Baltimore County Councilman Todd Huff has relinquished the use of his county-owned vehicle following being charged early Saturday with drunken driving-related offenses.
"There are no excuses for my behavior. I can only promise that I will not make the same mistake in the future," Huff, a Lutherville Republican, said in a written statement released Monday afternoon. "As a first step toward accepting the consequences of my behavior, I am voluntarily relinquishing my county vehicle.
Huff was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after being pulled over in Towson shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday morning. He was driving his county-owned silver Jeep Grand Cherokee at the time of the traffic stop.
The councilman has not returned calls from the media seeking comment.
"In the early hours of this past Saturday morning, I made a very poor decision," Huff said in the statement. "I am prepared to face the consequences of that decision, and I realize that I have caused my family and friends great pain. That is something I deeply regret.
"I also regret that I let down my colleagues and the citizens of the Third District, and I recognize that I will have to work hard to regain their trust as well. I will strive to do just that."
County councilmembers are given access to a county car during their term. Nearly all of the current members use one.
The councilmembers reimburse the county for personal mileage through a payroll deduction. Councilmembers are also able to gas their cars up at county fuel depots.
Former Councilman Sam Moxley voluntarily gave up use of his county-owned Cheverolet Trailblazer following a drunk driving-related accident in 2005. He was involved in a second drunk driving-related accident four years later.
Mike Gimbel, a former long-time director of the county Bureau of Substance Abuse, said Huff's statement doesn't go far enough.
"Who cares about the car, he needs to give up the booze," Gimbel said. "If he doesn't give up drinking he can just have another accident in another car."
I know many, many residents of my District who would exert good judgement and sound priciples in service to the community. The verdict is in Mr. Huff: TIME TO RESIGN YOUR SEAT AND GET YOUR LIFE BACK ON TRACK!!!
Resign as a service to the community..
1. Taking the second drink and each one after that which put him at 2 and a half times over the legal driving limit? 2. Deciding to take each drink without a clear plan on getting home safely (and legally)? 3. Deciding it was better to attempt to drive rather than spend $15-$20 on a taxi? 4. Or was his decision not to turn his headlights on the 'bad' one? 5. Maybe he is talking about the way he tried to flex his so called 'influence' over the police at the scene of the arrest. 6. Perhaps the 'bad decision' was in the way he called the Police Commissioner - obviously trying to call in a 'favor.' 7. Maybe he regrets saying that 'he doesn't like lawyers' now that he will have to go before a judge, and every judge in the state of Maryland begins as a licensed lawyer. 8. His 'bad decision' could be in the hypocrisy of driving a county car to begin with, since he campaigned against such perks when he beat McIntyre a few years ago. So what I am seeing here is not just a 'bad decision' but an entire, stretched-out, episode of delusional behavior that is unacceptable by any decent standards.
Mr. Mohler the chief of staff for Kamenetz is working on a PIA information request from me. When I get these answers I'll be sure to post them. The County bean counters should figure out which of the choices is more economical. I am betting it is much more cost effective to use the POV routine. Then we don't have to invest in vehicles, maintenance etc. to say nothing of the loss potential if one of these vehicles gets into an accident. I guess the question is Mr. Mohler is has any one in the bean counting department figured this out?
Ya gotta love the case search!
Good luck Mr. Friese with your quest.
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