The Venus DUI trap: a booze-news roundup
The latest on Seattle-area politicians in trouble with the law.
Whereas last night, Oct. 17, Seattle City Council candidate Venus Velázquez was busted and accused of drunken driving and doing 50 mph in a 30 zone;
And whereas last week City Council member Richard McIver spent two nights in jail after being arrested for investigation of domestic violence after a night of drinking and has been charged with assault of his wife;
And whereas King County Council member Jane Hague during the summer was arrested and charged with drunken driving and allegedly said, "This is fucking ridiculous, I don't need handcuffs";
Therefore, be it resolved, it's time to line up three shot glasses on the bar.
First, the latest. Velázquez says she attended a campaign event in Ballard and then went to dinner with staffers, where she had two drinks. She told The Seattle Times, which broke the story, that she waited until she thought she was OK to drive. But she told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that she and another staffer, who rode with her, discussed who should drive, and it was decided that Velázquez was not impaired. According to the police report [100K PDF], Velázquez declined to take a breath test. Which means she could lose her license for a year. Oh, did we mention that she didn't have her license with her? Also, don't miss the paragraph in the Times where her opponent, Bruce Harrell, who seems to have tipped the paper to the bust, even if unintentionally, says: "My prayers are with her family."
Second, yesterday's big news out of King County District Court, where McIver was charged and entered a not-guilty plea to fourth-degree assault for allegedly grabbing his wife and choking her. His wife, Marlaina Kiner-McIver, appeared and said she did not want the veteran and widely liked council member to be prosecuted, but that's not how it works in the now-enlightened world of domestic-violence protection. She also requested, through a victim's advocate, that a two-week no-contact order be lifted, but neither the prosecution nor McIver's lawyer thought that was a good idea. One reason McIver isn't likely to get any leniency: He's so well-known and liked that officials won't want to be accused of favored treatment.
For elaboration on that last point, please refer to The Stranger's good article this week on McIver's drinking habits. At 66, he's old-school – holds court at a bar, talks a lot of shop, and by all accounts isn't a mean drunk:
One former council staffer who sometimes drank with McIver at the Four Seas, the Chinatown dive bar that has long been his favorite haunt, described him as "totally harmless... kind of a goofball" after a few Johnnie Walker Reds–his drink of choice. "I know some people get more angry and aggressive when they're drunk, but he just got more smiley and goofy. The more he drinks, the more social he gets." Another called him "the perfect gentleman."
Finally, consider an argument proffered by Seattle Weekly that Hague, who appeared before a judge pro-tem during the long pre-trial processing of her DUI charge, can claim to be a judicial reformer:
Because of her, current and future county "pro tempore" judges and commissioners will now be subject to criminal background checks–something that wasn't previously required. No longer, say embarrassed officials, will judges be hired who have worse records than the people they're judging.
The screening flaw emerged during a King County District Court hearing in Hague's DUI case, when the county fill-in judge who was hired to preside that day turned out to have a criminal record.
Comments:
Posted Thu, Oct 18, 5:04 p.m. inappropriate
Why am I not shocked !: Given the 'traditional' permissiveness of Seattle towards ALL
drugs it is no suprise that such behavior runs so deep.
Not to worry, thanks to the behavior of yet again another state
agency, the results will probably be thrown out after underemployed
attorneys are finished with her defense.
Posted Fri, Oct 19, 7:41 a.m. inappropriate
Hague's Leadership: It appears that Velasquez is one smart cookie - she certainly learned from the Jane Hague case how 'non-partisan' law works in King County. She executed her education with quite a bit more class than Hague.
Give her a few years.
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for Satterberg to enforce the law regarding former election director Hague's efforts 'assault' against KC employees in order to perpetrate her own personal elections fraud. They do call it 'equal' justice right, not 'selective' justice? Please correct me if I misspeak.
Tell it to McIver and, if you'll excuse me, that ACORN 'trash' Satterberg so effectively prosecuted. Not that they'd ever say the word 'trash' in the halls of KC Criminal Justice.
-Douglas Tooley
Lincoln District, Tacoma
Posted Fri, Oct 19, 7:41 a.m. inappropriate
How to drink without getting caught: Responsible politicians and prominent public figures do not actually drink in public. They wisely order one drink with lots of ice or a glass of wine and press it to their lips with tiny sips, or they hold on to it for the entire evening without actually drinking.
A DUI is not a "lapse in judgment" as the Police Officers Guild defending Venus says. A DUI on the campaign trail reflects a lifetime of irresponsibility that reaches a peak moment when undesired events converge.
Posted Fri, Oct 19, 10:27 a.m. inappropriate
More than 3 shot glasses on the bar please: It is time to flush out all the stories of local, state, and federal politicians and all of their drinking habits. Who did Michael Medved implore not to do radio interviews when sauced?? Who 'melted down' during a late night interview with KVI's Brian Suits a couple of years ago? Who consumes too much on cross country airplane trips? What other city and county council members consume too much beer, wine, and hard alcohol? Bring it on!!
Posted Fri, Oct 19, 3:42 p.m. inappropriate
RE: More than 3 shot glasses on the bar please: I don't care if politicians, famous people, etc. get blitzed sometimes. I do care if they get blitzed and then do something dangerous.
I voted for Venus in the primary, but I'm not voting for her now. Not only did she drive under the influence on the same day absentee ballots were mailed, she drove 50ish in a 30. Even if you think driving while buzzed is okay, most people who had "a little too much to drink" would drive very carefully. If you drink and then drive erratically, then you either have drank so much that you've lost your senses, or you don't have good judgment in the first place.
Why elect someone like that unless you have a bad opponent? I don't think Bruce Harrell's been a great campaigner, but he's got a good resume, and hasn't Gary Harted. I'm glad that Velázquez has handled this better than Jane Hague, but it's not enough for me to still vote for her.
As far as Hague, I don't live in that district, but given her behavior (including her false claim on her King County Elections app of that college degree), I'd even vote for Richard Pope (who would have the additional benefit of being very entertaining).
Posted Sat, Oct 20, 9:10 a.m. inappropriate
McIver Takes Honorable Path: One difference between the McIver case and the others is that it appears that McIver may well be found not guilty and will clear things up in an honorable way.
Some people may take his enjoyment of drink as a terrible shortcoming. But I'll take his honesty (Telling the police: "I'm probably drunk.") as the primary indicator of his integrity and overall fitness to serve.
McIver enjoying the company of friends and colleagues over drinks at the Four Seas is not taboo, and is no secret. It is just part of who he is. I find it refreshingly real and perfectly human. It is a statement about his lack of interest in putting on airs or following a trendier political path. Witnessing him hold court and interact with the amazing diversity of people who move through the place is a sight to behold.
There's no evidence it has intefered with his work. There's no indication that it, by itself, has ever harmed anyone. There's plenty of evidence that a whole bunch of people have enjoyed the interaction and sense of community.
We still don't know enough about the circumstance surrounding what happened at his home the night he was taken to jail. (And much of it may be none of our business.) The charges appear serious, especially when chopped and pasted into news stories. Thankfully, the court will help sort it out, considering all the evidence.
It appears to me that McIver is taking serious charges, quite seriously, and in an honorable way. That's the guy most people know. It is why most people who know him believe that he'll emerge from this with his honor intact.
Many years ago, Art Langlie tried to make a campaign issue out of Senator Warren Magnuson's drinking and womanizing. Maggie put the issue to rest by reminding voters that he was running for Senator, not Sainthood.
Maggie left an important legacy few others will ever match.
Posted Sat, Oct 20, 1:28 p.m. inappropriate
RE: McIver Takes Honorable Path: Until, that is, the voters got sick of Maggie and handed him his walking papers in 1980.
Behaviors once tolerated or winked at no longer fly. What once was cute and "boys will be boys" womanizing is now sexual harrassment through and including rape. Ask Kari Tupper.
Voters have the absolute right to judge a candidate's fitness to serve in public office by what they do "after hours" and "behind closed doors."
The Piper
Posted Sat, Oct 20, 2:22 p.m. inappropriate
Politicians taking an honorable path? An oxymoron.: Here is honorable: I did drink and drive and I will accept my punishment.
Here is dishonorable: Not guilty.
If you drink, you know better than to get behind the wheel. DUI's in this state (if they can afford an attorney) get off with a tsk, tsk, and here's your car keys. Kill someone while driving impaired? Tsk, tsk, you might have to have a little tap on the wrists.
Totally hypocritical, my Washington State. We spend more on signs saying how tough we are than on really being tough.
Posted Wed, Oct 24, 7:02 p.m. inappropriate
Magnuson and Douglas: US Senator Warren Magnuson was a victim of the RayGun Revolution. He will remain the most powerful and effective Senator the state of Washingon ever enjoyed for at least the rest of my life.
US Supreme Court Justice William O Douglas stands among the great justices in American history. We probably won't enjoy the service of another such powerful defender of citizens' Constitutional rights in my lifetime.
But, if you revere Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, you'll likely disagree with me.
Posted Mon, Sep 8, 1:27 a.m. inappropriate
california dui: thanks to the behavior of yet again another state
agency, the results will probably be thrown out after underemployed
attorneys are finished with her defense.
california dui
Posted Mon, Sep 8, 1:30 a.m. inappropriate
california dui: These are stories and angles others have missed or ignored. Our news coverage aims to complement that of other providers, to extend exploration of events and issues, to possibly encourage resolution.
california dui
Posted Tue, Oct 7, 12:32 p.m. inappropriate
ameusing: dui done a good job in this time .most of the people are drunk.after drink they are driving rash.these people have a shy to see this post..
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harris
DUI