Scant coverage in the political blogosphere of the news that a top Rendell Administration official has been charged with public drunkenness. With one exception, there was no mention of Sandi Vito's legal troubles among left-wing bloggers in Pennsylvania.Imagine the outrage if Ms. Vito was a Republican.
Vito, awaiting Senate confirmation as Pennsylvania's next Labor Secretary, was charged with public drunkenness after an incident at a Harrisburg hotel bar on Wednesday.
Vito, 43, issued a statement Thursday apologizing for the incident, which involved a dispute about whether Vito should take a cab home after she had been drinking at the hotel, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
"I am deeply embarrassed and profoundly humiliated by my actions last night," Vito said. "My behavior was inexcusable. I did not have a car and was intent on walking to my nearby home. In retrospect, I understand that the authorities were merely considering my safety when they insisted I take a cab rather than walk."
The Associated Press reports today that Vito is entering an alcohol treatment program. The Morning-Call's John Micek at Capitol Ideas says Rendell is not planning to withdraw Vito's nomination.
Vito was appointed by Rendell as Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor & Industry on Feb. 4, 2008. She is awaiting confirmation from the Republican-controlled Senate to run the Labor Department until the end of Rendell's term.
Before going to work at Labor & Industry, Vito served as chief of staff to State Sen. Christine Tartaglione, a Philadelphia Democrat. She previously held the post of political director for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
This ought to make people more aware of the problems that police officers must deal with on a daily basis. Not only are they being murdered by the bad guys but they have to deal with spousal abuse, deliquent kids and obnoxious drunks.
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