Democrat Senator's Wife Charged With Assault

NBC 4 TV Washington DC via Drudge ^ | 6:16 pm EDT April 21, 2004 | NBC Washington, DC

[Murtyo]

WASHINGTON -- The wife of a U.S. senator is in trouble with the law.

SENATOR'S WIFE Wanda Baucus Talks To Police

Wanda Baucus is the wife of Democratic Sen. Max Baucus of Montana. She is accused of assaulting a woman Tuesday at Johnson's Garden Center on Van Ness Street, Northwest.

Mrs. Baucus was released Wednesday afternoon after an appearance in D.C. Superior Court. She was officially charged with assault in court.

The incident happened in the parking lot of the garden center.

Sources told News4 that Mrs. Baucus was upset because another customer was getting help with mulch ahead of her.

Sources told News4's Pat Collins that Mrs. Baucus dropped a bag of mulch under the woman's car, then struck the woman in the body and face a number of times.

Collins reported that Mrs. Baucus drove from the scene, and returned a while later with her husband. That is when she talked to police about the incident.

Slideshow: Wanda Baucus Talks To Police

A warrant for Mrs. Baucus was issued Wednesday and she was booked at the 2nd District police headquarters. From there, she was taken to D.C. Superior Court.

The judge released her on her personal recognizance on the condition that she stays away from the victim and away from the garden center.

The senator released a statement Wednesday, saying, "There was a situation involving Wanda last night. We are trying to sort it out, going through proper channels. I stand by her 110 percent, and she has my full support."

[GregB]

I stand behind Clinton....110%

[alloysteel]

This is a problem when people start drinking too early in the day. They tend to have a wrongly directed focus.

[mrs. a]

Never get between a woman and her mulch...

[teletech]

Sources told News4 that Mrs. Baucus was upset because another customer was getting help with mulch ahead of her.

Well, after all, she IS the wife of a DemocRAT Senator so she should ALWAYS be helped first! BWAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Jeff Chandler]

I am stunned that they mentioned the fact that her husband is a democrat.

[TontoKowalski]

Sources told News4 that Mrs. Baucus was upset because another customer was getting help with mulch ahead of her.

Sources told News4's Pat Collins that Mrs. Baucus dropped a bag of mulch under the woman's car, then struck the woman in the body and face a number of times.

This ranks right up there with one of the most White Trash things I've ever heard from a person of influence. A fistfight over mulch?

[proudpapa]

How in the world did a Dem get elected Senator in such a conservative, beautiful state like Montana?

[proudpapa]

More importantly, when is Baucus up for re-election?

[didi]

Missoula, Bozeman and Kalispell.

[Rocky]

"Drag a bag of mulch through a trailer park, and it's amazing what you can turn up."

[freeangel]

"she has my full support"

Dems have a constitutional(it says so, right there, and they will get a dem appointed judge to say so) right to be first in line and degrade anyone who gets in their way. They are just following party principle-and the constitution, of course.

[awtcr5]

Unfortunately I think he just got in and won't be running for re-election until 2008.

[T'wit]

Mrs. Baucus simply isn't used to anyone getting to the manure before she does.