A New York Democrat lawmaker is facing criminal charges after a weekend car accident that resulted in his arrest.
The Washington Free Beacon reported that Tony Arquiett served on St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators was charged with cocaine possession, driving while intoxicated and failure to maintain right while driving after a crash that reportedly involved a single other vehicle.
Deeply disappointed
The lawyer for the Democrat stated in a statement that he would continue to serve on the board as the charges are pending.
Edward Narrow, Attorney, also stated that the 56-year old was “disappointed” by what happened.
“Tony is deeply disappointed in the decisions that he made on Dec. 4, 2021, prior to his arrest. He has expressed remorse for the accident and has made apologies to his wife, Wendy, of 37 years, and to his mother,” Narrow told NNY360.
Narrow continued: “Tony would also like to continue to express his concern for the safety and welfare of the other parties involved in the motor vehicle accident, and to express his remorse and apologize to the members of the community for his conduct.”
According to the Free Beacon the lawyer stated that Arquiett “fully intends” to address any issues that may arise from his arrest. He also plans to continue serving his community as the case progresses through the criminal justice system.
Time to resign
The decision to remain on the board has been criticized by fellow New York legislators, including Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.
According to the Free Beacon, she responded to the charges by saying, “The silence of all North Country Democrats is deafening, and I urge Democrats to demand Arquiett’s resignation now and make clear that drugs have no place in our community, especially among our elected leaders.”
According to the outlet, two additional New York legislators were also charged with cocaine possession in this year’s election.
Simon Conroy was one of the victims. He was a Clinton County legislator and resigned in September after a series of charges, which also included resisting arrest and disorderly behavior. According to reports, the other is former Massena Mayor Tim Currier. He resigned in January.
