man need to put his taint in Obama’s face? Surely Alki wasn’t offering $1 million for somebody to threaten the President. Because I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to pay anybody to do that.
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Which of course brings us to Alki’s second argument for non-payment:
Second, David told the Daily News, there is a Pennsylvania law that doesn’t allow anyone to profit from an illegal act.
Son of Streaking laws? I don’t think they exist. The Philadelphia Inquirer explains:
So-called Son of Sam statutes in many states prevent convicted criminals from profiting from illegal acts.
Not in Pennsylvania, however.
“That is only applied in murder cases,” said Tasha Jamerson, spokeswoman for District Attorney Seth Williams. “It’s not across-the-board criminal cases.”
Listen, Alki David: pay the man his money. And then let the courts do their job to discourage this kind of behavior:
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Still, Jamerson said, that doesn’t mean Rodriguez is guaranteed to keep the loot that might come from baring his booty.
“Once he goes to trial on Nov. 12, the judge might decide to impose a fine on him – of $1 million.”
Nice. You can’t run naked in front of the President. I mean, Obama might be cool with it, because he seems like a chill POTUS. But this guy would have given Reagan a heart attack… or Clinton a hard-on.
Pa. Law or Philly Judge May Prevent Presidential Streaker from Collecting on $1M Dare [ABA Journal]
Streaker offering Obama part of the $1million jackpot he expects to win [Philly Inquirer]
Staten Island man Juan Rodriguez may not get ‘reward’ for streaking in front of President Obama [NY Daily News]