Posted on 08/21/2012 10:12:41 AM PDT by doug from upland
Rep. Todd Akin, facing calls to step aside from his bid to challenge Sen. Claire McCaskill, once called for his party's state house leader to resign his leadership post following a drunk driving incident, according to local news reports.
Akin, who used the term "legitimate rape" to argue the false claim that women who are raped don't get pregnant, called on then Missouri House GOP leader, Mark Richardson, to quit his post in 1997.
From the Columbia Tribune:
Republican lawmakers interviewed yesterday said they were expecting Richardson to step aside. ``That is the logical thing, just in terms of keeping our focus on legislation,'' said Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis.
A host of Republican leaders have called on Akin to resign. Sen. John Cornyn has pledged to without NRSC support unless Akin quits the race against the vulnerable Democrat.
Tribune Online News Story
[Back | Archive]
Story ran on April 29, 1997
JEFFERSON CITY — Stung by his second drunken-driving arrest in two years,
state Rep. Mark Richardson resigned this morning from his job as Republican
floor leader.
After the second GOP caucus in as many days, Richardson said his family must
come before his political life.
``I do not feel like I was forced to resign at all,’’ Richardson said, despite
numerous public comments from fellow Republicans that he should do so.
Richardson pleaded guilty today to two misdemeanors as a result of his Friday
night arrest in Jefferson City. He was sentenced in circuit court to 200 hours
of community service and attendance in the Substance Abuse Traffic Offenders
Program for driving while intoxicated and child endangerment.
He was stopped after a Missouri Highway Patrol trooper saw him weaving across
Highway 50 near the patrol’s Troop F headquarters. A breath analysis showed
his blood alcohol content was 0.11 percent; the legal maximum is 0.10.
His 4-year-old daughter, Megan, was in the car with him. Richardson was
acquitted in his previous drunken-driving arrest, in 1995 in Arkansas, after
pleading that cold medicine caused breath analysis equipment to make an
improper reading.
House Republicans met for 90 minutes yesterday evening and for more than an
hour again this morning before Richardson announced his resignation. The
leadership post will go unfilled until Monday, when the GOP will caucus again
to select a replacement.
One prominent member, Rep. Don Lograsso, R-Blue Springs and assistant floor
leader, took himself out of the running this morning. Lograsso said the caucus
did not call on Richardson to resign.
``I don’t think it was for me or the rest of the caucus to make that
decision,’’ Lograsso said.
Lograsso said many members, however, aired their opinions before Richardson
made his announcement. ``I don’t think anyone in the caucus took pleasure in
Mark’s troubles,’’ he said.
While Richardson has admitted drinking before leaving his Poplar Bluff home,
he said he would ``plead guilty’’ in a letter to his colleagues.
Richardson and his daughter were traveling from their Poplar Bluff home to
Columbia to meet with his wife, Kathy Richardson, and son, Chris, at the
finals of a state speech tournament.
In his report to Cole County prosecutor Rich Callahan, trooper D.F. Rexroad
said Richardson had ``watery bloodshot eyes, and I could smell a strong odor
of intoxicants on his breath.’’
Richardson told the trooper he had ``a couple of beers at home.’’ He failed
the roadside sobriety tests, losing his balance at one point. During the
finger-to-nose test, Richardson missed the tip of his nose during four out of
six attempts, the trooper reported.
After being informed he would be arrested, Richardson told Rexroad that ``I am
going to tell you something that probably doesn’t make any difference at all,
and it probably shouldn’t, but I serve in the legislature.’’
Today, Richardson refused to say how many drinks he had consumed before
leaving home about 7:30 p.m. He was arrested shortly before 11 p.m.
Republican lawmakers interviewed yesterday said they were expecting Richardson
to step aside. ``That is the logical thing, just in terms of keeping our focus
on legislation,’’ said Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis.
Some GOP House members said they were willing to let Richardson stay on in a
caretaker role until the legislature finishes work May 16.
Richardson is the third member of the House to be charged with DWI this year.
Rep. Phil Tate, D-Gallatin, and Rep. Kate Hollingsworth, D-Jefferson County,
both pleaded guilty after being arrested.
Republican state chairman Woody Cozad, in a prepared statement, said that
Richardson had done the right thing by stepping down. ``By admitting his
mistake, Mark is doing the right thing for himself, his family, his
constituents and his colleagues.’’
Taking care of his problems should come first, said Rep. Sandy Kauffman,
R-Kansas City. ``It is an unpleasant situation that the majority of us don’t
enjoy dealing with,’’ she said. ``The caucus will not fall apart, but you have
only a few chances with your family.’’
By RUDI KELLER
CUTLINE
Mark Richardson
“Impaired Talking”...
Now control of the U.S. Senate, 0bamacare repeal, etc. is on the line.
For the good of the Country over self, Mr. Akin resign!
Since when does an inarticulate statement (in defense of the unborn) equal a DUI?
Todd Akin Broke No Laws!
Todd Akin is a Solid Pro Life Conservative!
How could one even begin to equate Saving Babies from Death and Driving Drunk and possibly killing babies?
“Since when does an inarticulate statement (in defense of the unborn) equal a DUI?”
What laws did Rep. Akin break?
Re: For the good of the Country over self, Mr. Akin resign!
He won’t do it. His chest thumping ego will keep him from doing what is right for the country. He is the typical @##$% politician.
I’d rather see Cheif Justice Roberts resign.
“Todd Akin Broke No Laws!
Todd Akin is a Solid Pro Life Conservative!”
“How could one even begin to equate Saving Babies from Death and Driving Drunk and possibly killing babies?”
“I’d rather see Cheif Justice Roberts resign.”
As long as the MSM drives the discussion of the campaign. You really want to hear about this 'inarticulate statement' 24/7 for the next couple of months?! Claire, who also invested in the Akin primary win, is begging for Akin to stay.
Who Isn’t Calling for Akin’s Withdrawal? Claire McCaskill & Planned Parenthood.
Akin is being used. Big time!
Akin is going to win this!
The Republican convention is coming up, Romney/Ryan’s best opportunity to get out their message and define themselves. And now this Akin fiasco is going to overshadow the entire convention. The damage caused by this might well reverberate far beyond just control of the Senate. We might lose a swing state or two over this.
But at what cost? The very future of our Republic hangs in the balance over this election, and he wants to risk it all over this?
Bump that post!
Todd. Which is more precious? You keeping the Senate seat, or unborn babies.
This might be where Akins got his idea. May have been a common belief.
I recall my mother telling me once that a miscarriage was the woman’s body way of preventing defective baby births.
“We might lose a swing state or two over this.’
Is it worth continuing to compromise our principles for political expediency? The GOP Establishment has led us to believe this for far too long.
“Akin is going to win this!”
Todd Akin is better than this. He should step aside for the good of the pro-life movement.
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