Will Swenson’s district forgive his DUI arrest?

On the legislative Web page of Rep. Dale Swenson, R-Wichita, his occupation is listed as “laid off from Boeing” — a description that surely resonates with many others who’ve seen their lives or those of loved ones tossed about in recent years by the turbulent aerospace manufacturing industry. Swenson’s situation doesn’t justify his alleged drinking and driving, of course, as he acknowledged in a story in Thursday’s Eagle about his Feb. 18 DUI arrest in Wichita. There is no excuse for such behavior. But it is to Swenson’s credit that unlike so many public officials in trouble, he was willing to admit both error and embarrassment.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

12 Comments

  1. Damoon
    Posted March 4, 2006 at 9:03 am | Permalink

    Any one who knowingly drinks and drives has no business holding public office. He’s proven that he’s too irresponsible to hold the public trust.

  2. Ben Huie
    Posted March 4, 2006 at 9:15 am | Permalink

    My question to and about Swenson is this: Has he supported draconian legislation that prevents offenders from returning their lives to normalcy or has he supported rehabilitation opportunities? I do not know the answers but my response to him would mirror his response to others in this regard.

  3. Joe Williams
    Posted March 4, 2006 at 11:33 pm | Permalink

    Typical Union worker. Just another drunk!

  4. J R
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 12:50 am | Permalink

    Typical JoeWIlliams post Drivel!

    The guy is a Republican so I say hang him.

    Damoon? The standards you impose would demand the immediate impeachment of George Bush. That does not trouble me!

    That said, the draconian laws as to DUI are a bit overkill.

    I got a DUI once. I was 0.09….. a fraction over the limit. I got pulled over becuase the officer perceived I was driving “too carefully”?No laws broken, nobody hurt. It cost me more than $5,000.

    So the DUI stuff is over the line. But again this guy is a Republcian. Hang Him!

  5. Tara
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 1:47 am | Permalink

    “I got pulled over becuase the officer perceived I was driving “too carefully”?”

    Haha, I got pulled over for that same reason when I first got my driver’s license. Apparently the beat up Honda with shoe polish “Go Grizzlies!” writing and my impeccible driving skills at 12:00 AM were incompatible. S’cool, they let me go after a little small talk.

    I have to give him props for coming clean and admitting his mistake to the press. I think it shows character.

  6. XXX
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 8:16 am | Permalink

    Some of us differ on how serious DUI is. I’ve known too many people who have been maimed or killed when alcohol was involved. I think maybe .08 is a little severe and maybe the limit should be .10. That said, If a person drives drunk, I’m all for throwing the book at them. You have no right to endanger innocent people on the road. And if you kill someone driving under the influence, you should face a murder charge.

  7. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 8:54 am | Permalink

    JR, the difference between you and shrub is that a)your family doesnt own the town where you were arrested and b) you made the mistake of not being “born again” after the arrest. That would have given you a free pass for the rest of your life.

  8. Damoon
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 9:57 am | Permalink

    I must admit it scares me anymore to have a glass of wine with dinner when eating out. It doesn’t take much for me the feel the alcohol and I’m probably over the limit with just one. In my case, it’s just better to enjoy alcohol in the safty of my home or within walking distance of my house. I just gratful my neighbors like to party!

  9. Damoon
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 3:47 pm | Permalink

    “I’m just grateful my neighbors like to party”, previous post sounds like I had one too many.

  10. Ben Huie
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 9:09 pm | Permalink

    Joe – I would have hoped for better from you. Suppose I had said “Typical Republican. Just another drunk!” You would have definitely cried foul.

  11. J R
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 9:49 pm | Permalink

    I too applaud the guy his candor and contrition. Of course that is just playing to his base.

    Gosh Damoon did ya sober up between (9:57 AM and 3:47PM?) Dayum bring those neighbors to the meet up! Just kidding.

    yeah Ksfarrmgirl the laws do often seem to be selectively enforced as to the status of the perpetrator. Which reminds me……

    We have had the port deal, and more on Katrina, and other stuff since Veep Cheney shot a guy in the face. Any word on the blood work on that guy? Or are we supposed to have forgotten to ask that?

  12. Ben Huie
    Posted March 5, 2006 at 10:09 pm | Permalink

    J-R – I’m not really all that interested in blood work on the guy Cheny shot. However, I WOULD like to see some blood work on that spaced-out zombie in the Katrina briefing tapes – the one sitting quietly under the presidential seal.