Tonight I received an email from State Representative Kevin Green from Michigan who I met about six years ago at Rutgers University. We were participants of a study of young people in politics (I'm sure I wouldn't be accepted into that program today since according to many people at my birthday party I am now OLD). Over the years, we have followed each others career paths and he still sends me updates from time to time.
I will save my comments until after you read his email below:
Dear friends and supporters,
I have always shared the highs and lows of my life with you. From my days serving on the Wyoming City Council, to my swimming the Mackinaw Straits to help children, to the tragic loss of our baby daughter Skylar and the recent joy of the birth of our son Elliot. I am eternally grateful for your support and your confidence in me as I faced these challenges and triumphs. It is because of your unwavering support of me in the past, that I again humbly ask for your thoughts and prayers. I want you to hear it first from me that I was recently charged with Operating While Intoxicated in Saginaw County. Last week after a long day of driving statewide to help several candidates on the campaign trail, I stopped for dinner after helping the last candidate that evening. During dinner, I had a few drinks and made the mistake of getting behind the wheel to go back to my hotel. As I began driving to the hotel, I started feeling the effects of the drinks and realized I needed to stop driving. I pulled off the roadway and into a parking lot to rest. A short time later, I was approached by a sheriff's deputy who later determined that I should not have been driving. I have and I will cooperate fully with authorities. I am taking the necessary steps to ensure that this is a one time incident and will not happen again. I respect the law and will work to resolve the legal case in a fair and expedient fashion. There is simply no excuse for my decision to drink and drive and I take full responsibility for my actions. We all make mistakes, but how we handle them is what defines us. I promise you I will learn from this incident and become a better person as a result. I hope that my openness will help others learn from my experience and provide an example that we all are capable of making a poor decision. As I head into this personally and spiritually challenging time, I want you to know I truly regret my decision and apologize to the people I let down by my actions. I ask you, my friends, for your forgiveness and your prayers. The following is the public apology and statement I made regarding the situation:
"I appreciate the public's concern. To the public, my Lansing colleagues, the people of my district, and my family, I am very sorry for this situation. "I hold myself to a high standard of conduct and realize I am solely responsible for my decisions. Since this is a legal matter, I will be working with my attorney to resolve any legal issues fairly and quickly. "I promise to take all steps necessary to make sure this does not occur again. As always, I will do everything I can to focus on my job as a state Representative, a husband and a father. I will not let this matter distract me from my responsibilities."
Sincerely,
Kevin J. Green
There are two lines that are worth another read: "We all make mistakes, but how we handle them is what defines us" and ". . . realize I am solely responsible for my decisions." Although I am disappointed to hear the news about Representative Green, I do applaud his attitude of taking ownership for his mistake. He did make a promise to his family, friends and constituents that it would not happen again. We'll see what the future holds for him. But if he is still the same Kevin Green that I met at Rutgers, he will keep that promise.
I will save my comments until after you read his email below:
Dear friends and supporters,
I have always shared the highs and lows of my life with you. From my days serving on the Wyoming City Council, to my swimming the Mackinaw Straits to help children, to the tragic loss of our baby daughter Skylar and the recent joy of the birth of our son Elliot. I am eternally grateful for your support and your confidence in me as I faced these challenges and triumphs. It is because of your unwavering support of me in the past, that I again humbly ask for your thoughts and prayers. I want you to hear it first from me that I was recently charged with Operating While Intoxicated in Saginaw County. Last week after a long day of driving statewide to help several candidates on the campaign trail, I stopped for dinner after helping the last candidate that evening. During dinner, I had a few drinks and made the mistake of getting behind the wheel to go back to my hotel. As I began driving to the hotel, I started feeling the effects of the drinks and realized I needed to stop driving. I pulled off the roadway and into a parking lot to rest. A short time later, I was approached by a sheriff's deputy who later determined that I should not have been driving. I have and I will cooperate fully with authorities. I am taking the necessary steps to ensure that this is a one time incident and will not happen again. I respect the law and will work to resolve the legal case in a fair and expedient fashion. There is simply no excuse for my decision to drink and drive and I take full responsibility for my actions. We all make mistakes, but how we handle them is what defines us. I promise you I will learn from this incident and become a better person as a result. I hope that my openness will help others learn from my experience and provide an example that we all are capable of making a poor decision. As I head into this personally and spiritually challenging time, I want you to know I truly regret my decision and apologize to the people I let down by my actions. I ask you, my friends, for your forgiveness and your prayers. The following is the public apology and statement I made regarding the situation:
"I appreciate the public's concern. To the public, my Lansing colleagues, the people of my district, and my family, I am very sorry for this situation. "I hold myself to a high standard of conduct and realize I am solely responsible for my decisions. Since this is a legal matter, I will be working with my attorney to resolve any legal issues fairly and quickly. "I promise to take all steps necessary to make sure this does not occur again. As always, I will do everything I can to focus on my job as a state Representative, a husband and a father. I will not let this matter distract me from my responsibilities."
Sincerely,
Kevin J. Green
There are two lines that are worth another read: "We all make mistakes, but how we handle them is what defines us" and ". . . realize I am solely responsible for my decisions." Although I am disappointed to hear the news about Representative Green, I do applaud his attitude of taking ownership for his mistake. He did make a promise to his family, friends and constituents that it would not happen again. We'll see what the future holds for him. But if he is still the same Kevin Green that I met at Rutgers, he will keep that promise.
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