DCist: Shadow Senator Flashed Credentials During DUI Stop

Cinnamon_J_Scudworth

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:59:34 -0500

While speaking to Strauss, Rodriguez—who gave the affidavit—noted that his breath smelled of alcohol and that he “had a blank stare, blood shot eyes and appeared confused.” This in and of itself was not sufficient proof that he is a (shadow) member of Congress?

Wizzyliz

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:31:05 -0500

What a goober!

downtown rez

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:59:33 -0500

Forget what I think, does he think this image best represents DC to the Congress?

spookiness

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:35:25 -0500

I haven't seen a white suite since Boss Hogg was on TV.

ph7

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:43:14 -0500

Moose: But it's unethical to violate the traffic laws, so even if one doesn't flash a badge to get out of a ticket, they nevertheless are in a state of ethical breach, no?

Matvey

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:29:44 -0500

One of his coterie of earpiece-wearing Eurotrashy staffers wouldn't drive him home? Aww....

Moose

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:23:35 -0500

It may not be illegal to flash an ID, but it is unethical. Anyone who's been through any ethics training in the federal government is clearly told that flashing your ID (especially if you work at, say, DOJ or DHS) to get out of a ticket or get other preferential treatment is a huge no-no. "Fail."

econosize

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:09:11 -0500

Look at that outfit. Anyone who wears a white suit coat and a white tie loses my vote. Actually, I decided not to vote for shadow senator at all. I think the offices do more harm than good. How can anyone take DC seriously on the Hill when we have unpaid elected officials pretending they're real senators.

alexalexalex

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:56:33 -0500

That dude belongs in a Pelecanos novel... if he isn't already.

Bethesdaist

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:34:10 -0500

He needs to serve serious jail time for that jacket -- what is this, Miami Vice?

IMGoph

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:26:14 -0500

i voted for rimensnyder because of this whole thing with strauss. if he was a "real" senator, there would be a clamoring for some punishment here. it's embarrassing to the city.

Boomhauer

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:22:28 -0500

and therefore himself in the running for holding one of the more useless local politics job titles in the city) So he's pretty much on the same level as "Shadow Senator"....

NEDC

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:20:42 -0500

@jaynuze: I know, I know. I live in a perpeutal state of shock when it comes to my fellow DC voters. ;-)

Jaynuze

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:50:26 -0500

Wait a minute ... my fellow DC voters re-elected a problematic official?! Say it ain't so!!!

HCE

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:37:29 -0500

Is it an actual Senate ID card, or just the shadow of an ID card? If it's the latter, that could explain its ineffectiveness.

OldPosterKnownAsCranky

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:17:12 -0500

Why does Strauss even have a Senate ID card? Shouldn't that be reserved for only, you know, actual Senators?

NEDC

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:11:15 -0500

Flashing your Senate i.d. card to law enforcement puts Strauss in a pretty dubious club. For instance, Larry Craig tried flashing his Senate i.d. card when he got arrested over the men's bathroom incident, and look what it did for him. Stories like this about Strauss remind how fallible the judgment of my fellow DC residents is, for voting so uniformly for Strauss instead of Nelson Rimensnyder for D.C. shadow senator. It's true that it was not a good call for Rimensnyder to run as a Republican, but party affiliation should have been outweighed by the fact that (1) since the D.C. shadow senator can't vote, party hardly matters, and (2) Rimensnyder has been working quietly but persistently to promote DC voting rights for more than two decades, so he should get the credit for the work he is doing anyway. Besides, Rimensnyder commands more respect than notoriety in the Capitol building, which is more than we can say for Strauss these days... and that's without flashing i.d. of any kind.

echobravo

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:03:54 -0500

Strauss a putz - and an embarrassment to this voter. Why on earth do people elect him?

stmove

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:58:36 -0500

Should we in fact take that as an insult? Was it a slap to DC that his pathetic, just hang your head in shame sad, attempt didn't work? I think so. He has the completely imaginary backing of all DC residents, and that won't get him out of DUI. What has this democracy come to? I mean c'mon if that guy was a Senator from NJ you know him and the cop would have been tossing back shooters on a boat weighed down with strippers by 1AM.

ph7

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:40:05 -0500

C'mon. Can't blame the guy, really. It's not illegal to show an ID, and if it helps in a police encounter, I'd show a police office my ASPCA card, my library card, my Fraternal Order of Police card, or whatever else I've got. Just don't flash a Benjamin, or a bag of weed, and you'll be okay - unless, like here, it backfired...but the DUI is a far worse allegation, so the risk here is worth the reward, I think.