A Rhode Island state senator who was caught keying a man’s car last month was sentenced to pay restitution after admitting to the charges of vandalism and obstruction of a police officer.
“I am truly sorry for my actions in this matter, and I am disappointed in my behavior and lack of judgment,” Sen. Joshua Miller, a Democrat, told reporters outside 3rd District Court in Warwick on Tuesday, according to The Boston Globe.
“In a blink of an eye, I exhibited a lack of self-control that has impacted my reputation,” he added. “For that, I only have myself to blame as I am solely responsible for what led to today’s court proceedings.”
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Miller, 69, was arrested in June after he vandalized a car with a “Biden Sucks” bumper sticker and later lied to police. He initially denied keying the car and later claimed the victim was “daring” him to once police confronted him with video evidence.
During the arraignment, Miller pled no contest to the two charges and was ordered to pay $2,850 in restitution to the vehicle owner and to donate $250 to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. If Miller does not commit any more crimes for the next year, the case will be expunged from his record, the Globe reported.
Miller said he had no plan to resign from his position at the state house.
The Rhode Island Republican Party chair, who called for Miller to resign, said the plea deal is “disappointing although not surprising.”
“It’s another case of politics as usual in the Ocean State,” Joe Powers told Fox News. “In pure Rhode Island political fashion, another Democrat gets off with a slap on the wrist and retains his chairmanship of the powerful Health and Human Services Committee and committee assignments with no recourse.”
Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, a top Rhode Island Democrat, defended Miller in a statement to Fox News. He called Miller’s actions “deeply regrettable” but complimented him as “a dedicated and passionate public servant.”
“I don’t believe that any one of us would want to be judged solely upon our worst moments,” Ruggerio said. “Because of his long record of service, because he has taken responsibility for his actions and because the events of that day had nothing to do with his responsibilities in the Senate or his position as a state senator, we are putting this incident behind us and moving forward.”
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“Like all of us who hold elected office, Sen. Miller will ultimately answer to his constituents,” Ruggerio added.
The City of Cranston Solicitor, Christopher Millea, said he didn’t believe there was favoritism in the case.
“Mr. Miller was treated no different than anybody else by the city of Cranston,” he said. “There’s zero politics involved in this.”
Millea said he had no response to a question from a reporter about why Miller keyed the car, according to the Globe.
Surveillance footage caught Miller in the act at the Garden City Center in Cranston, Rhode Island.
When police confronted him at his home after reviewing the surveillance footage, they asked him why he keyed the car.
“Because he was daring me to, basically,” Miller responded.
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Miller, who has been in office since 2006, also told police he thought the man was one of the “gun nuts” he claims is stalking him for sponsoring gun control legislation.
The victim told police he didn’t recognize Miller.
In body-cam footage, Miller is seen telling the officers who stopped him to call police Col. Michael Winquist, who he said was aware of threats from “gun nuts.”
“Mr. Miller never reported any threats to Colonel Winquist or any member of the Cranston Police Department,” the agency wrote in a statement.
“Nobody is above the law, including those who make and enforce the laws,” Winquist added in the release. “The officers who handled this investigation did so with fairness, integrity, and without preferential treatment.”
Miller and the Cranston Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.
