Rhode Island state senator was ordered to pay restitution after he keyed a SUV with an anti-Biden sticker and then lied to police. While the sentence is fairly standard, it seems a tad light in this particular case. Sen. Joshua Miller lied to police and holds a position of public trust. The expungement of the crime is particularly unfortunate given the role of a leading politician in politically motivated property destruction.
Miller was also ordered to make a donation to the local food bank. Ordering defendants to support unrelated charities adds another controversial element, though it is also now quite common. Judges routinely order payments not to the treasury or a victim fund but charities of the court’s choice.
Yet, it is the overall sentence that is concerning given Miller’s conduct not only during the incident but after it.
After keying the car, Miller was found out by police, who confronted him at his home. He then made a series of false statements. While he later expressed shame and suggested that he only acted in the moment, he offered a calculated and false account long after the incident.
Miller, 69, told The Boston Globe, “in a blink of an eye, I exhibited a lack of self-control that has impacted my reputation.” But it was more than a blink. Long after the incident, Miller made up a story of how he was being stalked by gun owners for his anti-gun policies and thought this was one of his stalkers.
He explained that he keyed the car “because he was daring me to, basically.”
The victim neither knew Miller nor recognized him. Nevertheless, Miller claimed that he thought he was a “gun nut” who was stalking him. He told the officers to talk to their superior, Col. Michael Winquist, who was aware of his stalking complaints. That proved to be untrue as well.
Nevertheless, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, a top Rhode Island Democrat, defended Miller to Fox News and said it was just one unfortunate moment. He neglected to address how Miller lied to the officers long after the property destruction.
Miller pleaded 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 he does not commit any more crimes for the next year, the case will be expunged from his record.
After the collapse of Miller’s false account, what was left was something all too familiar today: a sense of license to destroy property as an act of rage. Because he found the anti-Biden sticker triggering and upsetting, Miller sought to punish the. man for having opposing views. To Miller, having an anti-Biden sticker was “daring” him to take action. It is the license of the age of rage.
I am good with the punishment if that is what the average person gets. I understand the good Professor’s opinion that this case may be a little lite due to the fact he is a politician.
I also understand State Senator Miller’s explanation of being “dared” to key a car and his paranoia of “gun nuts”. I also understand his lying to police, let us face it, he is a politician. It is what they do best.
However, I am perplexed on this one issue, if State Senator Miller was afraid of “gun nuts”, does it seem prudent to go key the car of a guy stalking you with a gun?
As for dares State Senator Miller seems to like. How about this one, go key the cars of your Democrat buddies that defend you for personal property destruction of innocent strangers and see where that one leads.
This is another reason added to the basket of why so many have no respect for judges, congress, the Senate, law enforcement, etc., because there is a set of laws for them and a different set of laws for others. No meaningful consequences for the crimes they do, and so America falls further into decline. He should have spent time in jail, lost his retirement. He is not sorry or worried about his crimes; he is just sorry he got caught.
It is also time people look at the judges, letting people off with a mild slap on the hand. The judges themselves are helping to help escalate crimes in the U.S. while at the same time placing law-abiding citizens in further danger because of lack of carrying justice and instead, like in this case of someone in a government position to give a lighter sentence.
Watching him try to worm his way out of it shows the level of character he has.
What if the presidential debates.are between Joe Manchin and RFK Jr. ? Y
Don’t tell me, Trump made him do it.
“[H]e keyed a SUV . . .”
Seems to me it was a “mostly peaceful” keying.
The Remedy for tyranny is the 2nd Amendment.
The National Socialist Democrat WOKE party aka American NAZIS.
But, but, but…he was a prog/left democrat!!!
Obviously this Democrat was the victim of the Triple Dog Dare of movie fame and was under the temporary insanity that this heinous behavior and dare can cause in upstanding members of the community. He should be thankful that it was not winter otherwise this poor Democrat would have been trapped in a school yard with his tongue stuck to a frozen flagpole, crying out in anguish. Oh! Wait a minute, that movie was about 8 yr olds and not adults. I suspect this was really about someone’s Red Ryder BB gun of the Daisy Manufacturing Company. What a scandal. I want all copies of the letters, phone calls and e-mails, and passed written notes from the 3rd grade classroom of this politico. You can never did too deep.
He should of gotten the jan6th judge that gave 20yrs for entering the capital building, on a COLD January day! Evil has NO shame!
I can’t wait to hear the “Miller’s the real victim here” arguments from GooGoo, Fishdicks, ATS and the rest of the goon platoon.
The honorable and unimpeachable Senator Joshua Miller of impeccable Boston heraldry and years of selfless service in the greater Boston area known for his kindness and integrity while under fire will have live with this unfortunate MAGA attack on his sterling character for the rest of his life. We can all agree that is excessive punishment possibly leading to PTSD, which he should be justly compensated for.
Wonder how it feels to be 69 years old, have the uncontrolled impulses of of an adolescent sociopath and attempt to cover your exposed behavior with lies? Just ask Rhode Island Senator Joshua Miller!
Wow, Rhode Island!
“It’s another case of politics as usual in the Ocean State,” [RI GOP party chair] 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.”
https://www.foxnews.com/media/democrat-senator-keyed-car-biden-sucks-sticker-learns-punishment-court
The Democrat Party operates by the “what ever it takes” standard of behavior. Lead by Senate Majority leader Harry Reid. When asked about his Lie that Romeny was not paying income taxes, replied, “he lost didn’t he?”
Its is the foundation of the “But Trump” exceptions, Democrats and their deep state acolytes use to ignore the law and constitution, in their blind attempts at power grabs…at any cost.
Yesterdays example was a congressional hearing on censorship, that the Dems motioned to be moved into executive session…so as not to be in the public eye. That is how the Democrats desire to govern. Cloaked in darkness and secrecy.
Iowan2,
Well said.
The lengths they went to in an attempt to keep RFK Jr. from speaking is telling of the levels of their desperation.
As I learned as a lad in school the 60’s and 70’s, studying civics, the answer to bad speech is more speech.
If Kennedy is so off the wall, a simple response, citing facts, will be more than enough to counter him.., I noticed all the Dems when questioned about the desire to censor Kennedy, used the same talking point…his speech was dangerous….but never define the danger. Its always the same with leftist. Changing the meaning of words to push their lies.
Destroying property, giving false statements to police, and his only “punishment” is restitution, and he has no plans to resign from the state legislature or even from his chairmanship of the health and human services committee. For Democrats this really is the golden age of no accountability for one’s actions. Once nobody was held accountable for the utter fiasco of the US leaving Afghanistan, that set the pattern for official malfeasance high and low with impunity where Democrats are concerned.
“The Golden Age of No Accountability”. Well said !!
Old man, resign. They’ll probably want him to run for state senate!
there is NO ONE more hate filled, greedy, lying, cheating, hypocrite than a Democrat!!
Given the facts of the case, this would have been a perfect place to hit him with the strongest possible punishment not only because it would be just, but because it would set an example, given his political position, and lying to police, and flagrant damage to property.
Every city/state/community needs to return to the broken-window policy. Large crimes will continue until we get the small infractions under control.
That’s why millions of us on both sides never put political signs on our cars. Too many wackos out there who never expect to get caught since shoplifting is now legal, but if caught will get only sympathy from politicized judges.
Being a retired Gun Club Rang Officer, I like to wear my old red ball cap. In this crazy time, I do not wear it when I go to the city as I often receive the digitus imputatis from folks thinking I am making a pro Trump statement, when in fact I wish both Biden and Trump would go away. Ditto the bumper stickers. Appearing apolitical when around both extremes in days of rage seems prudent.
Typical dem spoiled brat that only knows how to make things worse for others.
““in a blink of an eye, I exhibited a lack of self-control that has impacted my reputation.” Another lie, his reputation wasn’t impacted…he’s always been an a-hole.
Rogue Island.
Massachusetts here, Rick. We’ll see you a piddling keying and raise you a Boston city councilor who drove her unregistered, uninsured car — without a license — into a house while driving 55 in a 30 mph zone… with her kid in the back without a seat belt on.
Hey at least the kid was in the back, right.
https://www.wcvb.com/article/body-camera-crash-video-boston-city-councilor-kendra-lara/44604500#
He’s seventy. One would think he would by now, have more sense and demeanor.
She also lied to police on his police report, apparently he’s not facing in a criminal charges or for that matter ethics charges. That means he’s a Democrat.