This from state Senator Scott Lautenbaugh:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
I am embarrassed to state that I was ticketed late last night for driving under the influence of alcohol. This is no one’s fault but mine, and I take full responsibility for this.
As a result, I will seek an immediate alcohol evaluation, and I will follow whatever recommendation or path that it mandates.
I am again very embarrassed by this. I will let the legal process take its course, accept my punishment, and work to put this behind me.
I apologize to my family and everyone else I have disappointed with this incident.
{ 58 comments }
He’s sorry he got caught.
Did he hit any snowplows?
I bet he was on Maple Street between Cigarros and his house when he got picked up.
“No one’s fault but mine”
Who else’s fault would it be? I never understand why people use that canned John Edwards-esque line.
And “ticketed”? Is that the nice way of saying arrested and thrown in jail?
WOW As big as he is, just HOW MUCH alcohol would it take to put his blood alcohol content over the legal limit? Possibly twice as much booze as it would take for someone of a much healthier, more normal size?
Good Grief! His blood alcohol content was .234%. Almost THREE times the legal limit! Again, just how much booze did he drink to get that high of a reading?
I wouldnt wish that on anyone. He is lucky he didnt kill anyone. I feel bad for the guy
Lest the Dems try to make much hay out of this, let’s review what Scott did NOT do: he didn’t run into a snowplow and then scream uncontrollably at the cops/detox workers about how he was a senator immune from prosecution. No, the Dems have to look within their own ranks for that.
He was wrong to drive drunk. He was right to fess up, and take responsibility for his actions. Shame on anyone on here who knows Scott to be judgmental. He is a good man with a problem that needs fixed.
Yikes! Diriving wile drunck is baad enuf, butt poosting after a jin an tonik kan bee just ass baad.
The guy exercised poor judgment and some are making an excuse for him? Come on. He throws his weight around, makes disparaging comments, makes fun of and calls names of those who disagree. Each and every time he speaks of OPS it is something to the effect of “mired in failure.” Perhaps he needs to tend his own back yard before acting so high and mighty in looking down his nose at the peasants.
I understand that we have all gotten in a car when we shouldn’t have but I wouldnt expect anyone to defend my actions. This isn’t about anyone but him so to bring up other senators is not fair. This is here and now.
It’s absolutely fair to bring up other Senators. This is politics, not paddy-cakes.
Now that we know what great judgement Senator Latuenback has it’s a good idea for the legislature to follow him on the charter schools and the take down of the OPS board and voter ID etc. Not.
ricky
.234%. That is nearly enough for three DWIs!
But, since Scott is a Republican, and he didn’t shove his senatorial weight around, we must all be understanding and just forget that this ever happened.
The real question should be, how many other times has he driven while that drunk and not been caught?
NEBRASKA DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (DUI) LAW
(If convicted of DUI in Nebraska the following penalties will apply.) Revised February 2012
Class W Misdemeanor
First Offense – § 28-106 & § 60-6,197.03 (1)
Maximum: 60 days in jail, 6 months license revocation & a $500 fine
Mandatory Minimum: 7 days in jail, 6 months license revocation, a $500 fine and the court requires the person to apply for an ignition interlock.
If Probation: 60 days license revocation, $500 fine, and the court requires the person to apply for an ignition interlock.
Also person convicted of DUI will have to pay for an alcohol assessment during a presentence evaluation and if ordered by the judge to attend an alcohol treatment program. The treatment program can cost over $3,000 and will be at the expense of the person convicted of DUI – § 60- 6,197.08.
So, it appears that the Senator’s statement that he “will seek an immediate alcohol evaluation,” isn’t exactly voluntary.
Anybody want to take any bets on how much of a slap on the wrist Scott gets compared to the average schlub on the street?
What’s that old saying . . . if you get caught at it once you’ve probably done it ten times. How many other times has the senator pickled himself and proceeded to climb in his car and turn it into 2 tons of high speed rolling mayhem? And this is who is deciding the rules for the rest of us?
What a disappointment. What a hypocrite.
Hows that, “take your beer home” bill going to go over now?
I’ll bet on that! He won’t get much. He’s an important person and we important people get to make the laws that all of you common people have to live by.
No surprise that the good Senator would act in a self serving way that would put Nebraskans at risk. Has been his Legislative history. Wish him all the best in confronting his demons.
Doesn’t Nebraska have a mandatory suspension of the drivers license for anyone merely accused of a DWI? What do they call it – an Administrative License Revocation? Anyone have any more info on this.
Oh, and “B. Council” is probably right about Sen. Scott getting off easy. Will anyone even remember this in June when the Legislature adjourns?
Looking forward to drinking with him at the Storm Chasers this year!
Wonder which bar was serving enough drinks to get Senator L to .23 and then let him drive? Wow.
Here come the kid gloves!
Hey, while it’s all fresh in everyones mind . . . thank the Douglas County Deputy that spotted Senator “Demolition Man” and got him off the road before he turned someone into his hood ornament. That short stretch of West Maple Road already owns two lives thanks to a drunk who thought he was above the rest of us. Next time you see a Douglas County Cruiser give em a wave!
I think Senator Lautenbaugh ought to resign. Or say he is going to rehab and miss the rest of the session. People elected to office by the people need to be held to a higher standard.
He won’t be of any help anyway this session might as well start the rehab.
Too bad this did not happen before the terrible LB 125.
ricky
Danielle Conrad née Nantkes had three alcohol related arrests. Last time she defied the law by refusing an alcohol test. She never resigned.
You never called for Conrad or Council’s head.
Now Lautenbaugh can run for Congress.
Danielle Conrad, née Nantkes, should have resigned. Scott Lautenbaugh should resign. The law isn’t just for us, it is for them too.
Perhaps Sen. Lautenbaugh will prove to us all how much better Republican politicians are by resigning in shame over his betrayal of our trust. He could follow in our past Lt. Governor’s shoes and do the right thing, unlike those despicable Democrats like Sen. Conrad and Pres. Clinton, that just kept their offices despite their misdeeds.
Seems like idiots are trying to settle some old scores.
In reply to Wanda Ring’s questions at 7:17 pm: Yes, Nebraska is a state that enforces ALR (Administrative License Revocation)
Your operator’s license and/or operating privileges can be revoked under the Administrative License Revocation (ALR) law. This law authorizes law enforcement to immediately confiscate a driver’s license as a result of a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrest. Drivers, who are eligible, may receive a temporary license for 15 days.
Drivers who refuse the test will be revoked for a one (1) year time period. Drivers who fail the test will be revoked for six (6) months – for first offense, or for one (1) year for any subsequent offense within a 15 year time period.
When the temporary license expires, you may be eligible for an Ignition Interlock Permit. You will need to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles to determine eligibility, for the requirements needed and complete the application for the Ignition Interlock Permit.
Drivers may file a petition to request a hearing to contest the revocation. If you file a petition for the Administrative Hearing, you will not be eligible for the Ignition Interlock Permit, unless ordered by the court for the Driving Under the Influence related offense. The petition must be mailed within 10 days of Notice being served to the driver.
So, according to Nebraska law, you can be punished before you ever see a judge. So much for “innocent until proven guilty.” You can all thank Mothers Against Drunk Driving (an organization that once was run by actual mothers, but is now a huge money making machine for a bunch of old, white attorneys.)
Shame on everyone who is being hard on Senator L. Any one of you could have been caught DWI at some point. Scott is a solid human who got caught. He will pay his debt to society like anyone else.
Thanks for your opinion Sen. Lautenbaugh.
@Political22255
Nope. I could not have been caught driving drunk at any point because I do not drive drunk, ever!
@ Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh:
We’re only human. Can we change the subject?
Do you anticipate that your charter schools bill may be used to protect the schoolchildren at the J.P.Lord School from the notion that they should be mainstreamed? Or could it be amended for such purpose? While my daughter attended that school, every time activists worked to achieve adequate therapies and instructional materials for the significant number of children attending there who were wards of the state (actual parents tended to protect these same educational rights for their own children), we were pushed back by legislators and bureaucrats with a threat of “inclusion” of our very significantly disabled children in regular classrooms. While it is true that per pupil costs at that school were higher than other OPS schools, the per pupil cost was greatly economized by the segregation of these students via sharing of professional expertise and needed equipment.
NOTE: While I do not object to any parent’s choice for inclusion, I strongly oppose the notion that children with disability should be paraded-out for the purpose of “sensitivity training” to the benefit of their non-disabled peers instead of very real educational goals to their own benefit!
I think little boy ricky should stop posting. On any message board. Forever.
What do you mean, any of us could have been caught? Maybe none of us drink. Maybe we all have dozens of DWIs. Maybe we are blogging from jail. But we aren’t being discussed here because we are not like him. We don’t ask voters to empower us to create laws and then be dumb enough to break them ourself. He is triple-hypocritical because he is a lawyer, a lawmaker, and a member of the supposedly more moral party. He is now damaged political goods. And while he may or may not learn from that, unless you are dating him, why care? Why waste sympathy? If you donated to him, he wastes your cash and trust. And lest we should weep for his shattered part time political career, lawyers don’t end up eating out of garbage cans.
How impressed should we be with people who seek to govern us, to spend our money the way they want in order to gain votes and then take credit for any good our dollars did? We pay them to be temporary tyrants over us. That isn’t nice or good. It is necessary, but good people don’t seek power to jail or pass laws over their neighbors.
Democrats offer the same apologies for Democrat incumbent wrongdoers. It is like people want to believe those who seek power over them must be good. Like a form of Stockholm Syndrome, voters want to identify with their captors cum abusers, who always think they are doing good with their power.
It’s interesting to observe that back on August 25, 2012, Sen. Lautenbaugh was in here talking about highway funding with me and how he supported DEB FI$CHER’S roads funding bill and how he had roads in his district that were “crumbling, unsafe” and another road where “people die on it every year”.
He then said “The state had to commit more of our resources to our infrastructure.”
Maybe just having people NOT drive drunk would have helped make those roads safer so people don’t have to die on them every year.
.234 Can’t get over that. That is some serious drinking. I agree with those who said which bar was it that keep serving Lautenbakc? They could have been liable had the Senator killed someone driving that far over the limit.
.234 that much Mr Latunbck must have something on his mind, something to worry about. I wonder if it has something to do with the lengths he went to getting LB 125 passed?
ricky
We need to be patient here. We don’t know all the facts. Was Sen. Lautenbaugh on prescription medication that could have adversely affected him and created a high BAL on less drinks in his system. While I will probably never agree with the senator politically, we cannot make judgment calls unitl he has his day in court.
So, Interested Observer advocates that we NEVER fix roads and instead just expect people not to drive drunk. Because drunk drivers are the ONLY things that make roads unsafe. Or so you would have to infer from what Interested Observer wrote.
Hey, it was a stupid post, but it was worth it in order to take another swing at Deb Fischer, right Interested Observer?
@ KRIS PIERCE – Ha ha ha. “His day in court.” Ha ha ha. Like that is ever going to really happen.
@ AnonymousII – you replied to a stupid post with another stupid post. That’s a swing and a miss.
Ha Mr Pierce that is the biggest Red Herring ever by a whatever it is Democratic Post you hold. Prescriptions that make the BAC so high. Oh right!
Something good can come out of this; the good Senator’s influence is shot and maybe rookie Senators like Sarah Howard won’t listen to him like she did on LB 125 even though I advised her to vote no.
ricky
Democrat or Republican, does not matter. PEOPLE, stop drinking and driving and hold people who do accountable. This is the worst kind of crime. Lautenbaugh made a choice and he obviously has a serious problem. Thank goodness he did not hurt/kill somebody. When are citizens going to start getting angry about all the drunks that are driving in this state?
Where is the mugshot!?
I sent a message to our local paper and received a response from the reporter of, why do I care? Could it be that my daughter Alexis, was killed by a 6 time convicted drunk driver on 9-9-11, along with her boyfriend, Chris. Two lives ended just like that, and countless other’s lives changed forever. Guess what, our drunk driver had just been off probation for a week. Our system needs some improvement, an overhaul. Drunk driving is the most socially accepted crime in America. I guess I believe if you are going to make laws, you should follow them. He should be held to a higher standard due to his office. I’m held to higher standard due to my job as a nurse. I challenge our state Senators to set the standard for the rest of America. Things need to change, America is losing over 10,000 lives per year, thats people, to drunk drivers. Over 30,000 a year are injured because of someone’s drunken mistake. Go out have a great time, be merry, but just don’t get behind the wheel and drive! Call a friend, taxi, family, call me, just use a designated driver.
Just a thought to ponder, 12,000 people are killed every year by guns, only 2000 more than a drunk drivers, and look where all the attention is right now. I feel so bad for all those affected by shooters in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Nebraska….its horrible. What if a drunk would have crashed into a school bus and killed 26 kids and teachers? Would things change? BTW I’m not into guns.
Maybe a drinkers license should be required. You’d have to do a background check, take a class in reaponsible drinking, pay for a license, have proof of insurance, just like you do to get a drivers license or a concealed carry permit. You’d then only be able to purchase alcohol if you showed your license and you’d lose it if you committed any crimes while intoxicated. Anyone purchasing alcohol for, or serving it to, anyone without a valid license would face the same kind of penalties now applied to those allowing unlicensed drivers to use their car, etc.
Sara Howard on LB 125? She defended her vote for the sake of chldren and moving foward. Guess she doesn’t mind Senator Lautenbaugh’s efforts with apparent success to throw out 12 elected duly elected representatives and the votes that got them there. That seems a tad illegal as does the redrawing of the new districts for another run in less than 45 days. Yeah, that’s how you run an intensely informative campaign full of issues. It remains: Someone who was in the room at the time leaked the “illegal” swearing in to the press from executive session. That must be one fly on the wall who can text, call and leak with such due dilgence while servicing media’s needs.
Good point Anonymous at 12:34 (hey 234 those numbers ring a bell); How foolish it was for the Senators (almost all except for Ms Cook) to follow Laugtenback, whose judgement was then and is now obviously suspect, to support him and Mr Wayne on LB125.
And, in District 4′s race for the new OPS board, I hope Mr Eric L Ewing does ask the question whether or not somebody leaked information about the late swearing-in farce of a story from executive session of the board. I still have not found out where that story first broke, maybe Senator Lauttenback can shed some light on that.
Anyway I think Mr Wayne may end his campaign to get back on the OPS board; OPS has had enough bad publicity lately. And it sure does not help that Mr Wayne is so closely tied to Senator L and his problematic behavior.
ricky
Give the guy credit… He knows how to completely scrub his mugshot from public domain. I can’t find it anywhere. KETV and Douglas County Corrections are more than happy to post the photos of every other low life that got busted this week. So where is Scott’s huge face?
Sweeper, we demand to see Scott Lautenbaugh’s mug shot. Help us out!
In Germany, you get caught driving while intoxicated one time and you lose your license forever. Here in Nebraska, it depends on who you are, or who you know.
Jaimi, I am very sorry about your daughter and her friend. I cannot understand why people are trying to brush this off, as if any of us could be the next one with a DWI. No, responsible people do not drive drunk or impaired in any way.
Just an FYI for all of you looking for a mug shot of our friend Scott. When you are arrested for a first offense DUI, you simply are taken to the station, receive a breath test and then are given a ticket and released. You are never booked into jail therefore no mug shots are taken. At least that is how it worked when I received my DUI.
That is not always the case. Look at the KETV face book of everyone that got arrested this week. There are first offense DUI people in there.
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