RABUN COUNTY, Ga. — A group is calling for the resignation of a state lawmaker charged with DUI.
Republican State Rep. Tom Taylor of Dunwoody had a blood-alcohol content of nearly three times the legal limit and he had four exchange students in the vehicle when he was stopped on April 7, according to police.
Dashcam video released Monday shows Taylor repeatedly telling police that he had nothing to drink that day.
Taylor blames the smell of alcohol on wine he drank the previous night, saying he was probably still hungover.
Police originally pulled Taylor over for speeding. They say he smelled of alcohol so they gave him a Breathalyzer test, where he blew a .225 percent. Officers say they also found an empty water bottle in the car that smelled of alcohol. Taylor told officers that the water bottle was probably from the day before.
Better Georgia says the fact that Taylor repeatedly lied to police shows that he’s unfit to keep his elected office.
“This isn't about politics. He needs to step away from this office and consider what's right and what's wrong,” said Bryan Long, Better Georgia’s executive director.
Long is heading up a petition to force Taylor’s resignation.
“He lied to officers. He didn’t come clean right from the start and continued to lie through the video,” Long said.
Long says he already has close to 1,000 signatures on the petition.
“He has power and influence statewide. This is a chairman of a committee that has oversight over MARTA,” Long said.
Taylor says he made a serious mistake that he regrets, but he does not plan to resign and is still committed to running for re-election. He says he sees this as a wake-up call and that he will find the best path to seek treatment.
Cox Media Group
