A state representative in Kansas has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Aaron Coleman, a Democrat, is facing mounting pressure to resign after the latest in a series of controversial incidents involving the young lawmaker.
A history of controversial behavior
Police say the 21-year-old man was speeding on the Kansas Turnpike early on Saturday when he was pulled over by an officer who determined that he was drunk. Coleman was arrested and subsequently released on bond.
He was already out of jail awaiting charges related to a domestic battery case last month in which he was accused of hitting and spitting on his brother in an attempt to “shame” him for receiving a baptism. During the same incident, Coleman was accused of threatening his grandfather.
Last year, he ran unopposed after a narrow victory over his Democratic rival in the primary race. He campaigned on a far-left platform.
That campaign also led to some controversy, including his admission that he shared private photos of a girl in an act of revenge while in middle school. He also mocked Republicans following former presidential candidate Herman Cain’s death from COVID-19.
Coleman offered even more objectionable comments during a verbal attack on a GOP colleague he accused of spreading anti-mask “conspiracy theories” who deserved to die of the virus.
Calls for his resignation or removal
The lawmaker has received a mixed reaction to his progressive stance on issues including abortion rights, which he believes should extend to the moment of birth.
In response to his recent criminal charges, the Kansas Democratic Party has disavowed Coleman, declaring that his “alarming” behavior makes him “unfit” for office.
State House Leader Tom Sawer and GOv. Laura Kelly, both Democrats, have publicly called for his resignation.
“He should resign immediately and seek the treatment that he needs,” Kelly said. “If he does not resign, the Legislature should use its process to remove him from office.”
For his part, Sawyer asserted that the lawmaker “is in dire need of help,” adding: “For the sake of the state of Kansas, his constituents, and himself, he should resign and concentrate on getting the help he badly needs.”
The post Dem lawmaker arrested on suspected DUI weeks after domestic battery arrest first appeared on Conservative Institute.
No comments: