Lawmaker Becomes Lawbreaker - Finally Buys Hands-Free Device
By DEBRA ALFARONE
Updated 5:30 PM EST, Wed, Nov 18, 2009
He’s supposed to make the law, but instead Newtown Police arrested a state lawmaker for breaking the law.
Police say they pulled over State Representative Jason Bartlett on Church Hill Road Tuesday morning for talking on his cell phone without a hands-free device.
Then, they say they found out the Democrat who represents Bethel, Danbury and Redding was driving with a suspended license.
The lawmaker says he didn't know his license wasn't valid. He says he found out when police arrested him, then he found out why. He says it was because he never paid an old ticket for, ironically, talking on a cell phone without a hands-ree device.
But the story doesn't stop there. Police say the registration on Bartlett's car was expired. He says, the paperwork was never sent in, "I've been traveling and now, it's been brought it to my attention, I'll take care of it."
Bartlett says he learned an expensive lesson. He immediately bought a hands-free device that he can leave on his car's visor at Best Buy. But many of his constitutents say a maker of the law should never be a breaker of the law. Steve Fay lives in Bartlett's district, "He should be dealt with the way anyone else should be dealt with."
Bartlett responded by saying, "Just because I'm a lawmaker doesn't mean I make mistakes. I do. And I paid the penalty yesterday and we have to move on"
You might be wondering if Bartlett voted for or against recent distracted driving legislation. He says he wasn't in office then, but if he was he would have voted against it, because he believes some of the hands-free devices on the market can be just as distracting.
First Published: Nov 18, 2009 5:20 PM EST
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