Mormon Republican Senator from Idaho pleads guilty to DUI charges

[pwaldo]

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/0...70.html?hp=r14

Sen. Mike Crapo pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge in Virginia on Friday, agreeing to have his license suspended for one year, take alcohol awareness classes and pay a $250 fine.

A 180-day jail sentence for the Idaho Republican has been suspended on the condition of good behavior.

Speaking to reporters, Crapo expressed contrition for his actions and apologized to his constituents. Reading a prepared statement, he said he had occasionally had alcoholic drinks in his Washington apartment in recent months as a way of relieving stress, even though his religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, strictly prohibits alcohol consumption.

Crapo acknowledged that he had consumed vodka mixed with tonic water, but disputed reports that said he had taken vodka shots. He also said it was the first time he had gotten behind the wheel after drinking.

“It was a poor choice to use alcohol to relieve stress, and was at odds with my personally held and religious beliefs, ” Crapo said outside the Alexandria General District Court. “However, on the night of Saturday, Dec. 22, I made an even worse decision: to go out for a drive and get out of my apartment and try to wind down.”

Crapo said he was alone on the roughly 30-minute drive. He passed the national monuments, crossed the Potomac River, then began to head home when he was pulled over by Alexandria police after running a red light.

He failed a field sobriety test and was arrested without incident. Police said the three-term senator’s blood-alcohol level was 0.11, higher than the 0.08 legal limit.

A second charge for running a red light was dropped.

[centrehice]

Red Light charged dropped? Whatever in the World for?

No Jail time due to good behaviour? He served no time at all, how do they know how he behaved? Here is a prime example of a holier than thou politician getting all the breaks to avoid his own personal embarrassment.

Nonsense, treat him like any other citizen.

[Wickabee]

Let's see religious? Check
Republican? Check

This obviously a smear campaign by liberals. You know he's innocent because he's Republican and Republicans are perfect.

So they tell me, anyway.

[duane1969]

Red Light charged dropped? Whatever in the World for?

No Jail time due to good behaviour? He served no time at all, how do they know how he behaved? Here is a prime example of a holier than thou politician getting all the breaks to avoid his own personal embarrassment.

Nonsense, treat him like any other citizen.

A slap on the wrist for the first time is pretty typical where DUIs are concerned. The "good behavior" isn't how he behaved, it is how he is expected to behave. His 180 day sentence was suspended as long as he doesn't have any further issues. Again, that is pretty common for first time DUI offenders.

I don't think he got any special treatment. My uncle got his 3rd DUI before he lost his license and spent significant time in jail. My son's friend got either 2 or 3 DUIs before he lost his license and I don't think he ever did any jail time other than a weekend until he could be bailed out on Monday. Unfortunately our government doesn't come down on DUI offenders as hard as it should.

[Wickabee]

Where I am DUI is worth:
24/48/72 hr or 2 week/1 month/3 month suspended licence
Few hundred dollar fine.
2 weeks vehicle impoundment
All costs associated with impoundment
Breathalyzer installed in car

Now, the breathalyzer, as well as length of suspension, are based on how drunk you are. The legal limit is 0.08, but if you're caught at 0.05 you're probably getting similar treatment as someone blowing at 0.1. This is considered one of, if not the harshest drunk driving laws in Canada. When they brought it in there were massive complaints from various sides. However, since the laws were brought in, drunk driving charges are down as are accidents and deaths caused by drunk driving.

If this is common in DUI cases, you guys be stuck in 1975 down there.

[duane1969]

Here in WV first offense is 6 months in jail, $100-$500 fine and license suspended for 15 days. The jail time is usually suspended and unless they were in a wreck the fine is usually not the maximum. The 15 day license suspension is often not imposed if the person drives to work. So a first offense typically results in a night in jail, $200-$300 fine and occasionally a 15 day suspended license.

In Idaho, where this senator is from, the penalty for a first offense is 48 hours to 6 months in jail, 180 days license suspension, alcohol school and $1000-$2500 in fines. So his license was suspended a year (law only required 6 months), he was sentenced to the maximum jail time but his jail time was suspended as long as he has no further issues, he has to go to alcohol school and he got a soft fine.

[Wickabee]

Well people need to start enforcing the laws instead of making sure offenders have a "that wasn't so bad" mentality. My cousin got hit with a DUI and she lost her licence for 6 months, had a breathalyzer installed when she got it back, 2 weeks impoundment which, when coupled with the impoundment fees, cost her almost four grand. That was a first timer who hit a roadblock, no wreck. Another girl I know flipped her truck in the woods while drunk, was suspended for a year and has since had the breathalyzer installed. Not sure for how long. She crashed over 2 years ago and still has the breathalyzer.
Going soft on first timers just ensures they'll be willing to have a second go.

[duane1969]

No arguments from me. I hate DUI offenders. Unfortunately our government is becoming more and more about giving people a second chance and less and less about accountability.

[Wickabee]

No arguments from me. I hate DUI offenders. Unfortunately our government is becoming more and more about giving people a second chance and less and less about accountability.

Tell that to minor drug offenders. I think your government (as well as a great portion of those who vote for them) have their priorities way out of whack.

[duane1969]

I guess it depends on what you consider a minor drug offense. Minor drug offenders get a slap on the wrist too. Possession of marijuana of less than 15 grams is just a misdemeanor and maximum of $1000 fine and 90-180 days in jail, although the jail time is often reduced or suspended. It might be more in other places but here it is no biggie. It even comes off of your record after like 5 years.

Sale/distribution is a different issue. That carries a mandatory 2 year sentence. Cultivation or transportation is 1-5 years and a maximum of $15k in fines.