Tennessee Democrats are starting to question Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s use of a state vehicle when he was arrested for driving under the influence last weekend.
An arrest warrant shows Hargett was stopped shortly after leaving a bar in Tullahoma, Tenn., after riding on lane markings and rolling through a stop bar. He “performed poorly” on a sobriety test, police say.
Hargett, a Republican, has acknowledged he made a mistake, saying in a statement, “I respect law enforcement and will trust the legal process as we move forward.”
During this incident, Hargett was driving a state-issued vehicle, according to the secretary’s spokeswoman.
“It is terrible, and we really didn’t want to have to comment on that and make it out to be anything more than what it is, which is simply a crime that he committed,” said Brit Bender, the executive director for the Tennessee Democratic Party. “I think what is more egregious is the fact that he was driving a state-issued car.”
So far, top Republican leaders have refrained from asking him to step down. Senate Speaker Randy McNally says it’s a serious offense but believes Hargett will learn from his mistake.
Haggert originally said he was arrested after leaving Bonnaroo Music Festival. He’s scheduled to appear in court July 14 at 9 a.m.
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