Rhode Island Politician Who Joked About Pot-Smoking Immigrants Facing Marijuana Charges

In February, the Republican Minority Leader in Rhode Island's House, Robert Watson, described his feelings about the state's General Assembly to a Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce group: "I suppose if you're a gay man from Guatemala who gambles and smokes pot, you probably think that we're onto some good ideas here." He later declined to apologize for the remark.

You already know what comes next: On Friday night, Watson, who has reportedly been dismissive of pot legalization in the past, was charged with marijuana possession and driving under the influence after being pulled over at an East Haven, Connecticut police checkpoint, according to The Boston Herald:

A police report on Friday's traffic stop said Watson smelled of alcohol and marijuana and performed poorly on sobriety tests. An officer found a bag of suspected marijuana and a wooden pipe in Watson's pocket. An alcohol breath test performed at the police station determined that Watson's blood-alcohol level was 0.05 percent, below the state's 0.08 limit…"Trace evidence of marijuana was discovered and I was charged with operating under the influence, a charge I vehemently deny," Watson said in the statement.

Comments

[SugarFree]

As long as drugs are illegal, I'm fine with every government employee having to take constant, mandatory drug tests. They want to keep shitting on liberty, they can roll around in it for a change.

[Chris Mallory]

Make sure steroids and HGH are included in the testing and that it has to apply to cops and firemen.

[SugarFree]

Anything illegal. Anything. And give them breathalysers periodically throughout the workday. Making laws while drunk is exponentially more dangerous than driving a car while drunk.

[Teddy's ghost]

...the fuck you just say?

[SugarFree]

Watch out for that curve.

[fresno dan]

you forget that legal pharmaceuticals can be illegal if you operate a motor vehicle. We had a deputy dog here in DC who loved giving tickets for impaired driving if he could get you to admit to taking an anti-histamine. Could we impeach supreme courts justices if we knew they were high on sudafed when writing an opinion???

[SugarFree]

Yes. In SugarFreetopia, impeachment only requires hypocrisy. And recalls only require 20%.

[JW]

We've always been at war with SugarFreetopia.

[Duncan20903]

Where the heck do they give tickets for impaired driving?

[Duncan20903]

Where the heck do they give tickets for impaired driving?

[Zeb]

DWI="Driving While Impaired"

[Zeb]

I think I missed the point.

[Derp]

That raises an interesting point... All government workers, from the post office to the president, ought to be required to take periodic drug tests.

[Pro Libertate]

Since the president has the power to wipe out a good portion of humanity, that's a justifiable requirement.

[Derp]

Then again, I can't imagine the infrastructure changes and costs of implementing such a system. Maybe make them use an approved lab and submit results every 3-6 months?

I could see a bill like this having support among the general population.

[SugarFree]

Federal employee pay cut could fund the whole thing.

[Derp]

Yes, we'll just tell them it's a "benefit".... They love benefits....

[Paul]

Or get some of our reliably liberal commenters to contort themselves into convincing them it's analagous to a "tax", and thus justifiable under the commerce clause.

[Paul]

Federal employee pay cut could fund the whole thing.

No it couldn't. You know how poorly compensated those sacrificing-workers are!

[Walter]

Make them pay for it themselves when the sample is submitted.

[Pro Libertate]

I suggest that we attach a blood scanning monitor to the president 24/7. After all, he can nuke at any time--there's no break from that awesome responsibility.

Good thing our presidents are wise and sane as can be, huh? Since we're letting them hold a gun to our head and everything.

[creech]

Makes sense for a permanent hookup. After all, who has time for a bloodtest when he's involved in filling out long, complicated passport questionaires, doing his 1040, reading 2,000 page legislation, etc. that should also be required as part of the job.

[Pro Libertate]

The device could also deliver calming medications in case he has a apoplectic fit or a psychotic break of some sort.

Later, perhaps it could be wired with a electroshock device that could be triggered remotely by a majority of Americans.

[Pro Libertate]

An apoplectic fit and an electroshock device. Sorry for any confusion.

[SugarFree]

Use no articles. Make you sound like surly Russian man.

[Pro Libertate]

That's not my idiom.

[Yakoff Smirnoff]

In Soviet Russia, article drop YOU!

[Zeb]

Sure, but I don't think it is fair to assume that the president would make a worse decision while on drugs.

[cynical]

Once a week for life/death stuff, once a month for otherwise critical stuff, once a year for everything else.

[Brett L]

At the state level, in Florida, they have pretty limited recourse. Public safety officers, prison guards, and anyone who operates a vehicle as part of their job can be randomly tested. Randomly testing office drones is a violation of the 5th Amendment. No, really. Even though their employment contract is not really any different than Walmart, because their employer is the state, it is illegal search and seizure.

[SugarFree]

I extend to government the same respect for 5th Ad. rights that they have extended to me. In other words, whip 'em out/hike up that skirt and start pissing.

[Pro Libertate]

We have probably cause that the government is breaking a number of laws, including exigent circumstances which obviate the need to obtain a warrant. Therefore, citizens may enter any government facility to seize incriminating documents.

[bigbigslacker]

Isn't it curious how this works? If an employee of the government is proven to have not had a valid warrant while conduction a search, charges against a defendant MAY be dropped or just fall flat in court. If a private citizen wiretaps or searches a home or business without a warrant they probably WILL go to jail. It's a good system if you're on the right end of it.

[Pro Libertate]

It's good to be the king.

[Brett L]

I'm with you on this one. Gov. Scott is still making a run at it. I was doing contract work for FLDOC when the Secretary implemented random drug testing, (correctly, by being the first guy to piss in a cup and not giving any staff exemption) and it was like the apocalypse was descending. Never mind that there had been 3 major steroid ring scandals involving guards in 6 months. I hope they implement it, even if I have to do it as a sometimes contractor. As you say, make it onerous on everyone.

[fresno dan]

A lot of drugs can be taken by suppositories. I say we have a 24/7 colon cam to make sure everything up there is all natural all the time. And might as well check for a low fat high vegetable diet to keep in accord with the First Lady's policies.

[Kristen]

Federal employees agree to random drug tests. However, in my four years working among them, only one of my government colleagues got picked to pee.

[SFC B]

My command randomly selects 20% of the assigned strength every month and has to have every Soldier tested during the course of a year.

That every other Federal and state employee seems to not have to pee in a cup is pissing me off.

[Duncan20903]

So basically you want a government that's 100% staffed by anti-drug zealots in order to avoid having a few hypocrites? Rep Watson did vote in favor of RI's medicinal cannabis law and to override the Know Nothing Governor's veto.

Yeah, great idea, let's cut off our nose to spite our collective face.

You guys do realize that the reason that the government workers aren't required to take the whiz quiz is because the SCOTUS ruled it unconstitutional except in positions that affect public safety, right? Doesn't that mean that you want to limit our Constitutional protection for our natural born rights?

You need to think this through. Your kneejerk reactions are coming from the same part of your brain that the idea of prohibitionism comes from for the Know Nothings.

[Chris Mallory]

"Doesn't that mean that you want to limit our Constitutional protection for our natural born rights?"

No, but I do want government employees to lose all Constitutional protections. I want government employment to be nasty, brutish and unattractive. Government employees should lose the rights citizens have. If they want to work for government, they should pay some penalty.

[waffles]

This. I can't understand why I have drug tested, the greeter at Wally World gets drug tested, but the people actually keeping this prohibition evironment intact can be stoned as they wanna be.

If the lawmakers/public servants were sunject to the same hostile invasions of privacy as the citizenry I suspect we would see a change of policy. Until then, better not question our superiors or they'll force you to piss in a cup while they watch.

[yup]

Rules and laws are for citizens.

[cynical]

Rules and laws are for citizens subjects.

[Duncan20903]

It would be because the Constitution doesn't apply to private employers. Exactly the same reason that a burglar can break into your house, find that you're growing cannabis, and inform the police of it without violating your 4th Amendment rights, where if a police officer did it the evidence should be excluded.

The greeter at Walmart gets tested pre-employment only unless injured on the job and trying to collect unemployment.

[Duncan20903]

Damnit, did I accidentally land on the NPR website? I thought I aimed for a Libertarian oriented website, how did I land in a nest of government regulation loving liberals?

[Nipplemancer]

have them all submit to blood & urine screening at the beginning and end of each work-day while on the public dime.

[SugarFree]

And surrender hair samples upon returning from a break.

[Nipplemancer]

and not just one hair but a handful... you can't be too sure.

[SugarFree]

And they should be fingerprinted, DNA databased, iris scanned, and colon printed.

[Nipplemancer]

they need a registry. for the children.

[SugarFree]

Yes. A registry. You have the right to be informed if a federal employee moves into your neighborhood.

[capitol l]

Colon print!?

Do you realize how much that will cost?

Don't you know how many assholes work in government?

[SugarFree]

The rank, numerous and teeming assholocity is why we must colon print. To save on money: no anesthetic. Not even a Valium. In case they are "drug-seekers."

[fresno dan]

I think its called "assholocracy"

[JT Florida]

Who is going to pay for this? The government confiscates enough from us already. We don't need them confiscating more money from us. America needs legalization of drugs more than more testing and other drug war activities.

[SugarFree]

I can fund my initiative purely through spending cuts. Let's start with 20% across the board. Then 10% a year for 10 years.

[Nipplemancer]

they're paid plenty by us so I know they can handle the costs.

[Derp]

They would pay for it themselves, through their medical benefits.

[Kristen]

Federal employees' medical benefits are courtesy of teh taxpayers. They should pay out-of-pocket for testing.

[JT Florida]

All the money in their pockets already comes from taxpayers. Rather than effectively cutting their pay, which is the effect that making them pay for these tests would have, why not actually cut their pay and give this money back to the taxpayers? Plus, creating a regime of mandatory drug testing creates another business, sort of like defense contractors, that has every incentive to support candidates that will maintain or expand the size of government. Think about it, if you own a company that gets lots of money from drug testing government employees, you are going to oppose any candidate that supports reducing the number of government employees. Is that what libertarians want?

No more of this crap, just give us back our money!

[Pip]

"Who is going to pay for this?"

It can come out of their union dues.

[Duncan20903]

Liberals make me nauseous. See ya later.

[SFC B]

For a magazine called "reason"...

[Hank]

See ya later

...he said, to a thread that was dead three hours before he showed up. Burn!

[JT Florida]

The problem is that the elected officials often exclude themselves from drug-testing, while making the unelected officials take the tests.

[SugarFree]

I think it's good to start thinking about these things before the next Constitutional convention.

[SIV]

I propose we start mandatory government employee random drug testing with JT Florida.

[sarcasmic]

But I thought one of the perks of lawmaking and law enforcement was not having to follow the rules you foist onto others.

Kinda like cooks can eat free, pilots can fly free, cops can commit murder, politicians can drive drunk...

Perks.

[Paul]

As long as drugs are illegal, I'm fine with every government employee having to take constant, mandatory drug tests. They want to keep shitting on liberty, they can roll around in it for a change.

This.

[Zeb]

What about the one's who think drugs should be legal? They aren't very many, but I think there must be a few.

[Zeb]

I know that this is an amusing and hilarious topic to think about, but what happened to principles? Two wrongs don't make a right, you know. No one should be piss tested as a condition of employment (yes, private employers can chose to do whatever they want, but fuck them anyway if they want me to piss for a job). Especially not elected representatives. It is voters' responsibility to toss out hypocrites if they don't want hypocrites in office. Voters are also free to elect whatever sort of vile hypocrites they choose to.
In any case, I think that more drug use among politicians should be encouraged. It could hardly make things worse, could it?

[AU H20]

I am shocked, shocked to find gambling in this institution!

[waffles]

A wooden pipe? Suspected pot? Not only a hypocrite, but a rank amateur.

[Ska]

It didn't say K-2 and a bent soda can with pin holes....

C'mon waffles, you're telling me you never picked up a $2 corn cob pipe at the gas station?

[SugarFree]

Mock not the can pipe, for it is wise and terrible.

[Ska]

Well it sure beats the hell out of smoking a joint rolled from a post-it note, I'll give it that.

[SugarFree]

I think my lowest joint-rolling moment was a tampon-wrapper. Which wasn't that bad, especially since it was an unscented tampon.

[Episiarch]

You are truly vile.

I did an apple once, but that was more as a lark that anything else.

[Nipplemancer]

tampon wrapper? couldn't you find a bible or something.

[SugarFree]

The street finds its own uses for things.

[JW]

Let he among you who has not smoked resin scrapings on tin foil, whence you have run out on a Monday night, cast the first coke can.

[R C Dean]

[sheepishly puts down coke can.]

[Nipplemancer]

damn JW, now I feel like a heel. i've actually borrowed a bowl from someone just to scrape enough resin to get high.

[wylie]

heel-nothing! Waste not, want not, mf'ers.

[Ska]

I've seen a friend pack a bong of nothing but seeds and stems.

Smoking resonated tin foil is absolutely a better idea than the former.

[wylie]

"a friend", ok, sure, *wink* *wink*

[Ska]

Hahaha - wylie I've gotten desperate, but not that desperate...

[Nipplemancer]

stems & seeds? the only buzz you get is from the oxygen starvation when you try holding it in.

[Nipplemancer]

prosecute this motherfucker to the fullest extent of the law. maximum jail time and maximum fines.
after a few months in the county lockup and several thousand dollars poorer, he might change his tune in supporting the never-ending WOD.
I'd also support public flogging if it is an option.

[mantolama]

Making laws while drunk is exponentially more dangerous than driving a car while drunk.

[Aresen]

I'm enjoying every bit of this.

The only thing missing was a gay lover in the passenger seat.

[SugarFree]

*Guatemalan gay lover*

[R C Dean]

A gay Guatemalan in the passenger seat, that is.

[R C Dean]

Damn you, SugarFree! Damn your speedy connection to hell!

[SugarFree]

In recompense.

[Rather]

What's it like to be a blogwhore?

[Rather]

What's it like to be a blogwhore?

[SugarFree]

Yell louder! I can't hear you.

[Rather]

I don't need to baby

[SugarFree]

Nope. Still not loud enough.

[Episiarch]

What's it like to be a blogwhore?

You'll have to answer your own question, rectal.

[spencer]

Well, let me see. Feels kinda nice. So this is what whores feel like?

[nobody]

Gay Guatamalan lover.

[nobody]

Goddamn shit.

[Chris Mallory]

He will get that in the county lockup.

[Apologetic California]

"Republican Minority Leader in Rhode Island's House"

Must be the easiest job in politics. Or is it the Minority Leader of the one-man Republican state senate caucus in Hawaii.

[SFC B]

It must suck to be the Republican in Hawaii. Being blamed for EVERYTHING wrong with the state.

[spencer]

What?! He WASN'T caught getting a blowjob from a Thai rentboy?

Now I am suprised.

[grrizzly]

He later declined to apologize for the remark.

At least one good thing about him

[Kristen]

Schadenfreude tastes delicious. Like Grandma's pfeffernusse.

[Fiscal Meth]

"'I suppose if you're a gay man from Guatemala who gambles and smokes pot, you probably think that we're onto some good ideas here.' He later declined to apologize for the remark.
You already know what comes next: On Friday night..."
...his Guatemalan boyfriend bet him $100 that he couldn't make it through the sobriety checkpoint after two shots of vodka and two hits from the vaporizer.

[P Brooks]

Not that I have any sympathy whatsoever for this sleazebag, but his BAC was below the limit, and they charged him with DUI anyway?

WTF?

[SugarFree]

Not sure about RI, but in KY any amount of marijuana is considered "impairment."

[Troy]

You know why they can't solve any murders in Kentucky? All the DNA is the same and there are no dental records.

I take it, in Kentucky, people just stair when you use the word consanguinity.

[SugarFree]

Mostly they just stare.

[Brett L]

The Iron Law is a bitch, homophone.

[Troy]

I don't hate gay people.

[Ska]

Gay sounding people then?

[Nephilium]

Look at the DUI/OVI/DWI laws. They're some of the most evil rules out there. At least in Ohio, you can blow a .001, and still be charged with OVI (Operating a Vehicle under the Influence). The decision to charge you is up to the officer's discretion.

[Kristen]

In DC, anything other than 0.00 will get you arrested.

[Kristen]

(That was meant as a reply to PB)

[Attila the Huh]

Rep. Laurence Ehrhardt, R-North Kingstown, said the drug charges aren't causing him to reconsider his support for Watson. But he worries the incident could distract lawmakers from more important work. "It's obviously very unfortunate," Ehrhardt told The Associated Press. "But I will fight to make sure this doesn't divert us for one minute from the budget."

A whole lotta "Huh?" in there.

[Rich]

"Trace evidence of marijuana was discovered and I was charged with operating under the influence, a charge I vehemently deny," Watson said

A) "Yep, I lost the buzz big time when that pig officer pulled me over."

B) (rising intonation) What about the evidence, Rep. Watson?

[yonemoto]

Yes, but does he SOMALIA, too?

[wylie]

I think I need to SOMALIA right now. I'll be in my bunk...

[Thom]

They set up police checkpoints to catch hypocritical politicians now? Awesome.

[mantolama]

I was charged with operating under the influence, a charge I vehemently deny," Watson said in the statement.

[prefabrik]

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[aluminyum]

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[mobilya]

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[dunya rehberi]

below the state's 0.08 limi influence, a charge I vehemently deny," Watson said in the statement.

[yemek tarifi]

with socialism is who gets to decide and how do they decide it? Anywhere that socialism has been tried it has led to

[prefabrik]

police checkpoints to catch hypocritical politicians now? Awesome.

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