Bruce Holland (R-WheresTheFireBuddy?, Ark.)
Claims to fame: Republican state senator, Arkansas; typical anti-immigrant gun nut who wears an ill-fitting cowboy hat; speed demon whose daddy should have grounded him and taken away the car keys
Moral apex: In January, led police on a 20-mile high-speed chase through two counties — and we do mean “high-speed,” topping out at 110mph — in his Nissan 350Z.
Charged — but not right away — with “fleeing, careless driving and improper passing.” Hear tell these are misdemeanor charges, but we’re also under the impression that fleeing is a Class D felony in Arkansas. (And, as far as we know, convicted felons can’t hold office, or even vote, in Arkansas.)
We’d say shame on the cop who nabbed Holland for not immediately hauling him off to the pokey (or at least citing him) — Sheriff’s Deputy Ray Byrd let Speed Racer off with a “scolding” — but, believe it or not, Byrd reportedly “thought Holland was exempt from arrest because of a provision in the state Constitution.”
Log Cabin Democrat (and many others) have explained that the rather fuzzy provision in question could easily be miscontrued to mean that state lawmakers can get away with anything save for “treason, felony and breach or surety of the peace,” but “when Gov. Mike Beebe served as the state’s attorney general, he issued the opinion that lawmakers can be issued citations or arrested. Beebe wrote that the state provision, which was adopted more than a century ago, only protects state legislators from arrest in civil actions.”
LCD adds (and we agree): “Now, Byrd, disgusted with the fact that he let Holland off with a warning when he could have hauled him off to jail, may get a little redemption now that Holland has been charged with a crime.”
Who really deserves to be shamed (besides Holland, of course): The rest of the Arkansas state senate.
Holland issued a public statement the day after his wild ride:
“I am truly sorry for what took place on the afternoon of Monday, January 24th. I was speeding and I made a mistake. I truly regret any embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends and fellow legislators. No one is above the law, and I take full responsibility for my actions.”
The day after that, he made a similar non-apology on the senate floor, and received a standing ovation, as if owning up to one’s stupidity is commendable above and beyond something that should simply be expected:
Holland received a standing ovation Tuesday afternoon after making similar comments on the Senate floor. Senate President Paul Bookout said he didn’t think Holland should face any disciplinary action from the chamber for the incident.
Memorable observations:
“Aww…he’s sorry for doing something stupid that could have gotten innocent people killed and getting away with it. Hasn’t he suffered enough? No. At the very least, Senator Holland should resign, and please Senator Bookout (who’s my Democratic state senator for the record), would you and every other state legislator, Democrat and Republican, please stop excusing the criminal behavior of your colleagues?”— Blue Arkansas
January 26, 2011
“He said he was an Arkansas Senator from Greenwood. And my next remark was, ‘You gotta be kidding me?’ All of a sudden I went from the adrenaline rush of chasing someone like this to the realization that a state senator had just put us through this. It just kind of killed my soul, you know what I’m saying, with him passing cars on hills and curves and solid yellow lines. He could have killed himself and others.”
Byrd said he became more angry when Holland explained that he had just bought the car and was merely trying it out.
— Perry County Sheriff’s Deputy Ray Byrd
TalkBusiness.net
January 26, 2011
What happens next: Holland is set to go on trial May 12, 2011.
Fun fact: Holland’s pet project is the completion of Interstate 49. He says it “will be a huge stimulator of jobs not only during construction, but eventually it will bring better commerce to western Arkansas.” We think he just wants a new, modern highway so he can really open ‘er up and see how fast she’ll go.
Suggested Bible reading for Mr. Holland:
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
— Luke 11:45-46
Suggested Bible reading for the rest of the Arkansas state senate:
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.— Proverbs 3:35
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