“Asked to confirm whether she was in fact 72, Clement said, ‘I take my Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.’ Upon further questioning, Clement said she had ‘achieved the age of 52.’”

Arlington County Board candidate who said she was 52 is actually 72, records show https://wapo.st/3EfA1vX

Virginia Politics

Arlington County Board candidate who said she was 52 is actually 72, records show



Audrey Clement is an independent candidate for Arlington County Board. (Jamie Gardner Photography/Jamie Gardner Photography )

By Teo Armus
Today at 6:05 p.m. EDT

Arlington County Board candidate Audrey Clement, who previously told news outlets that she is in her early 50s, appears to be two decades older, according to government records.

When asked about the discrepancy, Clement, a perennial candidate who largely has self-funded her independent campaigns for local office, said that asking for her age amounted to discrimination and violated her right to privacy.

“I believe that The Washington Post doesn’t have any right to require that information of me or any other political candidate,” she said in a phone interview Monday. “I believe that it is a violation against my civil right and a manifestation of ageism.”

Earlier this month, The Post sent an online questionnaire to all four candidates running for the board’s one open seat. The survey included several required questions on basic biographical information — including age, neighborhood and occupation — and asked candidates to describe their stances on local issues.

[Meet the candidates running for Arlington County Board]

In her submission last week, Clement reported her age as 52. In voter registration records reviewed by The Post on Monday, she reported that she was born in March 1949 — which would make her twenty years older. A court record for a 2007 traffic ticket also listed her birthday as falling in the same month and year as those listed in registration.

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Alice Crites contributed to this report.

By Teo Armus
Teo Armus covers politics, government and other regional issues in Arlington and Alexandria for The Washington Post. He joined The Post as a staff writer in 2019. Twitter https://twitter.com/teoarmus