Few members of the area legislative delegation are as savvy and effective as Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita. The House assistant minority leader, Ward also is one of only two area legislators in House leadership. And his depth of experience is rare at the Statehouse. So it was disappointing to learn that Ward had been arrested in Topeka over the weekend on suspicion of drunken driving and refused a sobriety test. The justice system still must sort out what happened; voters in Ward’s southeast Wichita neighborhood could have their say next year. One lesson might come from the experience of Rep. Dale Swenson, R-Wichita, who was quick to admit both error and embarrassment upon his 2006 DUI arrest, then won re-election later in the year with 64 percent of the vote.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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45 Comments
The House Democratic Caucus will have a vote, too, I imagine, to determine if Representative Ward should continue as House Assistant Minority Leader.
I have no expectation that those who represent my interests and me are saints. I have faults and make mistakes, and so do they.
If they are forthcoming and honest when mistakes are made, I do not think those things should be the sole determinant of their continued ability to hold public office (of course, this depends on what the ‘mistake’ was)
Since he works in a public role, Ward needs to publicly admit his crime, and accept the consequences (if found guilty). In this sense, as an elected official, he has a higher duty to acknowledge his guilt and accept the standard sentence than an average citizen.
On its own, I do not think his arrest for DUI is something that would keep me from voting for him. Provided that he is candid and honest about it.
as long as he admits it and gets treated like everyone else, I see no reason he can’t continue to represent the public..I actual like seeing public figures find out that they are just one of us dumb asses..
It was interesting that the local Wichita TV media did not mention Wards political affiliation. The Wichita Eagle mentioned it towards the end of the story. Give credit to WE for listing the “D”, but they knew all of us would jump on them. Look back at TV and Eagle reports on Dale Swenson, and note how quick it was pointed out that he was a Republican.
Just a casual observation to the Eagle staff. Now you know one of the reasons why your subscriptions are down. Note how the market supports objective and fact-filled (spin-less, not spineless) reporting. Hard to do when your ideology trumps your professionalism.
Whatever the punishment I’m sure Sebelius will find it excessive and commute his sentence to just a fine. Oh wait, that only applies to Republicans.
Doug, LMAO
Where was Ward’s underlying crime? He was not in a wreck or hurting anyone, just driving along peacefully.
Ward needs to resign his seat. He refused to take a field sobriety test. That alone is going to cost him his drivers license for a year. How does he plan to (legally) drive between Wichita and Topeka.
I hold elected officials to a higher standard. He needs to admit what he did and step down, now!
Sorry Fan, this state voted for George Bush and the Republican platform that politicians and rich folk are above the law. Ward should have the charges dropped and given an apology for his troubles. I’m sure all the Republicans here will agree.
Unless of course it’s found out he got a BJ while driving then he’ll probably be tarred and feathered before being lit on fire on a stack of evolution textbooks.
Well, no, Fan, I don’t think he should step down. And if you’re going to insist on holding your legislators to a higher standard, then you’re just begging to be lied to. People make mistakes. And seeing as how the Representative hasn’t actually been charged with anything, I think demanding resignation is a bit premature.
You crack me up Doug.
Why should our Representatives be held to a higher standard? There is no logic in that if we are to have a Government that is truely representative of its populous.
Admit it, apologize for it, move on is the best plan for Jim Ward.
We are all human and we make mistakes but denying being human is a mistake.
We hold our elected representative to a higher standard than the law as applied to us common folk. We do not like having someone sit in a position of public trust, affecting our safety and well-being, if they deliberately put our safety and well-being at risk on the highway.Let’s always hold our elected officials to a high standard, when proven guilty of criminal behavior, or even guilty of allowing the appearance of misconduct to stain our government.
“stain our government”? Seriously? Like it was so pristine to begin with…
Speak for yourself Parkay, whatever mass “we” is to you, count me out.
BG, just wanted to ask the following:
If the average citizen in a situation such as that currently faced by Mr. Ward is normally offered diversion for the alleged offense, then if Mr. Ward is offered diversion and he accepts it, you wouldn’t then be upset, right?
Rhonda shame on you and shame on Jim Ward! The Eagle offers special dispensation to liberal Democrats. Take former state senator Henry Helgerson. He was appointed by Democrats in South Wichita to replace Paul Felieciano and serve out the remaining 2years of the term. Helgerson remained in his Eastborough home outside of the district. He purchased a small fixer-upper house 2 months before the election; telling the people in the district he was living in the home. The Eagle Editoral Board endorsed Helgerson over the Republican candidate who acutally lived in the district. Helgerson even hosted a fundraiser for Sebelius at his Eastborough home. The Eagle Editors refused to withdraw the endorsement of Helgerson!
It appears, Ward like Helgerson are looked upon as statesmen by Eagle editors,afforded special dispensation! Leadership is not driving drunk! Or resisting law enforcement requests when pulled over for drunk driving! A responsible leader would have called a taxi, or asked a friend or someone else not impaired to drive them. Jim Ward is a lawyer, a former Asst. D.A. with an extensive law background. Jim Ward the lawyer,legislator and leader took the actions he did because he thinks he is above the law!
My prediction is the charges will be dropped, due to veiled,indirect pressure from Sebelius and or AG Morrison’s offices.
I am confused with what the Eagle deems worthy of a front page headline. U.S. Senator Sam Brownback’s missed votes warranted a front page headline. State Representative Jim Ward was arrested for drunk driving and refusing to take a breathalizer test. Ward not only endangered himself while driving drunk, the the lives of other innocent drivers. Drunk drivers behind the wheel of an automobile,KILL.
Unless there is a gay man or a hooker involved, this isn’t nothing and nobody going to care after a week.
Time to move on.
It seems odd that Ward, after running in 2006 as a law-and-order former prosecutor, with a picture of a badge on his campaign literature touting his endorsement from Mothers Against Drunk Driving would refuse to submit to a breathalyzer test.
Joe,
The chances of a gay man being involved with Jim Ward are incredibly small. So small as to be non-existent.
Trust me on this one.
As a Dem, I’m ashamed of this behavior, and I hope he resigns.
Now if only republicans would step up and ask the same of their crooks.
Pmom,
The voters in his district will ultimately decide his fate there, but his leadership role in the Kansas House should be forfeit.
As a Dem, I’m ashamed of this behavior, and I hope he resigns.
Now if only republicans would step up and ask the same of their crooks.
Posted by: political_mom
If all D and R pols did that, we would lose about 95% – 99% at the county level and above from both parties.
If voters weren’t so stupid, they would quit electing donkeys and elephants and replace them with pols that are in big business pockets.
Sorry that should have been not in big business pockets since the Dems are just as deep with the rich and big bus. as the Reps.
Jim Ward would have been fine if he had just admitted that he made a mistake. But he did not. Because he refused to take the breath test he will loose his driver’s license for one year.
Jim Ward was so adamant about legislators being law-abiding citizens in his last campaign. So much so that he attacked his opponent for have several parking tickets. His last minute attack questioned weather or not an individual that was willing to break the law should be an elected official. These were minor tickets.
What Jim Ward has done is a very dangerous act as well as against the law. As a lawyer and legislator Jim Ward knows that. Just because he is an elected official does not make him above the law.
What lobbyist paid for Jim Ward’s drinks? Should the lobbyist also be fined for providing Jim with the alcohol? Why didn’t Jim just take the breath test? What is he hiding? There are a lot of questions to be answered.
If Jim had just taken the test, apologized and said that he will accept the consequences of his actions this would not be an issue. But he did not. He wants to be treated special. It is obvious that he needs help and let’s hope that he gets it before he kills someone the next time.
IMHO, Jim Ward has been an excellent representative of the people both as state legislator and previously as school board member. I hope he can work out his current legal situation and continue his work in the legislature.
Ward knew that by taking the breath test, he was giving the prosecution evidence to use against him.
If he had a couple drinks he may very well have blown a .09 (and been quite fine to drive). This would have landed him a DUI conviction because it would be next to impossible to get off with the breathalizer results in court.By not taking the breath test, there is no evidence other than field sobriety tests to show his level of intoxication. That is much easier to defend against as there are more mitigating circumstances that can affect their results.
If you can do without a driver’s license for a year, and are not too drunk, often it is best not to take the breath or blood tests.
Jim Ward the lawyer poltician knew if he took the breathalizer test,the results would be part ofhis arrest record. Of which could be made public by the media. He knew exactly what he was doing, keeping it out of the press. If the Eagle doesn’t have the info, then Rhonda Holman won’t be put in the position of having to pretend Ward did something deserving of more than a fluff piece. Mothers Against Drunk Driving should stage a protest outside the Eagle, and Ward’s Topeka office.
So then I guess jim ward is WORSE than paris hilton? heheheheh. No argument from me.
Hell, even PARIS took the breath tests. Ward?
(crikets chirping)
I love all these law and order conservatives.
Why is not taking the breath test a problem? Isn’t their something in the Constitution about self-incrimination?
Frankly, I am surprised that there has not been more push back from people, especially liberals, about how the civil penalty of losing ones license for not taking the breath test is an unconstitutional penalty imposed without trial when someone invokes their Fifth Amendment rights.
brian, I dont disagree with what you are saying.
But we have a tradition here of skewering hypocrisy. On both sides of the aisle.
Ward bills himself as a law and order leadership kinda guy. Who whizzes on gay folks. Makes their love unconstitutional.
So I do indeed find it hysterical when he gets caught NOT doing what he preaches. With the law and all.
I dont care if he drinks until he pukes on his shoes everynight. I do care that he have some integrity between who he IS and who he says he is.
… and it will be DAMN interesting to see if you local democrats rally ’round the bigot, or if they will quietly encourage him to “spend more time with his family” and find a GOOD candidate to replace him.
I know how I’d bet my money. But maybe your local voters will surprise me. (big eye roll)
I’ sorry brian. I meant to type “your” local democrats, not you.
Oh, and btw? Just because I cant resist right now. Since I’m not from there, I wonder if ward is a right to life kinda guy?
If so, I wonder why he was out using his car as a potentially lethal weapon that he was operating drunk?
Fair enough KFG.
I do not know that much about Ward, what he stands for, or how he was elected. I would agree with you that if he bills himself as being someone that always follows the laws, and his constituents elected him because they thought he was someone who would always follow the law and not make mistakes, then he should step down, be censured, or something like that.
…now if there was a male prostitute in the car with him when he was stopped, that would have been some good ol’, knee slappin’ hypocracy!
parkay
I will say this, after observations over several years:
The liberals and Democrats on this thread have somewhat of a point as far as the fact that we are all human.
Some of the best conservative minds in this country can’t run for office because of the fear that they will subject themselves and their families to too much abuse.
“We all fall short of the glory of God.”
As long as a person votes the way I would vote, if elected, I don’t much care about personal failures.
Only if a person does something unethical, abusing power to cover up that failure or problem, does it become very important to me.
What I care about is policy, not personalities.
If you put 100% of your trust in any human, you will be disappointed.
I do believe that Republicans ARE harder on our candidates, as far as their personal lives are concerned.
“Republican firing squads always form a circle,” it is said.
We truly do eat our own.
This leaves us with fewer candidates willing to take a chance on public life.
It is one thing to know your “warts and all” will be made public, by filing for office.
The public exposure just isn’t worth it if you know your “base” will abandon you over your past.
“Some of the best conservative minds in this country can’t run for office because of the fear that they will subject themselves and their families to too much abuse.”
They aren’t the only ones. Many in the center and the left share the same concern.
Ben, I would suggest that this has become a universal concern regardless of political affiliation or position, given the bare-knuckles brawl that politics has returned to (I recall from U.S. History the attacks on Andrew Jackson, for example, based upon his wife). So, it’s nothing new, but it does have the effect at present of self-selection. I would speculate that the pendulum will swing back at some point.
“I do believe that Republicans ARE harder on our candidates, as far as their personal lives are concerned.”
Econ, I appreciate that you are able to recognize and say that.
I would add that I think Republicans are harder on the personal lives of ALL candidates, not just their own.
I would hope at some point we can get to a maturity level in our political arena where we can judge the message, not the man.
JIm Ward is on the judiciary committee and oversight committee for the juvenile court. The problem I have is that his wife Karen is in the Juvenile court system. isn’t that a conflict of interest? He’s on the health and human services committe too.(SRS) No wonder it doesn’t do any good to call him witha complaint. He needs to go!
Well, things are so bad right now, you have to wonder if anyone WILLING to run is either dellusional, thinking himself/herself to be a “Saint” — or is completely selfish and heartless where his or her family is concerned.
— I don’t disagree that Jim Ward owes the voters a humble apology, especially given his “law and order” campaigns of the past.He will survive, in his current office(s) if he plays this right.He should wait 10 years or so, if he wants to run for AG or anything else, IMHO.
Ward said prosecutors in Topeka were weighing evidence to determine if formal charges were warranted. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office in Shawnee County did not return a call from The Eagle on Monday seeking information about the case.
Isn’t he one of the guys who make the laws for us to follow? Well he should be held to the same standard as the other DUI participants. When the people in office break the law they should pay the penalty. Too many times we see a double standard in these issues. If he is not held accountable then how can we hold anyone else accountable for their law breaking.
It is too bad for Ward that he wasn’t stopped in Sedgwick County,there certainly would not have been an arrest or problem.
Ward could have depended upon the crooked judiciary in SG county and then he would have owed them a favor.
The Sheriff or deputy (in a Sedgwick County traffic stop) would have simply pulled a couple of cold ones from his cooler in the trunk and enjoyed a nightcap or fired up some reefer to mellow out with Ward.
Ward and the SG deputy could then wait for the real criminals to drive passed,anyone from out of State.
The case would be a complete victory and big fines gained for SG county once the SG DA and Judge knew there was out of State money to be made.
The DA and Judge could depend upon their drunken police and elected officials to swear falsely under oath…another great day in SG County!
The Judge,DA,Ward,and the Deputy could all go out after the hearing (and BIG fines) for steak,lobster,drinks,& laughs about how being drunk can be profitable in SG county officials.
No need for a designated driver with this crowd,they all have DIPLOMATIC immunity to commit whatever crimes they desire!