Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) chief of employees has pleaded not responsible to DUI costs he acquired the identical evening President Trump delivered his joint handle to Congress.
Hayden Haynes, 35, appeared earlier than D.C. Superior Court docket Choose Heide Herrmann by way of a video name, The Washington Publish reported.
Haynes was arrested by Capitol Police on allegations that he drove whereas below the affect in early March. Authorities say he “backed into a parked vehicle” round 11:40 p.m. on March 4.
The responding officer stated the staffer was “unsteady” when he exited the automobile. Haynes informed the police he had 4 drinks inside a four-hour interval, the Publish reported.
The decide gave Haynes the flexibility to stay on launch whereas his costs have been pending, however the staffer was required to undergo a drug take a look at and drug and alcohol evaluation.
The prosecution is being dealt with by D.C. Lawyer Common Brian L. Schwalb, who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration and the president’s efforts to slash federal spending and overhaul the workforce by way of mass layoffs.
Haynes’s subsequent court docket date is about for Might 16.
On the time of his chief of employees’s arrest, Johnson’s workplace stated it was conscious of the incident however believed within the employees member’s capacity to guide the workplace.
“The Speaker has known and worked closely with Hayden for nearly a decade and trusted him to serve as his Chief of Staff for his entire tenure in Congress,” Taylor Haulsee, a spokesperson for Johnson’s workplace, stated in an announcement after the arrest.
