Posted on 05/04/2006 1:54:08 PM PDT by The Old Hoosier
Thursday, May 4; 4:16 pm
By John McArdle,
Roll Call Staff
Police labor union officials asked acting Chief Christopher McGaffin this afternoon to allow a Capitol Police officer to complete his investigation into an early-morning car crash involving Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.).
According to a letter sent by Officer Greg Baird, acting chairman of the USCP FOP, the wreck took place at approximately 2:45 a.m. Thursday when Kennedy’s car, operating with its running lights turned off, narrowly missed colliding with a Capitol Police cruiser and smashed into a security barricade at First and C streets Southeast.
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| Rep. Patrick Kennedy |
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“The driver exited the vehicle and he was observed to be staggering,” Baird’s letter states. Officers approached the driver, who “declared to them he was a Congressman and was late to a vote. The House had adjourned nearly three hours before this incident. It was Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy from Rhode Island.”
Baird wrote that Capitol Police Patrol Division units, who are trained in driving under the influence cases, were not allowed to perform basic field sobriety tests on the Congressman. Instead, two sergeants, who also responded to the accident, proceeded to confer with the Capitol Police watch commander on duty and then “ordered all of the Patrol Division Units to leave the scene and that they were taking over.”
Baird said he had been advised that after the officers departed, Capitol Police “House Division officials” gave Kennedy a ride home.
Kennedy’s office did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
“If the events unfolded as they have been reported to me, and I believe they did, a complete and immediate investigation into them is required,” Baird wrote to McGaffin. Baird asked the acting chief why officers on the scene were prevented from completing the appropriate investigation “into violations of law they witnessed. This appears to be interference with their duties as U.S. Capitol Police Officers and may have prevented the collection of evidence of such violations."
“My members were attempting to carry out their duties with the professionalism and objectivity their oaths require. They should have been assisted in those duties by every level of supervision and command. Instead these circumstances call the integrity of our organization into question by creating the appearance of special favor for someone who is perceived to be privileged and powerful,” Baird wrote.
While a Capitol Police spokeswoman could not be reached for comment, Baird said in an interview this afternoon that McGaffin had contacted him about his letter.
“I want the public and those who we protect to know that we are fair and impartial when it comes to enforcing the laws on capitol grounds and the officers are doing their jobs in accordance to the laws and D.C. code and U.S. code,” he said.” That’s really why we want this addressed.”
I'm sure they would have given anybody a break like this.
I'm voting in the morning
The vote's going to be carried live
On C-SPAN you'll see me
So get me to the House on time
I pulled out the stopper
Tied on a whopper
Just get me to the House on time
'Twas early, 'bout three
I had no lights on you see
The barrier sure stopped me
The cops think that they've got me
Just get me to the House on time
I'll do what my uncle told me
Say don't you know me
Uhm err, Officer can't you see
(Burp) I'm a Kennedy
Just get me to the House on time
It was a cake walk
Sure, there'll be some talk
Ted, he's called the cops off
Just get me to the House on time.
I'm voting in the morning
Ding dong the vote's going to be live
On C-SPAN you'll see me
So get me to the House on time
Sort of a chip off the old flask.
In other words, alcohol was involved.
Yep. :)
I can't help but wonder, with all the money these people have;
1) You can't buy a better car than a Ford Crown Vic?
2) Why not just pay someone else to drive your drunk ass around?
That anyone could vote for these criminals is mind boggling to me.
LOL!!
Ain't gonna happen though.......so I ain't worried.
Actually, one wonders ... since he was not going to or from on Congressional business.
From Yahoo News:
"Kennedy, 38, spent time at a drug rehabilitation clinic before he went to Providence College in Rhode Island. He has openly discussed his personal mental health problems, including having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Early this year he spoke about having been in recovery "for depression, for alcoholism and substance abuse."
Does his license plate read STAGGER? He should have a placard that says Drunk Driver on board.
Two sets of laws.....
One for me.
One for thee.
Indeed..one wonders..
That's likely what we'll be doing about the whole incident.
Nothing to see here - move along....
Yep - late to a vote that had ocurred 3 hours prior! Of course, if it was a Republican representative we'd have special bulletins and CNNMSNBCCBSNBCABCWASHINGTONPOSTBOSTONGLOBENYTs all camped outside his home and office!
Exactly! :)
One of the things that really p*** me off is the fact that even the Capital Police must have felt he was impaired because they had someone drive him home. The Kennedys really truly believe they are our "royal" family. Pigs.
But...but...but...but he's a Kennedy....can't we all just get along? He didn't mean anything by it so why hassle one of America's camelot kiddies? (actually, it's fun making fun of those Massachusetts inbreeds called Kennedy as they all have some sort of death wish and don't understand why they are all drunks!)
I actually found myself looking out at the Potomac River today when I was driving over the 14th St. bridge to make sure I didn't see any half-submerged cars in it.... I hope the Capital Police looked in his trunk.
BTW, has anybody heard what's going on with the McKinney case? Does it really take a grand jury a month to hear a case like this? Did somebody "get to" the Capitol Police?
They do leave a lot of them in their wake. :-/
Pinz
That is one messed up sumbitch......
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