The Maine Democrat’s candidate for State Senate District 19 was charged with Operating Under the Influence (OUI) in May, according to records obtained by the Maine Wire.
Bruce S. Bryant, 62, of Rumford was summonsed and had his initial court appearance on July 8 in South Paris District Court following an incident involving an officer from the Rumford Police Department just after 11:30 pm on Friday, May 10, according to police records.
The incident occurred on Route 2. Although Bryant’s campaign registration documents list an PO Box in Dixfield, Oxford County property records show Bryant owns a property on Route 2 in Rumford.
According to the police report, Bryant was driving a black 2015 Chevrolet Silverado at the time of the incident.
Although the report describes his offense as a DUI, his blood alcohol content at the time of the incident is not listed in the report.
In Maine, a blood alcohol content over .08 percent is considered impaired.
It’s unclear why Bryant was summonsed, rather than arrested and processed at the police department, and no mug shot was taken on the night of the incident.
Bryant will face off against Republican candidate Joe Martin, the longtime chair of the Oxford County Republican Party.
This is not Bryant’s first DUI.
In 2003, Bryant was ordered to pay a $400 fine and surrender his drivers license for 90 days after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.
At the time, Bryant’s blood alcohol content was measured at .11 percent, well over the legal limit.
Bryant, then 41, was pulled over after leaving Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant in Augusta when an officer observed him striking a curb on Western Avenue.
At the time, Bryant was serving his first term in the Maine State Senate, having previously served six years in the Maine House of Representatives.
Bryant did not respond to an email and multiple phone calls seeking comment about his second drunk driving offense.
According to filings with the Maine Ethics Commission, Bryant’s campaign for State Senate is being funded by taxpayers.
Records indicate that Bryant has spent $8,194.67 on his campaign so far and has a remaining $72,030.33 in taxpayer cash on hand.
In order to qualify for more than $80,000 in taxpayer money for his campaign, Maine law required Bryant to obtained so-called “seed money” donations from Maine voters.
The recidivist drunk driver’s “seed money” donor report lists a veritable Who’s Who of Maine Democrat Party insiders, including State Auditor Matt Dunlap, Gov. Janet Mills’ brother Paul H. Mills, Secretary of the Maine State Senate Darek M. Grant, Assistant Secretary of the Maine State Senate Jared T. Roy, and former Second Congressional District U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud.
On the expenses side, Bryant has spent taxpayer money on office supplies, head shots, chairs, palm cards, and $722.10 with PickballCentral.com, but he doesn’t appear to have spent any campaign funds with taxicab or ride-sharing services.
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