Connect with us

North Dakota

North Dakota lawmaker who used homophobic slurs during DUI arrest has no immediate plans to resign

Published

on

North Dakota lawmaker who used homophobic slurs during DUI arrest has no immediate plans to resign


Body camera video captured North Dakota Republican lawmaker Nico Rios using profanity and homophobic slurs toward Williston police officers and threatening to call the state’s attorney general during a DUI stop on Dec. 5, 2023, in Williston, N.D. Rios said he was leaving a Christmas party before the traffic stop. (Williston Police Dept. via AP)AP

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota Republican lawmaker has no plans to immediately resign, despite party leaders’ calls for him to step down after he railed against police with profane, homophobic and anti-migrant language during a recent traffic stop that ended in his arrest on a charge of drunken driving.

In a statement Wednesday, Republican state Rep. Nico Rios, of Williston, said he is “seriously mulling all aspects” of his future.

“As I weigh my future in the legislature, I am going to spend the next few months addressing my issues with alcoholism and getting the help I need,” he told The Associated Press in an email. “Any decision I make going forward will be made with a sober mind and deliberative clarity. To do so, I will be prioritizing breaking my chemical dependency on alcohol, improving the interpersonal relations I have strained, and listening to our community.”

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Advertisement

Rios also said he takes responsibility for his “disgusting actions” during the Dec. 15 traffic stop, and apologized “to those I have hurt and disappointed with my shameful actions.” He added that he is “100% committed to making repairs for my actions and straightening out my life.”

Police body camera footage requested by and provided to the AP shows Rios cursing an officer, repeatedly questioning his English accent, and using homophobic slurs and anti-migrant language. He also said he would call the North Dakota attorney general about the situation. He told the officers they would “regret picking on me because you don’t know who … I am.”

Rios’ statement comes a day after Republican House Majority Leader Mike Lefor and state party officials publicly called on him to resign.

“There is no room in the legislature, or our party, for this behavior,” Lefor said Tuesday. The AP left him a phone message on Wednesday seeking comment on Rios’ decision.

Rios has said he was leaving a Christmas party before police pulled him over. He was charged with misdemeanor counts of drunken driving and refusing to provide a chemical test. He is scheduled for a pretrial conference on Feb. 5 in municipal court.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Rios, who works in an oil field position involved in the hydraulic fracturing of wells, was elected unopposed in 2022 to a four-year term in the state House of Representatives. He sits on the House Judiciary Committee, a panel that handles law enforcement legislation.

Republicans control the North Dakota House, 82-12.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

North Dakota

Johnston leads Loyola Marymount against North Dakota after 27-point outing – WTOP News

Published

on

Johnston leads Loyola Marymount against North Dakota after 27-point outing – WTOP News


North Dakota Fightin’ Hawks (2-2) at Loyola Marymount Lions (1-2) Los Angeles; Friday, 10 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Loyola Marymount…

North Dakota Fightin’ Hawks (2-2) at Loyola Marymount Lions (1-2)

Los Angeles; Friday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Loyola Marymount hosts North Dakota after Will Johnston scored 27 points in Loyola Marymount’s 77-71 loss to the Saint Louis Billikens.

Advertisement

Loyola Marymount finished 12-19 overall with an 8-8 record at home during the 2023-24 season. The Lions averaged 11.9 assists per game on 25.9 made field goals last season.

North Dakota finished 18-14 overall a season ago while going 7-8 on the road. The Fightin’ Hawks averaged 75.3 points per game while shooting 44.3% from the field and 32.6% from 3-point range last season.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Copyright
© 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

North Dakota

Snow gives wildfire responders first chance to catch breath in months

Published

on

Snow gives wildfire responders first chance to catch breath in months


BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – First responders finally have a chance to catch a breath after an intense couple of months.

Hunter Noor with the North Dakota Forest Service said the snow is bringing some much-needed moisture to dry areas in the state. He said first responders and volunteers who have been working since October to manage the fires hope the snow continues because it could mean the end of a historic wildfire season.

“I’d like to say we are done, but I’m going to knock on wood when I say it, because you never know what Mother Nature’s going to throw at you. So, December— it could warm back up to 40, 50 degrees, you could have another wind event and see more fires— but looking at the forecast, looking at what they’re predicting, it looks like we’re going to slide into the winter season, hopefully pretty quietly,” Noor said.

He said more precipitation should help keep any potential fires at bay.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

North Dakota

Michigan State, North Dakota to reportedly play in Texas

Published

on

Michigan State, North Dakota to reportedly play in Texas


Michigan State hockey has firmly cemented themselves as one of the best programs in college hockey. With being one of the nation’s best, the Spartans are given the opportunity to do some very cool things.

Reported by John Buccigross of ESPN, the Spartans are going to be playing against another one of the nation’s best, North Dakota in Austin, Texas, for the 2026 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game.

If it truly comes to fruition, this would be a very cool opportunity for Michigan State and their program for some massive exposure to the program.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending