State Rep. Laura Bradford (R-CO) Accused Of Using Constitutional Loophole To Escape DUI Charges
Colorado's State Rep. Laura Bradford (R-Colbran), has been suspended from her position as chair of the House Local Government Committee after a questionable traffic citation on the evening of January 25.
Bradford was pulled over by Denver Police around 10 p.m. on the 25th for erratic driving. A police report indicates Bradford admitted to drinking and smelled like alcohol, but officers released her with a minor traffic citation and allowed her to ride home in a taxi, reports KRDO.
Denver Police maintain they weren't legally able to arrest Bradford due to an antiquated clause in the Colorado Constitution. Article V, section 16 exempts lawmakers from arrest when traveling to or from legislative sessions, except in cases of treason or felony.
While originally intended to prevent political hackery where legislators might be arrested, intimidated by political opponents, and prevented from voting, "it was clearly not meant to protect people who are accused of drunk driving," said attorney Dan Recht to KDVR.
SNIP
Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/30/laura-bradford-dui_n_1241906.html
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A lawmaker in Colorado can get soused and drink as much as they want to, and then get behind the wheel of their automobile even though their cognitive skills might be impaired as long as they are coming from their legislative sessions.
What if they kill someone while driving drunk?
Does this mean that too bad soooo sad, that a non-legislator won't have any recourse against someone driving impaired just because they are a state legislator?
Why are they allowed to drink on the job?
Seems like another reason to question their judgment, especially since they are impaired while making important decisions that would affect their constituency as well as the rest of the state.
It's definitely an incentive to work late into the night whilst getting hammered 
