Lawmakers Breaking the Law

Along with not wearing his seatbelt, Gov. Corzine's car seems to have beengoing 91 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.

CAMDEN,N.J., April 17 — In the seconds before Gov. Jon S. Corzine was criticallyinjured in an accident last Thursday, the Chevrolet Suburban he was riding inwas traveling 91 miles per hour, 26 m.p.h. over the posted speed limit,according to a crash data recorder retrieved from the vehicle.

The superintendent of the state police, Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, said Tuesdaythat the trooper driving the vehicle, Robert J. Rasinski, had toldinvestigators that he did not know how fast he was traveling as he led Mr.Corzine’s two-car caravan, emergency lights flashing, from an AtlanticCity casino where the governor had given a speech to a meeting at thegovernor’s mansion in Princeton. But the recorder clocked the speed at 91m.p.h. five seconds before the Suburban collided with a white pickup truck, andat 30 m.p.h. when it slammed into a guardrail along the shoulder of the GardenState Parkway, the police said.

You mean to tell me that TrooperRasinski doesn't have a sense of speed while driving or never looked down at thespeedometer? The driver of Corzine's car should have fell back (backupplan #3). Either way, unless it was an emergency there were some laws beingbroken by lawmakers and enforcers.

Comments

[Bill Levinson]

NEW JERSEY LAW REGARDING USE OF EMERGENCY RIGHT OF WAY

9:4-91. a. The driver of a vehicle upon a highway shall yield the right of way to any authorized emergency vehicle when it is operated on official business, or in the exercise of the driver's profession or calling, in response to an emergency call or in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law and when an audible signal by bell, siren, exhaust whistle or other means is sounded from the authorized emergency vehicle...

We don't see "rushing Governor Corzine to a photo-op" in the above paragraph. It says "in response to an emergency call or in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law..."

b. This section shall not relieve the driver of any authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall it protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit any immunity or defense otherwise provided by law.

[Arlen]

Note that since Corzine is not an actual legislator (a Governor) he is not technically a "lawmaker."

[Tony]

Arlen, I should have been more specific and said they sign bills into laws (or vetoes them) It just chaps my ass when I see any politician cross the line.

tony