Idaho's U.S. Sen. Crapo arrested, charged with DUI
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Idaho Sen. Michael Crapo was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with driving under the influence in a Washington, D.C., suburb, authorities said.
Police in Alexandria, Va., said Sunday that the three-term Republican was pulled over after his vehicle ran a red light. Police spokesman Jody Donaldson said Crapo failed field sobriety tests and was arrested at about 12:45 a.m. He was transported to the Alexandria jail and released on an unsecured $1,000 bond at about 5 a.m.
"There was no refusal (to take blood alcohol tests), no accident, no injuries," Donaldson said. "Just a traffic stop that resulted in a DUI."
Police said Crapo, who was alone in his vehicle, registered a blood alcohol level of .11 percent. The legal limit in Virginia, which has strict drunken driving laws, is .08 percent.
The 61-year-old Crapo (KRAY'-poh) has a Jan. 4 court date.
"I am deeply sorry for the actions that resulted in this circumstance," Crapo said in a statement Sunday night. "I made a mistake for which I apologize to my family, my Idaho constituents and any others who have put their trust in me. I accept total responsibility and will deal with whatever penalty comes my way in this matter. I will also undertake measures to ensure that this circumstance is never repeated."
In Virginia, the driver's license of anyone who registers a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher is automatically suspended for seven days. A first-time conviction for DUI carries a mandatory, minimum $250 fine and license revocation for one year, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
A Crapo spokesman declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the senator's arrest.
Elected in 1998, Crapo is in his third U.S. Senate term; he served for six years in the U.S. House of Representatives before that. He was easily re-elected in 2010 with more than 70 percent of the vote, and won't have to run again until 2016.
In Congress, Crapo has built a reputation as a staunch social and fiscal conservative. It was expected he would take over the top Republican spot next year on the Senate Banking Committee. He also serves on the Senate's budget and finance panels. Crapo was a member of the so-called "Gang of Six" senators that worked in 2011 toward a deficit-reduction deal that was never adopted by Congress.
A Mormon who grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Crapo was named a bishop in the church at age 31. He is an attorney who graduated from Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He has five children with his wife, Susan, and three grandchildren.
The Mormon church prohibits the use of alcohol, as well as coffee, tea and other substances. About one-quarter of Idaho residents are Mormon.
Crapo has told The Associated Press in past interviews that he abstains from drinking alcohol.
Police in Alexandria, Va., said Sunday that the three-term Republican was pulled over after his vehicle ran a red light. Police spokesman Jody Donaldson said Crapo failed field sobriety tests and was arrested at about 12:45 a.m. He was transported to the Alexandria jail and released on an unsecured $1,000 bond at about 5 a.m.
"There was no refusal (to take blood alcohol tests), no accident, no injuries," Donaldson said. "Just a traffic stop that resulted in a DUI."
Police said Crapo, who was alone in his vehicle, registered a blood alcohol level of .11 percent. The legal limit in Virginia, which has strict drunken driving laws, is .08 percent.
The 61-year-old Crapo (KRAY'-poh) has a Jan. 4 court date.
"I am deeply sorry for the actions that resulted in this circumstance," Crapo said in a statement Sunday night. "I made a mistake for which I apologize to my family, my Idaho constituents and any others who have put their trust in me. I accept total responsibility and will deal with whatever penalty comes my way in this matter. I will also undertake measures to ensure that this circumstance is never repeated."
In Virginia, the driver's license of anyone who registers a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher is automatically suspended for seven days. A first-time conviction for DUI carries a mandatory, minimum $250 fine and license revocation for one year, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
A Crapo spokesman declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the senator's arrest.
Elected in 1998, Crapo is in his third U.S. Senate term; he served for six years in the U.S. House of Representatives before that. He was easily re-elected in 2010 with more than 70 percent of the vote, and won't have to run again until 2016.
In Congress, Crapo has built a reputation as a staunch social and fiscal conservative. It was expected he would take over the top Republican spot next year on the Senate Banking Committee. He also serves on the Senate's budget and finance panels. Crapo was a member of the so-called "Gang of Six" senators that worked in 2011 toward a deficit-reduction deal that was never adopted by Congress.
A Mormon who grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Crapo was named a bishop in the church at age 31. He is an attorney who graduated from Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He has five children with his wife, Susan, and three grandchildren.
The Mormon church prohibits the use of alcohol, as well as coffee, tea and other substances. About one-quarter of Idaho residents are Mormon.
Crapo has told The Associated Press in past interviews that he abstains from drinking alcohol.
Weiner, Crapo...you can't make this stuff up. A Crapo spokesman... Oh man, I laugh myself silly with DC this bureaucrat's antics. As to these losers that drive while drunk, I think bringing back tar and feathers would be appropriate to punish them as we'll as lose their jobs.
f he had been where he should have been - in Washington DC getting a budget deal done - Crapo would have stayed out of trouble. Â But, Crapo. Â Congress shut itself down when it became clear to everyone in DC Boehner is a toothless has been and the GOP is splintering into a loosening assemblage of various small-time mean-spirited warlords.
 @Ed Ruttledge He was still in the Washington DC area, a suburb at 12:45 a.m. Congress hasn't shut itself down, Crapo simply shut himself down.
"But, your honor, this is just a bunch of Crapo; the car ran the red light, not me!"Â "Don't feed me that crap, Crapo!"
Another hypocrite who would sell me down the river.. Let this creep fry ! This Mormon is a disgusting hypocrite..
Just another hypocrite religion person and politician with no moral standard.
Â
Typical.
@RalphCramden What's a "religion person?"
 @Mechanic  @RalphCramden Let me answer that for you Ralph.. A religious person is a person ( like this man ) who garnered votes from Mormons simply because he is Mormon ... That's how a hypocrite Mormon does it..  Let's face it, if he pulled the Mormon card in North Carolina, he would no be there..
 @dougrpdx  @MechanicÂ
And playing the cards is what politicians do. They have little moral compass and no spine.
Â
0bama played the minority card very well and most women politicians play the women card very well.
Â
To them it's a game and we are the pawns they want to control.
"Deeply sorry" he got caught maybe. F*ing hate drunk drivers.
Crud! I meant to write "disgusted".
Just to satisfy the liberal democrats that will undoubtedly protest that conservative republicans are never discussed with "their own" when they break the law, If he's found guilty in court, FIRE him, stop his wages, donate his pension and retirement if any to MAD.  Â
@last boyscout That's MADD.
 @Mechanic  @last Crud again! Thanks guy.
He should be forced to resign. Our leaders should be held to a higher standard.
Wow...must be one of those "progressive" Mormons of the reformed church.
 @Icarus Only one wife. Enjoys a drink once in a while. Believes when he dies he will get his own planet.
Based on his last name, I can guess what the first word out of his mouth was after being stopped! LOL
FYI, he's a Republican.
@MFMFIMÂ Â He's a member of the Drunk Driver party.
@MFMFIM I knew that, because Democrats never drink and drive.
Thanks for the info, but the story mentioned several times what his party affiliation was.