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Many Pols Ignore 'click It Or Ticket'

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine isn't the only politician who shuns seat belts. He's just the unlucky one who got caught violating his state's seat belt law when he suffered severe injuries as his SUV crashed while doing 91 mph. We're told that seat belts aren't a priority even at the top, though President Bush tries to click in.

Few aides recall former President Clinton using them often. And it's typical for top lawmakers to ride unstrapped. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert didn't use them. One top aide explained the leadership's poor habits this way: "They trust their security."

But we're told that Speaker Nancy Pelosi does "75 percent of the time" and that Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean is religious about strapping in.

By Paul Bedard

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