Auditor Salmon faces DUI charge [View All]

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MONTPELIER — Vermont State Auditor Thomas Salmon has been charged with drunken driving after being pulled over for a traffic infraction, police said Saturday.

Salmon, 46, of St. Johnsbury had a blood-alcohol content of 0.086 — just over the .08 minimum — after a Vermont State Police trooper stopped him for failing to use a turn signal late Friday in Montpelier and he admitted to having several drinks.

Salmon, who had been drinking red wine at a party, was cited and has a Dec. 3 court date.

“I made a mistake,” he said Saturday. “I screwed up. I’m going to face the consequences, take my medicine. And I’ll move forward.”

Salmon, the son of former Gov. Thomas P. Salmon, was elected to the $95,000-a-year post as auditor of accounts in 2006 and re-elected last year, even though he was serving with the U.S. Navy Reserve in Iraq at the time.

Two months ago, he switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, saying the GOP was more committed to addressing the fiscal realities facing Vermont than were Democrats.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20091115/NEWS02/91114016/1007/news02/Auditor-Salmon-faces-DUI-charge