Cindy Padilla
Blowing a .08 on a breathalyzer test, failing field sobriety tests and being arrested for suspicion of drunken driving raises questions about whether Cindy Padilla will actually fulfill her appointment as deputy assistant secretary on aging in the U.S. Health and Humans Services Department.
The arrest of the former secretary of the State Aging and Long Term Services Department came three days after Gov. Bill Richardson announced last month that she had accepted the federal position.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Padilla was pulled over just after midnight on Oct. 24 by Santa Fe police for speeding on Guadalupe Street. After her car’s tire struck a curb, the arresting officer asked Padilla if she had been drinking. Padilla told the officer she had a margarita earlier in the evening at El Farol Restaurant and Lounge.
Two days after her arrest, Richardson Chief of Staff Brian Condit asked Padilla to resign her state post, the Journal reported.
As governor, Richardson has worked hard to combat drunken driving. In August, he rolled out 10 new initiatives for curbing DWI in the state, including mandatory jail time and a $2,500 fine for first time offenders.
A spokesperson with federal health agency told the Journal that Padilla has requested her start date with the department be postponed until after the issue is resolved, but Vicki Rivas-Vasquez would not comment on whether or not a DWI conviction would affect Padilla’s job status in D.C.
Padilla waived her appearance in Santa Fe Municipal Court on Wednesday, and the judge entered a “not guilty” plea for the defendant. Bond was set at $500. A pretrial conference hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 9.
St. Cyr is a contributing writer for this site and a reporter at 770KKOB.com. He can be reached at peter.stcyr@gmail.com.