# Sen. Crapo arrested for DUI **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 24, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016 "2012-12-24T15:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/1 "2012-12-24T15:24:13Z")
Sen Crapo (R-ID) was arrested for DUI in Virginia on Sunday morning. [Story](http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/mike-crapo-drunk-driving-85451.html?hp=f3) He isn’t the first nor will he be the last Senator to drive drunk. This was rather mild DUI arrest, his BAC was .11 and there was no accident or any other aggravating circumstance. He ran a red light and was stopped for it. I find it very interesting that a DC/Virginia police officer would arrest a sitting US Senator just before Christmas. Any particular theory? Perhaps he was just an ass to the officer and tried the, “Do you know who I am?” line too strongly. Maybe the officer is strong with the union and wanted to make an example of the union busting GOP? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/2 "2012-12-24T15:28:57Z")
Maybe the cop just caught someone driving drunk, and did his job? It doesn’t have to be political. Unless you’re arguing that he _should_ have treated a senator differently from anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/3 "2012-12-24T15:29:12Z")
Maybe the cop was honest and doing his job properly. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/4 "2012-12-24T15:34:43Z")
If you drive drunk, you are arrested. End of story. If the senator _wasn’t_ arrested, _that_ would be a scandal. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/5 "2012-12-24T15:45:08Z")
For me, the most interesting part of the story is that Crapo is a Mormon bishop and “Crapo has told the Associated Press in past interviews that he abstains from drinking alcohol.” I guess he injects it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/6 "2012-12-24T15:53:42Z")
I’m sure he pronounces his name with a long “a”, but still… what an unfortunate thing to have to live with. That could drive anyone to drink! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/7 "2012-12-24T16:18:26Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > For me, the most interesting part of the story is that Crapo is a Mormon bishop and “Crapo has told the Associated Press in past interviews that he abstains from drinking alcohol.” This. A single DUI for a social drinker isn’t generally a big red flag for pathology (other than risks to all associated with driving drunk), but more of a wake-up call. (Get a 2nd one, and then it is a big red flag for alcohol issues.) But a single DUI for someone who claims to not drink at all generally indicates a significant problem with alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/8 "2012-12-24T16:35:01Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > This. > > A single DUI for a social drinker isn’t generally a big red flag for pathology (other than risks to all associated with driving drunk), but more of a wake-up call. (Get a 2nd one, and then it is a big red flag for alcohol issues.) > > But a single DUI for someone who claims to not drink at all generally indicates a significant problem with alcohol. I don’t know. He has a specific reason to lie about drinking no matter how much he drinks. Now, if I were to lie and say I don’t drink, that might be a red flag since I have no reason to lie about it. There’s no downside to me being a social drinker. I also think that it is a big deal for any Senator to get a DUI. They should be role models, not law breakers. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/9 "2012-12-24T16:55:20Z")
He must be using literalist obfuscation. I mean, I abstain from sex (as much as 23 hours every day) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/10 "2012-12-24T17:13:29Z")
But then, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if his claim to Mormonism were purely political in the first place. In this country, you have to at least pretend to be religious to get elected in most constituencies. (That’s why we have so many Protestants in office: Protestantism has the least motions to go through in order to give the appearance of religiosity,) In which case, his real problem was choosing the wrong religion to fake. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/11 "2012-12-24T17:22:24Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > But then, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if his claim to Mormonism were purely political in the first place. Or he could just be a Mormon who lies about drinking, as some percentage of them have to be doing. That’d be the simplest explanation. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/12 "2012-12-24T17:29:36Z")
Well, Larry Craig had a secret double life centered around tap dancing in public restrooms. Maybe Mike Crapo (yes, it is pronounced with a long “a”) has been bar hopping around DC in his off hours. Actually, I"ve known a fairish number of Mormons who like to bend an elbow now and then, but they’ve sure god learned to be discrete about it. I doubt it will hurt him too much…he is highly regarded in his home state. As it happens, Crapo is one of the few Republicans that I’ve retained some measure of respect for, based primarily on his excellent work on the [Owyhee Initiative](http://www.owyheeinitiative.org/); one of the best pieces of environmental legislation I’ve ever seen, and one which could and should serve as a model for land-use planning on public lands everywhere. SS ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/13 "2012-12-24T17:32:45Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I find it very interesting that a DC/Virginia police officer would arrest a sitting US Senator just before Christmas. > > Any particular theory? I’m going with “He ran a read light” and “…his BAC was 0.11…”. I find it very interesting that you’d try and make a drunk driving arrest into some sort of political conspiracy. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/14 "2012-12-24T17:37:54Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Or he could just be a Mormon who lies about drinking, as some percentage of them have to be doing. That’d be the simplest explanation. That’s what I think. My ex-father-in-law was a professor at a strict Christian college where drinking was not permitted. He was a glass of wine with dinner guy but kept that secret from some of his colleagues. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/15 "2012-12-24T18:09:31Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > If you drive drunk, you are arrested. End of story. > > If the senator _wasn’t_ arrested, _that_ would be a scandal. Nothing is a scandal unless the public hears of it. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/16 "2012-12-24T18:13:57Z")
> [@](#): > > The 61-year-old Republican is serving his third term in the U.S. Senate. Crapo is Mormon, and has said publicly that he abstains from alcohol. Oops. Made a huge mistake there. He’s got some splanin’ to do. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/17 "2012-12-24T18:15:19Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Or he could just be a Mormon who lies about drinking, as some percentage of them have to be doing. That’d be the simplest explanation. Yep, my guess too. Guy made a mistake and he will either learn from it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/18 "2012-12-24T19:36:26Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > Yep, my guess too. Guy made a mistake and he will either learn from it or not. By “mistake,” do you mean lying to the public about drinking, or driving drunk? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/19 "2012-12-24T19:40:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > By “mistake,” do you mean lying to the public about drinking, or driving drunk? They’re never sorry for what they did, just sorry they got caught. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016/20 "2012-12-24T22:04:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Or he could just be a Mormon who lies about drinking, as some percentage of them have to be doing. That’d be the simplest explanation. Old joke: What’s the difference between a Baptist and a Methodist? The Methodist will say “hi” at the liquor store. This story is at the top of the news. Meh. I don’t put his hypocrisy here in the same category as secretly gay homophobes. Plenty of “Jack Mormons” around, who don’t drink… in public. He might have to answer to his church, but he doesn’t owe non Mormon constituents anything, just an apology for poor judgment (although he is in the second most Mormon state). Also, is it standard in that area to do a breathalyzer on a routine traffic stop? I’m guessing he had signs of drunkeness that gave probable cause. 0.11 isn’t that much as far as visible signs go, but who knows how used he is to drinking and maintaining anyway. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-crapo-arrested-for-dui/645016.md?page=2)