Fox News is garbage. That’s a known fact, but sometimes the network outdoes itself. Tuesday, Jesse Watters spread absurd, unconfirmed rumors about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, who was arrested over Memorial Day weekend and charged with driving under the influence.
WATTERS: Paul Pelosi Sr. blew through a stop sign and slammed his Porsche into a Jeep.
According to actual news reports, the Jeep hit Paul Pelosi’s Porsche while he was attempting to cross State Route 29 in Napa. That’s somewhat of an important detail. California Highway Patrol hasn’t identified either driver as being at fault in the crash. No one reputable has claimed Paul Pelosi ran a stop sign.
WATTERS: [He was] on his way home from a dinner party, while Nancy was across the country. First of all. Have you ever been to a dinner party without your significant other? Me either. I think there’s more to the story.
This is sick.
Look, Nancy Pelosi represents California’s 12th Congressional District, which includes most of San Francisco. The Pelosis currently live in St. Helena. They have a primary residence in Washington DC’s Georgetown neighborhood. This is not unusual. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy represents California’s 22nd district but shares a residence in DC. I assume when his wife is in California, she doesn’t sit around alone in her room.
There’s nothing untoward about Paul Pelosi enjoying an evening out while Nancy’s out of town. (She was in Rhode Island where she gave a commencement speech Sunday at Brown University.) The couple’s been married longer than Vice President Kamala Harris has existed, so their relationship seems solid.
WATTERS: Paulie P. was returning home to the Pelosi Vineyard. You know, the one valued at between $5 and $25 million, where they entertain all their friends and fancy Silicon Valley executives.
Yes, the Pelosis are rich, but Nancy Pelosi isn’t even the wealthiest member of Congress. That’s Republican Senator Rick Scott from Florida. The richest member of the House is Republican Rep. Michael McCaul from Texas. At least 13 members of Congress have more cigar-lighting money than Nancy Pelosi. Watters’s colleague Tucker Carlson is also possibly in the same tax bracket as Pelosi.
WATTERS: Papa Paulie was charged with drunk driving after his blood alcohol level was higher than the legal limit, and he was booked on two misdemeanors. And Big Paul’s bail was set at five Gs before he was released early Sunday morning. He allegedly offer stock tips to the officer and asked, “Do you know who I am?” But we can’t confirm those rumors – just sounds like something he might do.
Really? Bribing police officers is something Watters thinks the Speaker of the House’s husband might do? He has no evidence to back up his smears, of course. According to Mediaite, a random Reddit post claimed that Paul Pelosi tried to throw his weight around, but while I find Reddit a reliable source for Marvel Cinematic Universe leaks, I wouldn’t base a news report around its posts.
I’m not a mindless ghoul like Watters, so I’m glad no one was injured in the accident. Paul Pelosi is 82 and probably shouldn’t have been driving home at close to midnight after a dinner party. Hell, I’m 48 and even if I had nothing stronger than an Arnold Palmer, I don’t enjoy driving that late. Uber is literally based in San Francisco.
Pelosi’s blood alcohol level was .08 or higher, but there’s no evidence he was bombed out of his mind. The “conventional wisdom” is that you’re “safe” if you have just one drink per hour. That’s a drunk driving fairy tale. Based on your weight, amount of food you’ve eaten, and overall fatigue, you can reach legal impairment after just a few drinks. Don’t risk it. The biggest shock for me after leaving New York, where people rarely drive, is sharing a bottle of wine with someone who then declares himself fine to drive. People can die this way. Call a cab.
So ends my public service announcement.
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