California state Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine), who’s operating for Congress subsequent 12 months in a aggressive Orange County district, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and launched from Sacramento County jail Wednesday, in accordance with Sacramento Sheriff’s Division and California Freeway Patrol data.
Min confirmed the arrest in a social media put up that he was cited with a misdemeanor DUI.
“Final night time I used to be cited for a misdemeanor for driving underneath the affect,” Min wrote on Fb Wednesday. “My determination to drive final night time was irresponsible. I settle for full accountability and there’s no excuse for my actions. To my household, constituents and supporters, I’m so deeply sorry. I do know I have to do higher. I cannot let this private failure distract from our work in California and in Washington.”
Min’s marketing campaign declined to reply further questions on the report.
CHP officers reported seeing a silver Toyota Camry late Tuesday night time touring south with out its headlights on not removed from the Capitol in Sacramento, in accordance with an arrest report that CHP supplied to The Occasions. The officers adopted the automotive to ninth Avenue and Broadway, the place they noticed the motive force “cease at a pink gentle momentarily however then proceed into the intersection whereas the sunshine remained pink.” Officers then pulled Min over.
“The officers contacted the motive force of the automobile and observed indicators and signs of alcohol intoxication,” the report mentioned. “The officers performed a Driving Beneath the Affect [DUI] investigation and decided the motive force was driving underneath the affect of an alcoholic beverage.”
Officers arrested Min at 10:51 p.m. at Broadway and Riverside, in accordance with the report.
Min is operating within the hotly contested forty seventh Congressional District at present represented by Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine), who’s in search of to interchange Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Min will face former Republican state Assemblyman Scott Baugh, Democrat Joanna Weiss and Republican Max Ukropina, amongst others, for the purple district seat that the GOP is pouring its power into flipping pink in 2024.
“I’m grateful that regulation enforcement was in a position to intervene and glad that nobody was harm. It’s extremely disappointing to see profession politicians behave this manner whereas representing us in Sacramento. It’s one more reminder that Orange County deserves new management, which is why I’m operating for Congress,” Ukropina mentioned in an announcement. Baugh and Weiss declined to remark.
The district consists of Irvine, Huntington Seaside, Costa Mesa, Newport Seaside and Laguna Seaside. Porter narrowly defeated Baugh and received a 3rd time period in Congress with 51.7% of the vote final 12 months, in accordance with the California Secretary of State’s workplace. Porter endorsed Min instantly after he introduced his bid.
Min was elected to the state Senate in 2020 after beating an incumbent Republican representing a historically pink district. He’s targeted his legislative consideration on passing new gun management legal guidelines and combating local weather change. Min carried unsuccessful laws to ban offshore oil drilling after the 2021 oil spill in Huntington Seaside.
Min is a former UC Irvine regulation professor with an in depth background in banking and housing coverage.
Min is just not the primary state legislator to be accused of driving drunk. In 2014, then-state Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) was arrested on suspicion of driving underneath the affect.
In 2012, then-Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D-Covina) was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, however a jury later discovered him not responsible.
In 2010, then state Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield) was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.
The California state Senate responded by making a 24-hour driving service for members to name whereas they had been in Sacramento and wanted a trip. Senate President Professional Tem Toni Atkins’ workplace confirmed that the chamber nonetheless has a safety service that drives senators through the day and night to and from occasions in Sacramento, as wanted. Lawmakers are supposed to make use of the service for legislative functions.
“Like Senator Min, we’re disenchanted in his actions, however happy that he’s taken accountability and apologized,” Atkins (D-San Diego) mentioned in an announcement.
