Politics

California State Senator Arrested For Drunk Driving Hours After Voting For Anti-Uber Bill

Giuseppe Macri Tech Editor
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California state Sen. Ben Hueso was arrested for driving under the influence early last Friday hours after voting in favor of a bill placing heavy restrictions on the drivers of ride-sharing service startups Uber and Lyft.

Hueso, a Democrat who represents the Golden state’s San Diego area, was picked up and jailed by California Highway Patrol with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 after police saw the senator’s car driving the wrong way down a one-way street, according to the Sacramento Bee. He was released around noon the same day.

The senator, whose two brothers Alfredo Hueso and Jose Antonio Hueso own a taxi company based in San Diego, voted for Democratic Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian’s Assembly Bill 612 the night before. The bill mandates Uber and Lyft drivers have no criminal record, and compels them to pass a thorough background check and drug test before getting behind the wheel. The bill passed 21 to 11.

Uber has been urging users to petition their representatives to vote against such bills, which have been popping up across the country, and typically carry the support of the taxi industry.

A recent story in The Washington Post pointed out dropping DUI rates in cities including San Francisco after ride-sharing services like Uber began operating.

“I am truly and profoundly sorry for the unacceptably poor personal judgment which I demonstrated last night,” Hueso said in a statement apologizing for the incident.

“As someone who cares deeply about the public safety, I sincerely apologize to my family, my constituents and my colleagues in the Senate for breaching the trust they’ve all placed in me. I accept complete personal responsibility for my actions and any punishments that ultimately come my way as a result of this incident. I will also engage in immediate, corrective actions to ensure this kind of personal conduct is never repeated.

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