Robles spins, tries to minimize his drunk driving arrest; Rep. Ami Bera’s office avoids commenting on Robles troubles
Will Robles continue his social media shenanigans?
While the long-term political effects of the first Elk Grove City Council member to be arrested and booked into Sacramento County Jail while holding office are yet to be determined, there is one thing for sure – that elected representative has tried to downplay their alleged drunk driving.
When District 4 City Councilmember Sergio Robles announced his arrest the day earlier in the early afternoon of Sunday, May 21, he downplayed its severity. Robles wrote:
“On Saturday, i was cited for misdemeanor driving under the influence”
Sergio Robles, Sunday, May 21, 2023
This explanation is a blatantly misleading statement by the freshman city council member.
While it is true impaired driving is a misdemeanor, Robles provides an incomplete picture. First, Elk Grove Police officers report they found Roble passed out behind the wheel with the engine running.
If you are to believe Robles’ description of the event whole cloth, he gives the impression he was contacted by police officers as if he was stopped for speeding, issued a citation, and immediately released.
Saying he was “cited” leaves out a significant portion of the encounter. Robles does not acknowledge that he was arrested, booked into Sacramento County Jail, and all the procedures, including a booking mug shot, fingerprinting, and more.
Robles claiming he was “cited,” and not including the arrest, inaccurately portrays the severity of his alleged misbehavior. With his phrasing, or whoever wrote it for him was trying to get in front of the incident and gloss over the seriousness of his suspected drunk driving.
Of significance, Robles works for Congressman Ami Bera in his local field office operation. Although the arrest of a staff member at a district office for a congress member is not ordinarily newsworthy, Robles is newsworthy because he holds elected office and works for another elected official.
Yesterday afternoon a phone message was left on Bera’s voicemail at his Washington D. C. office seeking comment. This morning, a Bera press representative was emailed seeking comment on the arrest.
As of this 8 p.m. PDT, Bera’s staff has not responded, not even the obligatory “we don’t comment on personnel or personal matters of staff members.”
Could Bera and his staff be embarrassed by the misbehavior of their field staff member? We have no way of knowing how Bera reacted to the arrest other than common sense dictates this reflects poorly on him and his staff, and he is probably unhappy with Robles.
It will be interesting to watch Councilmember Robles in the coming months, and we can’t help but wonder if he continues publicly indulging in alcohol consumption and posting pictures on social media.
One thing is for sure; the public and law enforcement will be closely watching his social media shenanigans.
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