FORT MADISON – The fallout from a citation issued to Lee County Supervisor chairman Tom Schulz has reached the county attorney’s office and prompted a release Wednesday morning from the Lee County Sheriff’s office.
Lee County Attorney Ross Braden said the citation for public intoxication opens Schulz to possible action for removal from office. That action would either come in the form of a petition from Lee County voters or from action from Ross himself. Five voters would need to sign a legal petition to submit to Braden.
Iowa Code 66.1(a)(6) addresses the remedy for removing any local elected official through a hearing process with the local district court.
But Braden said no one is at that point yet.
“It’s an unfortunate situation that none of us asked to be put in,” Braden said Wednesday morning.
“(Schulz) has been cited for public intoxication and been given a court date and that will be upcoming. It would appear that the allegations are true so he has a decision to make.”
Braden said the code provides grounds for removal from office through constituents and filing from his office.
“However, I’m not in a place to say that decision has been made. The situation needs to play out a little more. Mr. Schulz has some decisions to make on how he wants to address these issues.”
“And to a certain extent, I have a duty to the citizens of Lee County. At the end of the day, we want to see him get whatever he needs to help him.”
Schulz issued a statement to county department heads outlining the day's event and how he came to have alcohol in his system.
He said he put a couple sodas in his bag that he had apparently mixed with bourbon and put back in the refrigerator at his home. On his way to work early Tuesday morning, he shoved the drinks in his bag not realizing he grabbed the wrong ones. He said medical staff at SEI Regional Medical Center in Fort Madison on a toxicology test after he was cited, said he was dehydrated. Schulz also said he hadn’t eaten anything all day.
He consumed one of the drinks at the Lee County office building in Fort Madison and then opened the second prior the Board of Supervisors' meeting Thursday. Schulz was consuming the drink during the board meeting that began at 3:30 p.m.
He wrote that the drinks tasted off, but he thought it was because he thought they were a little flat.
During the meeting his speech became slurred and he lost focus and, after about 30 minutes, he got up and went over to Lee County EMS staff at the meeting for assistance.
“I should have realized what I was drinking but I didn't. What I did do was consume alcohol on an empty stomach while dehydrated. I made a fool of and dishonored myself. I shall now reflect on what that means before I have to get up at 4:30 a.m. and get back to work." The email was sent late Tuesday night.
On Wednesday morning, Lee County Sheriff Elliott Vandenberg released a statement indicating deputies noticed signs and odors of intoxication and left with medical staff to the hospital.
“It is believed that Mr. Schulz was intoxicated while performing his duties as a supervisor to the county and while in the county office building, a public space,” Elliott wrote.
Vandenberg wrote that Schulz returned to the building and deputies went to speak to him but he was gone on their arrival. Deputies then went to Schulz’s home where, after attempting to speak with him there, made contact with him while he was walking down his street.
“Schulz exhibited signs of intoxication, and a breath sample was obtained. Schulz was cited and released,” the release indicated. “A charge is merely an accusation; a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
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RedStateSocialist
How does one not know that their soda is spiked with bourbon? Not only would that soda taste different (not 'flat'), one would be able to smell the bourbon when lifting the container for a drink. Furthermore, there's the timeframe. He drank one 'Pepsi' earlier in the day (prior to 3:30 pm). Then he cracked another during that 3:30 meeting. At 4ish he's having issues and taken to hospital. We can guess that he was there for at least an hour. He's driven home and then goes out to eat which is another hour or so. Then he speaks with police on his porch--let's say 15 minutes. Then he walks from his address to the police station, approximately 6 blocks, so likely another 10-15 minutes. At the approximate time he was breathalyzed it was likely 2.5 to 3 hours after the drink and he'd walked and ate food. He still blew a .09. Even dehydrated and without food in his stomach I'm guessing there was a fair amount of bourbon in those 'Pepsi' containers which takes us right back to the first question.
But there are two other elements that stand out. In all I've read about Schulz's words and behavior during quite a few county and city meetings, he comes across as belligerent, demeaning, and disrespectful (specifically to women), How can we not question whether these were in part due to intoxication?
The other issue is that this man is an elected official. Instead of apologizing to his constituents, his response is all about how he was affect and what he has to do the following morning. Not one word of it is about letting down the people who voted for him. That, to me, speaks volumes about who Tom Schulz is as a person. Certainly not one I want as someone leading this county into the future.
Thursday, February 20 Report this