Posted on 10/13/2005 10:19:36 PM PDT by DuckFan4ever
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — State Rep. Kelley Wirth was charged Thursday with possession of a controlled substance after police found what they said was methamphetamine in her car following an alleged auto assault against her last month, the Statesman Journal reported.
The Salem newspaper said on its Web site that the Corvallis Democrat and her attorney, Jane Aiken, met with Salem police at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
Wirth was cited, fingerprinted and photographed but was not interviewed by investigators, said Sgt. Mike Scanlon.
She was given a Nov. 3 court date.
"She showed up with her attorney," Scanlon said. "I guess it was an understanding she wasn't going to speak."
House Democratic leaders, meanwhile, called on Wirth to resign from her seat.
Rep. Diane Rosenbaum of Portland, the House's second-ranking Democrat, said Wirth was expected to make an announcement Friday and "we hope it will be a resignation."
"We believe that is in the best interests of her, her family and her constituents," Rosenbaum said.
On Thursday night, the House Democratic office issued a resignation letter purportedly written by Wirth, but the office later said the letter was only a draft and that it had not been written by Wirth or authorized by her.
Lonn Hoklin, communications director for the Democrats, said he wrote the draft letter to be "helpful" to Wirth and give her guidance in crafting her own letter of resignation.
"We shared the letter with some other offices in the Capitol, and one of them thought it was the real thing and shared it with some news reporters," Hoklin said.
The drug charge results from an investigation into a Sept. 6 attack on Wirth that resulted in attempted murder and assault charges against a Salem woman. Lisa M. Temple, 22, is accused of striking Wirth with a car while Wirth was putting a computer in her own parked car about 6:30 p.m. outside the Capitol.
Wirth was pinned between her own car and the other car. Both of her legs were crushed, and a toe on her right foot was broken. She also suffered two compound fractures, and she had surgery to repair them. She expects to fully recover in a year.
Police searched Wirth's car on Sept. 12, said Salem police Lt. Dave Okada.
During the search — part of a routine follow-up — officers found a small amount of what they believed to be methamphetamine. Test results are not available yet.
Temple told police that her boyfriend, Fernando Mendez, who works as a janitor at the Capitol, had an affair with Wirth, according to investigators.
Wirth declined last week to talk about those accusations. Temple has not entered a plea.
If Wirth resigns from the House, Benton County commissioners would appoint a successor from a list of three to five candidates chosen by Democratic precinct representatives.
A successor would face running for the election to post next year.
Why not consider GOP candidates? Why only Democrats?
Oregon Ping
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
because they are required by law to select someone from the same party as the elected official who resigns.
Not bad for a meth ho.
She voted against 2-3 meth-related laws that would have helped in the battle against meth. Wonder why.
Someone didn't follow the rules...
What do you know? A news story that makes sense.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — State Rep. Kelley Wirth was charged Thursday with possession of a controlled substance after police found what they said was methamphetamine in her car following an alleged auto assault against her last month, the Statesman Journal reported.
Later on, the article reads:
Police searched Wirth's car on Sept. 12, said Salem police Lt. Dave Okada.
During the search — part of a routine follow-up — officers found a small amount of what they believed to be methamphetamine. Test results are not available yet.
So, is it or isn't it meth. How has she been charged before the proof?
So, is it or isn't it meth? How has she been charged before the proof?
Well, has the meth been confirmed, or is this a smear campaign?
I'm for drug testing the entire legislature of every state, and the Congress as well. --pop quiz. pass/fail.
If you have to pee in the jar to drive a truck or operate heavy equipment, you should have to do so to run a state or a country.
Take a look at her mugshot and see if you still think that.
Her position becomes Wirthless.
Who did she pi$$ off?
The girl with the faaaaaaaaar-away eyes
don't mess with meth, seth.
She's on the meth slide. Wonder if she's loosing teeth.
I was thinking that maybe it meant the tests haven't been revealed to the public, but the context indicates that the officers merely believe, but that they don't know for certain yet.
Comparing a professional photo with a mug shot is not a fair comparison, but I do think she has gone downhill in the looks department from a year or so ago.
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