ND GOP lawmakers demand state rep resign over 'homophobic, racially abusive' rant during DUI arrest

27 December 2023

On December 15, North Dakota State Rep. Nico Rios, a Republican, was arrested in the town of Williston on suspicion of driving under the influence and for refusing a chemical test (both misdemeanors in that deep red state). Now, some of Rios' colleagues in the North Dakota State Legislature are, according to the Bismarck Tribune, calling for him to resign in light of his behavior that night.

The Tribune's Jacob Fulton reports, "During the arrest, (Rios) clashed with law enforcement and attempted to hand the officers his business card, saying they would 'regret picking on (him).' House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, State GOP Chairwoman Sandi Sanford and John Trandem, the state party's first vice chair, all called on Rios to resign."

According to a police report on the incident, Rios "was verbally abusive, homophobic, racially abusive and discriminatory toward (responding) Officer (Alexander) Welch for the entire duration of the incident following road side testing."

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Fulton notes, "Police bodycam footage of the interaction shows Rios repeatedly called the responding officer homophobic slurs, claimed migrants are rapists and said he intended to 'call (North Dakota) Attorney General Drew Wrigley' to tell him the officers were mistreating him. Wrigley, last week, told the Tribune he hadn't received a call from Rios about the arrest."

Fulton adds, "Lefor condemned Rios' actions in a statement Tuesday, (December 26), affirming his support for law enforcement and thanking Williston's police force for handling the situation with 'exemplary professionalism.'"

Read The Bismarck Tribune's full report at this link.

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