Ok, that was lame, but this story last weekend is just plain odd, from KCCI:
A Des Moines man thought a crazy person was tailgating him in a pursuit Sunday afternoon. It turned out to be Gov. Chet Culver’s car, with the governor inside.
A camera in a West Des Moines police car shows Culver and his son John climbing out of their official GMC Yukon. The governor’s driver was dressed in a light casual shirt. He’s a plainclothes state trooper working for the executive protection unit.
The pursuit ended near Grand and Interstate 35. It started just a few minutes earlier.
On Tuesday, state public safety officials identified the driver who complained as Ed Allen, of West Des Moines. State trooper Michael Clyde said Allen was driving erratically, while Allen claims the SUV tried to cut him off. (read the rest)
Somebody want to explain to the state trooper responsible for the Governor’s welfare that when he is on protection detail – traffic enforcement is not in his purview? Just saying, that was completely reckless – call it in. It seems strange that Mr. Allen was let go without a ticket or a warning.
Hmmm… Mr. Allen demanded an apology from the Governor, and the spokesperson from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Courtney Greene, said, “The governor wasn’t driving. He was a passenger driven by the state trooper. So I don’t think the governor owes anyone an apology.” Since when is it the responsibility of a DPS spokesperson to issue a statement like that?
I agree with her though, unless Governor Culver was telling his driver to go after him he really doesn’t have anything to apologize for.
Still bad PR though, like he hasn’t gotten enough of that. To that end I’ll share with you dashboard cam footage set to appropriate music provided by Craig Robinson at The Iowa Republican.
Update: KCCI video, and the driver filed a complaint.