Maryland lawmaker Don Dwyer has done it again, y’all.
Last summer he was cited for drunk boating, after he and a, ahem, male companion, crashed Dwyer’s boat into another boat, injuring four children; Dwyer pleaded guilty to the charges and appealed a 30-day jail sentence. He is scheduled to be resentenced in that case in October. See post HERE.
Lotsa folks said Dwyer should have resigned, but he refused, and now he’s gone and done it again, only this time on a highway and not a waterway.
See last week, Dwyer was charged with drunk driving after a police officer saw his car swerving across the road at least four times while driving 70 mph in a 55 mph zone. After he was pulled over, Dwyer told the officer he was coming from Baltimore, where he had had the requisite “two beers”; the officer said Dwyer had glassy red eyes and smelled of alcohol, so he tested the politician. Dwyer struggled with the coordination and balance tests and was subsequently arrested. Again.
At the police station Dwyer refused a breathalyzer test, and was taken before a judge who released this twice-charged drunk on his own recognizance. Dwyer was charged with infractions that included driving while impaired by alcohol, reckless driving and displaying expired tags.
Maryland Delegate Nicholaus Kipke, the House minority leader, issued a statement with fellow Republican and House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga saying they were "grateful that the police were able to intervene before anyone was harmed. We urge Delegate Dwyer to seek treatment immediately."
House Speaker, and a Democrat, Michael Busch criticized Dwyer for his "conduct and indiscretion" but said the arrest does not alter his status as a member of the General Assembly.
Not even a second arrest for the same type of offense.
Busch, in fact, said, "Delegate Dwyer's future in the legislature will be decided by his own conscience as he considers whether he can effectively represent his constituents or, ultimately, by the voters of District 31."
Leaving it all up to Dwyer’s conscience, which he apparently does not have, or the voters.
Naturally, Dwyer is not commenting on his latest brush with the law and his need to drink and operate boats and cars, and even his attorney, who knows a losing battle when he represents one, won’t talk.
But, here’s the part I don’t get: after his boating accident, many suggested Dwyer resign and he refused and even said he would run for reelection. Now, those same folks are asking him to resign again, but it seems like he won’t, and he is even required to resign. This latest drunken-driving charge is considered a misdemeanor and, even if convicted, Dwyer would not be required to resign.
Yes, folks, our lawmakers whom we elect to represent us in government, and then who break the law at least twice that we know about—with their first time resulting in injured children—gets to keep his job even if he’s convicted a second time of driving a vehicle while drunk off his ass.
Maryland, do you really want this man representing you in any way shape or form? Will you want him if he drinks and rives again and kills someone?
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