Time to Take Out the Trash
March 8th, 2007 by Maria EvansThe House Ethics Committee has released it’s “Report on Preliminary Inquiry in the Matter of John C. Atkins.” It came to the following six conclusions:
1. Using his legislative identification card as a signal to the Ocean City police officers to treat him leniently;
2. Repeatedly informing the police officers of his position and his contacts within Delaware State government which may fairly be constructed as a further effort to induce them to treat him leniently;
3. Driving on the highways of the State of Maryland and the State of Delaware in disregard of the instructions of the Ocean City Police and knowing that the Preliminary Breath Test indicated his alcohol level was in excess of the legal limit for driving on the highways of both states;
4. Being involved in an incident of domestic violence which resulted in a plea of guilty to a charge of offensive touching, a violation of Delaware law.
5. Requesting to speak with the Millsboro Chief of Police in an effort to have any charges dropped;
6. Appearing to violate the rules of the road in both Maryland and Delaware by exceeding the speed limit in Maryland and by failing to stop at a stop sign in Delaware.
Representative Atkins has 20 days to respond to the findings.
As this story has unfolded, there have been several statements by Mr. Atkins that have contradicted the facts contained in the Ocean City Police report and the Ethics Committee report. In the days following the night in question, he went on the Dan Gaffney Show and stated that alcohol was not involved in the offensive touching incident. That was clearly not true. On December 14, 2006, when I interviewed him after getting confirmation from the Ocean City Police that “he did not pass” the Preliminary Breathalizer Test, Atkins indicated to me that he was never told by the police whether or not he passed the test. That statement directly contradicts the Ocean City police report and conclusion #3 in the Ethics Committee report. In a statement published today, Atkins states:
“I’m a little disappointed. I didn’t get a chance to appear before the committee, which is my right, and I don’t understand why.” - Representative John Atkins
While page 2 of the Ethics Committee report states:
Pursuant to the Ethics Rules (Ethics Rule 8(a) (2)), Mr. Atkins was afforded the opportunity to meet with the investigators and we met with Mr. Atkins and his attorney.
So we have a state representative who allegedly wields his position to get out of trouble, who offensively touches his wife, and who allegedly gets behind the wheel of his car, drunk, TWICE, the second time AFTER BEING TOLD HE WAS TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE BY THE POLICE, and with total, flagrant, disregard for the safety of the rest of the community.
It’s time to take out the trash, State House of Representatives, because as my mother always said, “it’s not going to take itself out.”
UPDATE: MADD changes it’s tune…
March 8th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
The next thing?… we’ll be seeing Mr. Atkins on “Representatives Gone Wild.”
I agree with you Maria, it’s time for Mr. Atkins to ride into the sunset…hopefully, though, someone else will be behind the wheel.
March 8th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Maria, under House Rules, meeting with the committees investigators is not the same as meeting with the actual committee.
March 9th, 2007 at 7:47 am
The fact that Jim Adkins got BACK behind the wheel of a vehicle after being told his BAC was well over the legal limit shows total disregard for the citizens of Delaware and the laws of the state represents. The actions against his wife that same evening show the respect he gives to someone he supposedly loves. WOnder what Dirk Moore has to say about this. Adkins was so quick to supply his name as a suspect in the MADD office building ruckus- yet Adkins is also quick to whip out his legislature ID card to get himself out of hot water.
“TRASH IS FOR THE BIRDS” it’s time this buzzard flies the coop
March 9th, 2007 at 8:18 am
So Mr. Adkins may not have told the complete truth.
Perhaps it is the truth as he remembers it from the fog of intoxication.
Mr. Adkins should resign. You know he will not.
March 9th, 2007 at 8:53 am
I was amused to hear that Mr. Atkins and his wife made a stop at Smitty McGee’s after the incident in Ocean City. He has been reported as saying there was no further drinking done there, but just what other reason would he have for stopping there on the way home. I find that very interesting indeed.
March 9th, 2007 at 9:57 am
John Atkins is the Legislator. Jim Adkins is a well respected Sussex County prosecutor
March 9th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Does this report boil down to a slap on the wrist, or will there be a further ethics hearing possibly ending in John’s impeachment ?
March 9th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Always good to have a night cap before you hit your spouse. Takes off the edge.
March 9th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Bottom line, Mr. Adkins was in a position of ensuring laws and standards be enforced and upheld. Not doing that for himself he’s voided his ability and his right to do so for anyone else.
March 9th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
# Ckars Says:
March 9th, 2007 at 9:57 am
John Atkins is the Legislator. Jim Adkins is a well respected Sussex County prosecutor
Sorry about the name confusion- I was hungover-
March 9th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
“Mr. Adkins was in a position of ensuring laws and standards be enforced and upheld.”
Actually, that’s not his job. His job is to make the laws. Ruth Ann is the enforcer.
March 9th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
DIRK MOORE IS A POLITICAL PRISONER- THE OTHER GUY IS A POLITICAL TYRANT
“TRASH IS FOR THE BIRDS” -it’s time this buzzard flies the coop
March 9th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
If he elects to make and pass them he expects them to be enforced and upheld…his responsibilities are no less. If that’s not so then he (or anyone else) shouldn’t be there in the first places.
March 9th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
According to the ethics report OCPD states in the report “although Mr. Atkins appeared to have been drinking he was not drunk” Why are we not calling for Joe Connors resignation from the Gov. council on alcohol abuse? For Gods sake he was involved in a traffic accident and almost killed three people after a night of boozing it up!!! Oh I forgot we’re not allowed to bring that up on this forum.
March 10th, 2007 at 8:16 am
“If he elects to make and pass them he expects them to be enforced and upheld…”
Of course he expects them to be enforced. It’s just not his responsibility to enforce them.
“Why are we not calling for Joe Connors resignation from the Gov. council on alcohol abuse?”
Ok, I’ll call for it. I almost forgot about all threads about that incident I started that were deleted.
March 10th, 2007 at 8:31 am
RonR–your comment was very funny. What a sense of humor you have-loved it!!!!
March 10th, 2007 at 11:11 am
I am a conservative. I feel often historically that democrats get a free pass on issues like these. Still that does not make it right to break the law. When we conservatives start acting like Democrats or justifying something very wrong such as this by labeling it as a “witchhunt” then we are acting like Democrats. I have always supported Mr. Adkins legislative actions. I feel that a public official must uphold the law and lead as an example. I have lost a lot of faith in our goverment officals in recent years. It used be just the Democrats but now we Republicans justify the same actions by using the excuse for a witchhunt. I think often MADD members are labeled as radicals. However, until you have lost a loved-one or two especially under 12 years old peoplee don’t understand it. I feel great shame for my fellow party members justifying something very wrong by using politics as an excuse. I guess the Republican part does not stand for morals anymore. When you go to bed tonight make sure you give your son/daughter a hug and appreciate them as when their lives are taken innocently they don’t mention anything about being a Republican or Democrat at the funeral.
March 10th, 2007 at 11:20 am
I don’t agree with Maria on WGMD most of the time for I feel she is liberal. However, I am a conservative and I feel Mr. Adkins should resign. I don’t care about past history of elected officials. We need to start now making elected officials accountable for the behaviors. What kind of example does that set fopr young men in college or high school students when they see the results of wreckless behavior swept under the rug.
March 10th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
I am still wondering what the ID card is used for?
Can Atkins use it to check out a library book? Easy Pass? Food Lion discounts? Happy Hour prices during regular service?
I want to know.
And while I am here, no one deserves special treatment in regards to the laws or rules of the road. OC has plenty of hotels and public transportation. There is no excuse for a DUI or alcohol related stop or accident in that town.
Should have planned a romantic night out in Ocean City and rented a room instead of spending the night running around like a little rat trying to figure out how to get home and then arguing with the wife all night.
Ridiculous.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
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