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Clinton Threatens Legal Action Over Chelsea Photo
Bill Clinton, Eatery At Odds Over Chelsea Photo
Former President Threatens Legal Action In Letter
NEW YORK - A celebrity photo has led a former president to send a threatening letter to a local restaurant owner.
On Tuesday night, President Bill Clinton demanded that a Manhattan restaurant remove a picture of his daughter Chelsea.
The picture has been up for years, but now it's posing a problem.
She's the former first daughter and a current customer at Osso Buco. But private citizen Chelsea Clinton doesn't want the photo of her with owner Nino Selimaj hanging in the restaurant.
So her Presidential Papa is demanding they take it down.
You may remember Selimaj. Earlier this year he made national headlines for offering a $1,000 pizza at his restaurant. Now he's butting heads with the former leader of the free world.
March 14: Luxury Pie: NYC Restaurant Offers $1,000 Pizza
Customer John Cremin says the Selimaj should comply with Clinton's request.
"She doesn't want to be involved with advertising for the store," Cremin said. "That's up to her. It's her God given right, no?"
Nino Selimaj says the photo has graced his restaurant window for nearly five years, and admits it's been good for business.
He says he was surprised to receive a letter from the Clinton's lawyer demanding he take the picture down. On official William Jefferson Clinton letterhead, was a threat to take further action: "We reserve the right to exercise any and all options available to us if you refuse to comply."
Selimaj says the letter came as quite a shock.
"I was really, really heartbroken because I have four daughters and Chelsea is like my daughter," Selimaj said. "She doesn't want to be there. If that comes from them directly, definitely, I will remove it. If she really insists to remove it."
Selimaj has photos with other celebrities like Regis Philbin, Derek Jeter and even 2008 Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani hanging in his restaurant and he says they haven't objected.
Customer Iris Elkabs says she thinks Chelsea should reconsider.
"She has a right," Elkabs said. "If she doesn't like it, it should come down, but I think it should stay. It's a very nice photograph."
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