Alaska lawmaker McGuire blamed for flight ruckus
Originally published Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 8:28 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 10:56 a.m.
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE -- Alaska state Sen. Lesil McGuire caused a disturbance on an Alaska Airlines flight, including throwing a glass of water when flight attendants refused to serve her alcohol, authorities said.
An Anchorage airport police report of the Sept. 4 incident says the Anchorage Republican also continued using her BlackBerry after being asked to turn it off in preparation of the flight from Juneau to Anchorage. According to the report, McGuire continued texting, prompting the pilot to stop the plane as it was taxiing.
McGuire, who chairs the State Affairs Committee, was questioned by police at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, but was not charged with a crime.
She did not immediately return a message left Wednesday by The Associated Press seeking comment.
Witnesses told police McGuire was rude, used profanity, bad-mouthed the pilots and caused further delay by getting out of her seat.
She was escorted through the airport by police for questioning. In the recorded police interview, McGuire repeatedly said she did nothing wrong. She said she was unfairly targeted by a flight attendant.
"It was literally like she set her sights on me ... I felt like I was being hunted," she said.
McGuire cried during the interview, saying "I feel terrible."
The flight crew didn't want to pursue charges and none will be filed, airport police said.
McGuire's attorney, Mike Corey, told the Anchorage Daily News that the report by airport police presents a skewed view of what happened. It does not include, for example, statements from the passengers seated next to her.
In a written statement faxed to airport police 11 days after the incident, McGuire disputed their findings. She said she was cooperative with the flight crew, and the spilled water was an accident.
"I apologized then and I apologize now for any inconvenience or disturbance my actions (may) have caused to the flight crew, the airport police officers, or my fellow passengers on flight 67," McGuire said in a statement, faxed from her Senate office.
In her statement, McGuire said she was texting about her flight being delayed to the person who was supposed to pick her up in Anchorage. She said she cooperated with the flight attendant when asked to turn off her BlackBerry.
But according to the Sept. 5 police report, obtained along with the audio of the police interview by the Anchorage Daily News, one of the flight attendants said crew members chose to not serve McGuire alcohol because they decided she would be escorted off the plane once it landed.
The report says during questioning, officers noticed alcohol on McGuire's breath, her flushed skin and a slightly unsteady walk. McGuire told police she had a glass of wine before the flight.
According to the report, a former airport police officer on the flight said he saw McGuire have three glasses of wine at the airport bar before boarding.
In her written statement, McGuire disputed that.
McGuire served three terms in the state House before being elected to the state Senate in 2006. She is married to former Rep. Tom Anderson, an Anchorage Republican who is serving a federal prison term on corruption charges.
McGuire was not implicated during her husband's trial last year.
Community Discussion
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We have to clean up our government.......
She's a real piece of work!
Another arrogant, elitist Republican politician with a bloated sense of entitlement. But, hey! It works for Don Young and it worked for Frank Murkowski so I'm sure she expects and figures she gets to be treated like pampered royalty too! Who amongst us hasn't yelled at the Little People once in awhile??
What do you expect, Sara sold the private jet on EBAY. The poor gril is having a hard time adjusting to the seperation from her husband.
Come on Mackie, you have three glasses of wine when you stub your toe. And hey, who wouldn't want to show off that fancy piece of state budget paid for electronics... what better time to than after they make everyone else put theirs away?
Lets cut her some slack, who knows, maybe there were no roasted nut in the board room.
Another victim of the leftist-liberal-legal establishment. Why do the cops keep picking on Republicans? Every time I turn around, some Republican is getting busted for something. Clearly McGuire is the target of an ongoing campaign by the elitst, secular legal establishment to destroy the reputations of God-fearin' normal people who are trying to fix this country's problems.
She's a Republican. That means she's innocent. Jesus says so. End of argument.
Amen to that. Let's put another pinky lefty on the BBQ.
Yes,Niceguy I do.And I would like to thank your mother for serving them to me,
Mackie1 took the words right out of my fingers! She is something else. Maybe she is trolling for someone to take home so she can cheat on this husband like she did the last.
Mackie 1, how is mom doing? She got the new teeth yet?
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