Watson Can't Hold his Liquor

Two months ago, Rhode Island House Minority Leader Robert Watson infuriated Guatemalans, Latinos, and many others for insensitive remarks he made about the operations of the Rhode Island legislature.

Watson plays the role of minority leader for the 10 hugely outnumbered Republicans in the House with tremendous zeal, a passion that sometimes sounds to the uninitiated like anger, and a talent for the cutting, albeit, occasionally politically incorrect phrase.

He drew fire, for example, in February when he said, “I suppose if you’re a gay man from Guatemala who gambles and smokes pot, you probably think that we’re onto some good ideas here,” referring to the General Assembly. Watson refused demands to apologize.

Of course on Friday, he was arrested for marijuana possession and driving under the influence after being stopped at a police checkpoint in Connecticut.

According to Watson, he only had a drink or two. According to police, he had blood alcohol level of .05 (below the state's .08 level) and failed several field sobriety tests.

According to the police report, Officer Vincent Ferrara stopped Watson’s Ford Ranger pickup truck about 9:36 p.m. on Friday and “immediately observed that the operator’s eyes were extremely glassy and bloodshot.” When asked if he had been drinking, “Watson said he had one or two drinks, but was OK to drive.”

After detecting “a distinct odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from his breath,” and noticing that Watson was “slurring his words when he spoke,” Ferrara asked Watson to submit to some field sobriety tests and Watson agreed.

“While speaking with Watson,” the officer said he also “smelled the distinct odor of marijuana on his person.”

Ferrara said Watson failed to perform a number of the tests up to sobriety-test standards, including the “one-leg stand.”

The officer said he observed Watson “bend his knee, raise his arms several times for balance, raise his foot lower than the six inches instructed and count incorrectly.”

Fortunately, no one was hurt. It's possible that he failed the tests simply because he had been helping a friend move all day, he was tired, he's 50-years old, and/or there was too much pressure performing with so many officers watching. The marijuana will be more dificult to explain away but there's probably some family member or friend out there who left the weed and pipe in his right pants pocket without his knowledge.

Watson also said that “At the proper time, I look forward to the opportunity to explain and comment further.” I wonder if that explanation will include an explanation about how he was not returning from helping a friend move but instead returning from a weekend getaway at Foxwoods resorts and casino with his male partner. Doesn't it just feel like the story should end that way?