DUI Lawyers Resource Center

blood alcohol levels than

A stomach enzyme deficit may place women at more risk from drinking alcohol Public release date: 15-Apr-2001 [ | E-mail Article ] Contact: Charles S. Lieber, M.D. liebercs@aol.com 718-741-4244 Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research A stomach enzyme deficit may place women at more risk from drinking alcohol Women are more susceptible to the toxic effects of alcohol on the liver, heart muscle, skeletal muscle, and likely the pancreas and the brain. When men and women drink the same amount of alcohol, women develop higher blood alcohol levels than men do. The stomach's metabolism of alcohol may be a link between women's greater risk of certain alcohol-related diseases and higher blood alcohol levels after drinking. In most cultures, including the United States, alcohol is the most frequently used drug. Although American men with alcohol-related problems continue to outnumber American women at a ratio of roughly three to one, women appear to have a greater vulnerability to alcohol-related diseases. This may be due to the fact that, when both genders drink the same amount of alcohol, women develop higher blood alcohol levels than men do. A study in the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research searches for the mechanisms that may cause this effect, concentrating on the stomach's role in metabolizing alcohol. "It has been known for a long time," said Steven Schenker, professor of medicine and pharmacology at The University of Texas, Health Science Center at San Antonio, "that, in general, both women and female animals are more susceptible to the negative or toxic effects of alcohol. This is true for the liver, heart muscle, skeletal muscle, and it may be true for the pancreas and the brain. In other words, there is something about the female gender that makes them more susceptible to toxic amounts of alcohol." Charles S. Lieber, professor of medicine and pathology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, chief of the Alcohol Research and Treatment Center at the Bronx VA Medical Center, and the study's lead author, agrees. "For example," he said, "women have a higher propensity to develop liver disease than men. In fact, some studies have shown that the minimal amount necessary to produce cirrhosis in the liver in women is two to three times less than in men. Additionally, because of the higher blood level of alcohol in their blood, women are more vulnerable to the alcohol's central nervous system effects. Accordingly, the brain is more affected in women than in men." This phenomenon - where women need to drink a lesser amount of alcohol than men, or for a shorter amount of time, to produce the same degree of damage - is referred to as "telescoping." Women achieve higher blood alcohol levels than men do after drinking a similar amount of alcohol for several different reasons. One reason is their body size. In general, women's weights are lower, while drink sizes are standard. Another reason is that women tend to have more fatty tissue as a percentage of their body weight than men do. Fat is inversely related to body water. Because alcohol is more soluble in water than in fat, the alcohol is distributed throughout a lower water volume in women, resulting in less alcohol dilution. Third, it is believed that women younger than the age of 50 have a greater bioavailability (blood circulation) of alcohol, or less first-pass metabolism, than men do. When people drink alcohol, a portion of it is metabolized in the stomach before it enters the blood stream. This metabolism of alcohol is due to the activity of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozymes. The stomach's metabolism of alcohol decreases the amount of alcohol that reaches the blood stream, essentially functioning as a kind of protective barrier against excessive rise of blood alcohol. This process is referred to as "first-pass metabolism," because some of the alcohol is removed by metabolism on its 'first pass' through the stomach. As a result of first-pass metabolism, the blood level achieved for any given dose of alcohol is less when given orally than if it were to be given intravenously. "In an earlier study, we found that women have less of this ADH activity than men do," said Lieber. "Accordingly, women have a lesser first-pass metabolism and, therefore, for a given dose of alcohol, their blood level is higher than it is for men. We also found that when individuals - men or women - drink large amounts of alcohol chronically, there is a decrease in this ADH activity, resulting in lesser first-pass metabolism and increased blood levels for a given dose. In alcoholic women, both effects are combined and, as a consequence, alcoholic women totally lose their gastric protective mechanism. The blood level they achieve is the same as that obtained from the same dose of alcohol given intravenously. Thus, for an alcoholic woman to drink alcohol, it is the same as injecting the alcohol directly into a vein." For this study, Lieber and his colleagues looked at three subcomponents of ADH in the stomach: acetaldehyde (γ-ADH), m -nitrobenzaldehyde (σ-ADH), and glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase (χ-ADH). Only one of these three were what Schenker calls "significantly depressed" in women. "These findings show that women had less first-pass metabolism than men when given 10 percent or 40 percent alcohol, but not five percent," said Lieber. "In other words, women respond to beer in the same way than men, but not to wine or hard liquor. This was associated with lower activity of a specific gastric ADH, namely χ-ADH, which can explain the greater gender difference in first-pass metabolism with high rather than with low concentrations of imbibed alcohol. It is of interest that the higher blood alcohol levels were observed despite the fact that women have a more rapid gastric emptying compared to men and a higher rate of hepatic oxidation of ethanol which would, in part, oppose the effects of gastric ADH on blood levels." "What Dr. Lieber has done is unequivocally shown that χ-ADH is lower in women," said Schenker. "He's arguing that the low amount of that enzyme in the stomach is related to the fact that you get a larger bioavailability of alcohol in women than in men. In other words, more of the alcohol has gotten into the women's bloodstream than the men's, and he correlates that with the χ-ADH. He proposes that this is one of the mechanisms by which women may be more sensitive to alcohol than males." Schenker added that one thing he hopes will be done in the future is to measure the bioavailability of alcohol in males who also have lower concentrations of the enzyme. In sum, said Schenker, the study shows that alcohol moderation has to be greater for women than it is for men. "The present dictum of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is that a man should consume no more than two drinks per day, whereas a woman is supposed to consume no more than one drink per day. Women simply need to be more cautious than males in terms of the amount of drinking that they do," he said. "This study also teaches us a great deal about the processing of alcohol. So, mechanistically it's important, because if we can understand mechanisms, we can understand therapy. Therapy is not going to be relevant to us if we don't understand the 'why;' if we know why, then we may be able to do something about it." ### Co-authors of the Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research paper included: Enrique Baraona, Chaim S. Abittan, and Kazufumi Dohmen of Liver Disease and Nutrition at the Alcohol Research Center, Bronx Veterans Affairs and Mount Sinai Medical Centers; Michelle Moretti and Gabriele Pozzato of the University of Trieste, Italy; and Zev W. Chayes and Clara Schaefer of Nuclear Medicine, Bronx Veterans Affairs and Mount Sinai Medical Centers. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Kingsbridge Research Foundation. Journalists: A full copy of the manuscript may be obtained by contacting K.J. at the Addiction Science Research and Education Center, The University of Texas at Austin, at 512-475-9568. [ | E-mail Article ]

California DUI Lawyers Email Us Site Map :: Disclaimer California DUI Lawyers Resource Center Office Locations: Long Beach ~ Irvine Pasadena ~ Riverside Woodland Hills San Diego The California DUI Lawyers Resource Center is the web's most-visited resource for Drunk Driving laws , DUI penalties , criminal DUI lawyers , breathalyzers , DMV license suspensions and more, and is provided by the "Dean of DUI attorneys", Lawrence Taylor. With 34 years of experience, Mr. Taylor is the author of the leading textbooks in the field and heads a premier firm of California DUI attorneys, serving clients in Los Angeles , San Diego , Ventura , Riverside , San Bernardino and Orange County . The 8 criminal defense attorneys, who average 12 years of experience and include four former prosecutors, limit their practice to misdemeanor and felony DUI defense exclusively . The firm has been awarded the coveted A-V peer review rating ("very high to pre-eminent") by the International Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory — the highest rating awarded to lawyers and one shared by fewer than 7% of law firms in the United States — and is listed in the prestigious 2005 Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys . Mr. Taylor's criminal DUI defense firm, twice featured in the American Bar Association Journal ( Dec. 2002 and Jan. 2005 ) for its specialization and unique technical support, remains the only one approved by the California State Bar to provide continuing legal education to attorneys. DUI Lawyers' and Laymen's Guide to DUI Laws and Information The 20 Most Frequently Asked Drunk Driving Questions Mr. Taylor's 20 DUI FAQs, which is widely reproduced on legal websites throughout the internet, present answers to the questions most often asked by citizens arrested for misdemeanor or felony DUI. The Driver's Guide To DUI provides an overview of drunk driving laws, evidence, penalties, license suspension procedures and car insurance issues in layman's terms and is a valuable source of information for any driver recently charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The Lawyer's Guide to DUI Defense is a comprehensive source of information for attorneys involved in drunk driving defense. Legal Research provides drunk driving resources including federal law , California law and the politics of DUI . Included are California's drunk driving Vehicle Code statutes and the complete text of the most significant U.S. Supreme Court opinions affecting DUI. DUI Lectures offers audio presentations of four of Mr. Taylor's lectures; simultaneous transcripts are available for you to listen to and/or read. These cover: Demonstrative Cross-Examination of a Police Office. Attacking Blood-Alcohol Evidence in a Drunk Driving Case. Demolishing the State's Test Results Through Cross-Examination. The DUI Exception to the Constitution. DUI Books The standard textbooks in the field, Drunk Driving Defense 5th Edition and California Drunk Driving Defense 3rd Edition by Lawrence Taylor. California's Premier DUI Law Firm . For those interested in the services of The Law Offices of Lawrence Taylor, this website provides office locations, legal information and an introduction to the firm's lawyers and staff. The firm of eight attorneys (including four former prosecutors) continues to limit its practice to the defense of drunk driving cases, with a primary clientele in Los Angeles , Orange , Riverside, San Diego , Ventura and San Bernardino Counties and remains the only one in California to provide its clients with the free services of its own technical support staff of highly qualified law enforcement, blood-alcohol and license suspension experts to assist in their defense. Each case is approached with the basic tenets of the firm in mind: A focus entirely on the DUI or vehicular manslaughter client; no other cases are accepted. Aggressive defense by highly experienced attorneys with expert technical support. Immediate steps toward reinstatement of the client's driving privileges . Re-analysis of all blood and urine samples for alcohol and preservative by the firm's toxicologist. Investigation of equipment and procedures used in each breath test. Personal attention to the client and ease of access to the attorney. Insulation of the client from having to appear in court or at hearings, unless necessary. Free initial consultation at our offices or in the privacy of the individual's home. Major credit cards readily accepted. The firm maintains offices in: Long Beach: 562-989-4774 Irvine: 949-752-1550 San Diego: 619-232-5034 Woodland Hills: 818-707-1414 Riverside: 951-369-4999 Pasadena: 626-204-2858 Mr. Taylor is nationally recognized as the foremost authority on DUI / DWI litigation and constitutionality in the United States. A former prosecutor and Fulbright Professor of Law, he was a founder of the National College for DUI Defense , served on the Board of Regents and was elected Dean for 1995-1996; he is one of only 4 attorneys in California Board-certified by the National College's American Bar Association accredited specialist program as a DUI defense specialist. Thousands of attorneys have attended over 200 drunk driving seminars in 38 states to hear his successful techniques. He is listed in Who's Who in American Law and in The Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, Lawyer's Weekly USA , American Bar Association Journal , Los Angeles magazine, USA Today and National Law Journal . On July 25, 2002, at Harvard Law School, Lawrence Taylor was presented with the National College's "Lifetime Achievement Award". He was selected as one of Southern California's "Super Lawyers" for 2004, 2005 and 2006 in surveys of over 65,000 Los Angeles and Orange County attorneys. THE WEB'S PREMIER SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON DRUNK DRIVING LAW Home :: DUI FAQ's :: Drivers Guide :: Lawyer's Guide :: DUI Research :: DUI Checkpoints The DUI Officer :: DUI Books :: Audio Lectures :: DUI Nationally :: DUI Firms This site is hosted and maintained by: Law.Net ® :: Link to Us For further local DUI information, see the California DUI network of websites located at Los Angeles County DUI ...... Orange County DUI ...... San Diego County DUI ...... Riverside-San Bernardino County DUI ...... Ventura County DUI . Each site features general legal information in addition to local courts, law enforcement, prosecutors, etc. Return to Top © 1998 Lawrence Taylor :: All Rights Reserved

California DWI

California Drunk Driving Law Center - Friends of DUIcenter.com Site Map :: Disclaimer California DUI Laws and Legal Information Links to the California Drunk Driving Law Center Welcome to California's Drunk Driving Law Center, the Internet's most-visited resource for DUI laws, DWI lawyers, courts, DMV and police procedures, presented by the nationally recognized "Dean of DUI Attorneys", Lawrence Taylor. The author of the two most respected legal textbooks on drunk driving law and with 31 years of experience, Mr. Taylor is the senior member of Southern California's premier DUI law firm, serving clients in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange Counties. By linking to this site, your visitors can access comprehensive information on drunk driving in California. We also ask that you keep the tag line "California's Drunk Driving Law Center". Please link to http://www.duicenter.com using the phrase "California DUI Lawyer Lawrence Taylor". The following text below may be used to describe the site: "A firm of eight DUI lawyers devoted to drunk driving defense exclusively". Disclaimer: Although we strive to maintain the contents of this site up to date, we do not promise or guarantee that the information is complete, correct, or current. This site includes links to various other sites; these links should not be interpreted as an endorsement or recommendation of the linked sites, information, goods, services, or data. The National Motorists Association links to DUIcenter.com from a listing of California attorneys. Scott C. Athen , drunk driving attorney in Maryland. Northern California Lawyer, SonomaCountyLaw.com links to DUIcenter.com from a Sites of Interest list. Mindconnection links to DUIcenter.com from a resource guide. Findlaw links to DUIcenter.com from a list of California legal web sites. Yahoo links to DUIcenter.com from a listing of law books. Google links to DUIcenter.com from a listing of legal sites pertaining to drunk driving. Alcohol Alert , FL, links to DUIcenter.com from a list of links about alcohol and drunk driving. David Alan Darby , Arizona drunk driving attorney. Edward A. Loss III , Arizona DUI lawyer. Elgin Enterprises , drunk driving legal website designer. CataLaw links to DUIcenter.com from a list of criminal law sites. Florida State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice default.htm links to DUIcenter.com from a list of criminal justice links. The District of Columbia Bar links to DUIcenter.com from a list of lawyer resources. The Open Directory Project links to DUIcenter.com from legal information on drunk driving. Dessen, Moses, & Sheinoff , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, law firm specializing in DUI defense. Bar Smart, Inc. , links to DUIcenter.com from drinking and driving. Driver Performance Institutes , extensive information on DUI law and related issues. DUI Attorney, Joe VanDervoort , Chico, California attorney with heavy drunk driving caselaod. V. Michael Fox, drunk driving lawyer in Nashville, Tennessee. Andrew Mishlove, DWI attorney in Milwaukee. DUI Law Firms, Essen, Essen, Susaneck, Canet, Fernandez and Goodis , well-known DUI firm in Miami, Florida. GoLocalnet links to DUIcenter.com from alcohol and drug links, online student driving guide. Guy Sharpe , Marrieta, Georgia, drunk driving lawyer. Indiana Public Defender Council links to DUIcenter.com from Criminal Law Research Tools. Intoximeters, Inc. , links to DUIcenter.com from Resources Related to Alcohol and Alcohol Testing. Legal Resources, Jeff Flax , CO, links to DUIcenter.com from law related resources. Jury Instruction links to DUIcenter.com from drunk driving law and defense links. Katsuey's Legal Gateway links to DUIcenter.com from a list of legal resources. Criminal Trial Lawyer, Kim Kruglick , CA, links to DUIcenter.com from criminal law links. Law Research Services links to DUIcenter.com from criminal law resources. LexisNexis links to DUIcenter.com from practical resources for criminal law. Law and Policy Institutions Guide links to DUIcenter.com from a list of legal resources. Leonard R. Stamm , Maryland drunk driving lawyer. Nevada DUI Attorney, Mace Yampolsky , links to DUIcenter.com from DUI information. Drunk Driving Defense Lawyer, Russell J Matson , MA, links to DUIcenter.com from Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Drunk Driving. MegaLaw links to DUIcenter.com from Drunk Driving Law Web Resources. The Legal Pad links to DUIcenter.com from criminal law links. Talpos & Arnold , DWI law firm in Michigan. The National College for DUI Defense links to DUIcenter.com from an article by Lawrence Taylor "The 20 most frequently asked questions about DUI defense". Greggory M. Marootian , New Jersey drunk driving lawyer. Mendocino County Law Library , CA, links to DUIcenter.com from a list of legal resources. Office of the Public Defender, County of Orange , CA, links to DUIcenter.com from a list of Criminal Law and Legal Research Links. Essen, Essen, Susaneck, Canet & Goodis , large Miami, Florida, DUI law firm. Rocky Mountain Instrumental Laboratories , CO, links to DUIcenter.com from a list of forensic sites of interest. Troy G. Broussard, Ann Baehr , law firm in Louisiana specializing in DUI defense. The Law Engine links to DUIcenter.com from a list of law firms. Glen W. Neeley , Utah DUI defense lawyer. Washburn University School of Law links to DUIcenter.com from a list of California law firms. Indiana Public Defender Council links to DUIcenter.com from a list of legal resources. Peter H. Lederman , DWI attorney practicing in New Jersey. United Nations Crime and Justice Information Network links to DUIcenter.com from a list of resources. Andy Sotiropoulos , Illinois DWI attorney. Timothy Huey , Ohio drunk driving defense attorney. Christopher N. Hoover , Ohio drunk driving defense attorney. Driver Performance Institutes links to DUIcenter.com from a list of dui legal links. Theodore A. Agnick , Arizona drunk driving attorney. Kapsack & Bair , DUI attorneys in Oakland, California, practicing in Bay Area. Giannini & Spence , Georgia criminal defense firm specializing in DUI. Harold L. Wallin , Chicago, Illinois DUI attorney. Wikipedia links to DUIcenter.com from a profile of Lawrence Taylor. Jonathon Lapid , Ontario, Canada, drunk driving defense law firm. San Diego DUI Magazine links to DUIcenter.com from a list of San Diego DUI lawyers. Los Angeles DUI Magazine links to DUIcenter.com from a list of Los Angeles DUI lawyers. California Drunk Driving Lawyer is a site that contains information on DUI lawyers, license suspensions, courts and drunk driving laws related to California. San Diego Drunk Driving Lawyer is a site that contains information on DUI lawyers, license suspensions, courts and drunk driving laws related to San Diego County. Orange County DUI Lawyers is a site that contains information on DUI lawyers, license suspensions, courts and drunk driving laws irelated to Orange County, California. Los Angeles DUI Attorneys is a site that contains information on DUI lawyers, license suspensions, courts and drunk driving laws related to Los Angeles County. Riverside Drunk Driving Attorney is a site that contains information on DUI lawyers, license suspensions, courts and drunk driving laws related to Riverside County. Ventura Drunk Driving Guide is a site that contains information on DUI lawyers, license suspensions, courts and drunk driving laws related to Ventura County. Home :: DUI FAQ's :: Drivers Guide :: Lawyer's Guide :: DUI Research :: DUI Checkpoints The DUI Officer :: DUI Books :: Audio Lectures :: DUI Nationally :: DUI Firms This site is hosted and maintained by: Law.Net ® Return to Top © 1998 Lawrence Taylor :: All Rights Reserved

First DUI

Georgia DUI Guide: Lawyers, Attorneys and Drunk Driving Defense Laws Everything You Need to Know About First Offender DUI / DWI, Drinking Driving and Drugs Home | State By State Help | DUI Lawyers | Insurance Help | Breath Testers | DUI Videos Other States Georgia Topics Georgia DUI Georgia Car Insurance Georgia DUI Lawyers Google Search Results Georgia DUI Information What Happens To First Time Offenders in Georgia? Written By: J. Michael Mullis, Attorney at Law Georgia First Offender There are two types of DUI in Georgia: "less safe driver," based on your appearance, demeanor, and driving at arrest, and "per se" dui, based on your blood alcohol level (BAC). Two types: 1. DUI by being "Less Safe" (impaired) driver by alcohol (or drugs); 2. DUI by test result showing Unlawful Alcohol level, now 0.08 grams BAC. 1st Offense: $300 to $1,000 fine, 10 days jail (must serve at least 24 hours), 12 Mos Prob'n, 40 Community Svc hours. Dvr Lic (or operating privlege in GA) suspended for 12 mos. upon conviction, with early Reinstatement if complete DUI School and $200 pay fee after 120 days, but limited work permit IF licensed in Georgia. Administrative Lic Susp (ALS) for 12 mos for 1st DUI unlawful BAC or Refusal of Test. Deadline of 10 business days to request Hearing to prevent ALS. You Are DUI: If your blood alcohol level (BAC) is .08 or above, you are DUI. However, you may be arrested under "less safe driver" statutes if you appear to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, even if your BAC is below .08. First Offense (within a five year period): Fine: $300.00 -$1000.00 plus statutory surcharges (typically 15-25%). Jail: 10 days to 12 months, all except for 24 hours may be suspended, stayed or probated. If your BAC is less than 0.08, you may not have to do the 24 hours. If you plead guilty or are convicted of DUI, you must be placed on twelve months probation less any jail time received. Community Service: The law requires a minimum of 40 hours of community service unless you are under 21 years of age in which case you must do at least 20 hours. The actual time is set by the Court. License Suspension: On a first offense, if you do not request a hearing in 10 business days, then on the 31st day after your arrest, your driver's license will be suspended for one year. You will be able to get your license back at the end of 120 days if you have completed an alcohol/drug risk reduction course (DUI school) and paid the appropriate reinstatement fee ($200.00 via mail or $210.00 if you apply in person). Limited Driving Permit: During the first 120 days of suspension, you may be able to get a 30 day limited driving permit. (You cannot obtain this particular permit from a DMVS walk-In location. You must obtain it from the main DMVS office in Conyers, GA). If you are under 21: You are DUI if you have a BAC of .02 or above. Your license will be revoked for either 6 months (under 0.08 blood alcohol level) or 12 months (0.08 or higher) and no limited permit is allowed. Drugs: If you are convicted of a DUI charge that involves drugs, your driver's license will be suspended for one year, and you will not be able to get it reinstated for six months. No limited driving permit is allowed. Refusal To Submit To Test: If you refuse to submit to tests requested by the arresting officer(s), your license will be suspended for one year. Commercial Licensed Driver: If you submit to testing and the results indicate the presence of any alcohol, you will be issued an out-of-service order and will be prohibited from operating a motor vehicle for 24 hours. If the results indicate an alcohol concentration of 0.04 grams or more, you will be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for a minimum period of one year. DUI School: In order to reinstate your driver's license, you must attend a mandated DUI assessment procedure and 20 hours of DUI classes. The fees are approximated $75 for the assessment and $200 for the classes. Courtesy of: J. Michael Mullis, Attorney at Law Home > State By State Help > Georgia DUI DISCLAIMER : This website provides only general information intended for those charged with drunk driving offenses. The information and news items on the site are for information only. This information is not legal advice, nor is it intended to create any binding advisory relationship. Do not take action based upon this information unless you consult with an attorney or other specialist. © 2005 Drivers Research Institute   All Rights Reserved   Send eMail   Advertise With Us

DUI Arrest

The Smoking Gun: Dick Cheney's Youthful Indiscretions OCTOBER 28--Vice President Dick Cheney's closest aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby , was fingered today in the "Plamegate" leak investigation. While Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald has said that his probe might not be complete, TSG has no idea if Cheney himself ran afoul of the law in connection with the disclosure of a CIA officer's identity. But we do know that the veep has previously been busted. Twice. Back when he had hair and liked to get loaded and drive. Here's a reprise of a story chronicling Cheney's DWI history. When news of George W. Bush's drunken driving arrestsurfaced during the final week of the 2000presidential campaign, Republicans tried to dismiss itas one of those "youthful indiscretions" Bush hadsteadfastly refused to discuss. Of course, when he gotpopped in Kennebunkport in 1976, Bush was 30 yearsold, hardly a kid. Vice President Dick Cheney, on the other hand, couldactually argue that his two DWIs came when he wasyoung and reckless. Court and police records obtained by The Smoking Gunshow that Cheney was convicted of drunk driving twiceduring an eight-month period in the early 1960s in hishome state of Wyoming. The two convictions came whenCheney was 21 and 22 and resulted in fines and a briefsuspension of his driver's license. On November 2, in the wake of the Bush DWI discovery,a Cheney spokesperson told reporters that the vicepresidential candidate also had a rap sheet. But theBush-Cheney campaign refused to provide any furtherdetails about the DWI busts. So TSG will now handlethat chore. Cheney first privately disclosed the arrests in 1989,after he had been nominated for Secretary of Defense.According to an account in Bob Woodward's "TheCommanders," Cheney told members of the Senate ArmedServices committee about the DWI arrests during aclosed confirmation hearing. Cheney told the senatorsthat he believed it would be best to publicly disclosethe busts. But Armed Services committee members saidthere was no need for the disclosure and subsequentlyconfirmed Cheney in a 20-0 vote. Following the May 1991 publication of Woodward's book,there was no mention of Cheney's arrests until thebrief confirmation offered by the candidate'sspokesperson last November. But the vice presidenthimself mentioned his rap sheet in an interview in thecurrent issue (dated May 7) of The New Yorker. Cheneynoted that after dropping out of Yale in early 1961,he found himself "working, building power lines,having been in a couple of scrapes with the law." Thebusts, he said, made him "think about where I was andwhere I was headed. I was headed downa bad road, if I continued on that course." Cheney's first DWI conviction came in November 1962when he was 21. According to this docket fromCheyenne's Municipal Court , Cheney was nailed fordrunkenness and "operating motor vehicle whileintoxicated." A Cheyenne Police Judge found Cheneyguilty of the two charges and hit him with a 30-daysuspension of his driver's license. Cheney also had toforfeit a $150 bond posted at the time of his arrest.Further information about the case--such as thedefendant's blood alcohol content or whether Cheneywas jailed following the bust--is unavailable sinceother court records from that period have beendestroyed, according to Wyoming officials. Details of Cheney's second Wyoming arrest, in July1963, have also fallen victim to time and recordsdestruction practices at the local Municipal Court.But a police arrest card (similar to the one thathaunted Dubya) maintained by the Rock Springs PoliceDepartment shows that Cheney was fined $100 for hissecond DWI conviction. The card lists the chargeagainst Cheney, who was then working as a groundmanlaying power lines, as "11-44," the criminal codeclassification for drunken driving, according toPolice Chief Neil Kourbelas. At the time of the RockSprings arrest, Kourbelas said that local cops andjudges would not have known that young Cheney was aboozing 'n driving recidivist. The police department,Kourbelas said, "wouldn't have had the ability toautomatically check with other jurisdictions to findout if anyone had had prior arrests or convictions. Wecould have arrested Jack the Ripper back then and hadno idea what he had done." Since that second Wyoming arrest, Cheney has kept hisnose clean. Join TSG's mailing list . Enter contest , perhaps win loot. home | contest | archive | email