Posted on 06/21/2007 5:30:00 AM PDT by P-40
AUSTIN A former bartender at a Texas Capitol-area bar has sued her old employer, claiming she was fired because she refused to serve state Sen. John Whitmire when he was drunk.
A top aide to Whitmire, D-Houston, said she was present that night at the Cloak Room and called the bartender's allegations about the senator a "complete fabrication."
In her lawsuit, Rebekah L. Lear said she lost her job at the bar because she refused to serve Whitmire a second scotch on the night of March 8. Lear also alleges that Whitmire threatened to have her fired.
Lear claims her manager later told her that "we never refuse senators," in a conversation that was recorded, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit does not specify the damages Lear is seeking.
Lara Wendler, Whitmire's legislative director, said Whitmire could not be reached for comment Wednesday because he was traveling. Wendler disputed Lear's account of the evening.
The owner of the Cloak Room could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Lear and her lawyer also could not be reached for comment.
The lawsuit says Whitmire arrived at the Cloak Room on March 8 "acting intoxicated" and with a "glazed look in his eyes." Lear, who was working alone, served him the "J&B and water" that he requested, according to the lawsuit, but gave him a glass of water when he asked for another scotch. Lear told him she couldn't serve another drink because he was intoxicated, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit accuses Whitmire of threatening to call the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and have Lear fired if she didn't serve him another drink.
After Whitmire approached Lear and said he "would have her job," Lear said she would call the police if he didn't settle down, the lawsuit says.
"He responded that the police would not come because all he would have to do was to make a phone call," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit says Whitmire made more threats and then left.
Wendler said she and four other people were with Whitmire that night at the bar. She said Lear refused to serve Whitmire even one drink and never told him that she thought he was intoxicated.
On the day after Whitmire's visit, according to the lawsuit, the bar manager told Lear that "Sen. Whitmire could kill us." The manager also said "we will never get in trouble in this bar with senators in here. The TABC's not going to come in here," according to the lawsuit.
It's a misdemeanor offense for a bartender to serve a drink to someone who is intoxicated.
That’s alcohol abuse.
If his name is Ted, about two gallons of scotch.
He was going to call Teddy and Biden to do a sandwich on her.
My God....serving another drink to a drunk & bald democrat legislator should be a felony....a hanging offense....
Their judgement is poor enough without the addition of booze....
My God....serving another drink to a drunk & bald democrat legislator should be a felony....a hanging offense....
Their judgement is poor enough without the addition of booze....
Houston “Do you know who I am” PING
At the same time, a funny crack, AND (judging by the responses) a great straight line!
Don't see that too often.
Actually he tends to get very sensitive when he gets drunk...
He gets the sniffles...
And it ain’t allergies...
hehehe
After working all day, he was probably just drunk with power.
I wonder if some Republicans talked to this bartender after this incident about how nice a lawsuit would be and about how nice recorded conversations are when one is fired for doing the right thing. :)
Let's hope the jury gives it some thought. I do not see how anyone could come to a different conclusion (unless there is a juror who has been refused a drink because he was drunk but he's in denial about it).
I think Biden was having his hair plugs put in. The second slice of dough was Dodd, as I recall.
Tch ... tch. Another politican thinking he’s above the law. Whitmire is an a$$. Wasn’t he the one who led the Killer Bee standoff?
I think Whitmire was the one who finally returned to Austin so that there would be a quorum. Perhaps he is in trouble now because he ticked off the Democrats and now has handed the Republicans some ammunition.
No wonder she refused to serve it.
I try...
I thought this might be about lard ass Teddy. I should have known it wasn’t, she didn’t end up dead in the water.
I didn’t know a branch of the Kennedy’s had moved to Texas .... what a pity.
I was shocked to see the party designation in the article, even in the Austin American Statesman.
Cat loving Texan, I noticed your thread got pulled earlier.
If the conversation with her ex-boss was recorded - this suit will be settled quickly and quietly. Her ex-boss should be concerned about getting any more press that will bring visits from the TABC.
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