GOP Lawmaker Fined $1000 After He Spewed Homophobic Insults at a Cop
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Investigation Reveals North Dakota State Rep. Nico Rios’ Guilty Plea and Anti-LGBTQ+ Remarks
North Dakota State Representative Nico Rios (R) has recently pleaded guilty to drunken driving charges in connection to an incident that occurred on December 15, 2023. During the incident, Rios was pulled over by police officers and proceeded to unleash a tirade of anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-immigrant insults at them. The details of his sentence were handed down on January 8, which includes a $1,000 fine, almost a year of unsupervised probation, a 10-day suspended jail sentence, a mandatory evaluation, and a victim impact panel.
Rios was also charged with refusing a chemical test, but that charge was subsequently dismissed. He will have to pay a $50 fine for having an open container in his vehicle at the time of the arrest. Attorney Mark Friese has stated that it does not appear that Rios was treated more harshly than others in similar situations and believes that multiple entities will hold him accountable for his actions.
Bodycam footage from the December traffic stop captured Rios shouting anti-immigrant and homophobic slurs at the Williston, North Dakota police officers. He even questioned one officer’s accent and threatened to contact the state attorney general about the traffic stop.
“You guys are going to regret picking on me because you don’t know who the f*ck I am,” Rios exclaimed. “You’re arresting me for driving home, and people are coming to your country and raping your women.” He also called one officer a “f*cking coward.”
In a recent statement, Rios acknowledged that his behavior was unacceptable and issued an apology. He promised to ensure that such incidents never happen again, attributing his actions to consuming too many drinks at a Christmas party. He also expressed his willingness to seek appropriate help.
While Rios’ anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-immigrant remarks have drawn significant attention, state Republican leaders have primarily called for his resignation due to his disrespectful behavior towards law enforcement officers. The North Dakota District 23 GOP Executive Committee released a Facebook statement expressing their disappointment in Rios’ choice of language and slurs, stating that it disrespected and belittled the officers involved. They asserted that his actions were not consistent with their beliefs and party platform and requested his immediate resignation, citing their loss of confidence in him.
Similarly, North Dakota House Majority Leader Mike Lefor (R) called on Rios to resign, emphasizing that there is no room for such behavior in the legislature or their party. Lefor condemned Rios’ comments and defiance towards law enforcement as beyond the pale. As a consequence of his actions, Lefor removed Rios from the legislature’s interim Judiciary Committee, as he did not want law enforcement officers to testify in front of someone who had spoken to officers in such a disrespectful manner.
Despite mounting pressure from fellow Republicans, Rios has not yet indicated any plans to resign. However, he has expressed remorse for his “disgusting actions” and continues to face significant backlash for his offensive remarks.
It is worth noting that even if Rios were to resign, Republicans maintain a substantial majority in the North Dakota House with an 82-12 margin. Therefore, they would still retain an overwhelming majority of seats even without Rios’ presence.
The incident involving State Representative Nico Rios has sparked controversy and highlighted the need for accountability and respect within the political sphere. As investigations continue, it remains to be seen how this incident will impact Rios’ political career and whether further consequences will be imposed.
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“GOP lawmaker fined for homophobic insults”
