THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).
- Massachusetts Republican lieutenant governor nominee Shawn Oliver was arrested following a late-Saturday rollover crash.
- Police allege Oliver was driving under the influence and committed several traffic violations.
- His gubernatorial running mate condemned the incident, and Oliver suspended his campaign Sunday.
LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).
There are bad campaign weekends, and then there are weekends when your political career apparently winds up upside down in the middle of a Massachusetts street.
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Shawn Oliver suspended his campaign Sunday after police arrested him following a late-Saturday vehicle crash in New Bedford.
Authorities say Oliver’s vehicle struck multiple parked cars before overturning.
Oliver, 42, was taken to a hospital and subsequently arrested on suspicion of operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation, speeding and a marked-lanes violation.
His gubernatorial running mate, Republican Mike Minogue, was not amused.
“I am extremely disappointed,” Minogue wrote.
“There is no excuse for driving under the influence.”
Minogue called for Oliver to suspend his campaign immediately and said that, if elected, he would formally request Oliver’s resignation.
That’s about as warm and supportive as a political running mate gets when the campaign suddenly resembles an accident report.
Oliver, a New Bedford city councilor and corrections officer, announced that he was stepping away because “the election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters.”
It’s difficult to argue with the conclusion, although the phrase “personal matters” does a considerable amount of work under these circumstances.
The allegations involve a public-safety issue, not merely a private political embarrassment.
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, a Democrat, called the accusations “deeply concerning” and said the public deserved an explanation.
Oliver has also been placed on restricted duties at his corrections job while officials review the circumstances.
The important legal point is that the charges remain allegations. Oliver has not been convicted, and the judicial process must determine what happened.
But the political consequences have already arrived.
Minogue is challenging Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, and the Republican ticket now faces an unwelcome distraction just weeks before Election Day.
Massachusetts Republicans already had a difficult electoral climb. Losing a lieutenant governor candidate in a suspected drunk-driving controversy is not generally considered the preferred method of improving the odds.
