Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who pleaded guilty on Friday to driving under the influence, told reporters that he has accepted the judgment of the court and his punishment.
"[I] have decided not to contest the charges, to immediately accept the judgment of the court, and will obey any punishment imposed and, as you know, I have now been to court. I pleaded guilty in court and the sentence has been imposed," said Crapo.
Crapo said that as a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his actions brought "additional embarrassment and shame," because of the Mormon Church's stance against alcohol consumption.
"In recent months, for less than a year, I have on occasion had alcoholic drinks in my apartment in Washington, D.C. It was poor choice to use alcohol to relieve stress and went at odds with my personally held beliefs. However, on the night of Saturday, Dec. 22, I made another even worse decision, to go out for a drive and get out of my apartment and try to wind down," he said.
Crapo said after driving for approximately 30 minutes he "mistakenly turned against a red light" and was pulled over by police.
He made the plea in a Virginia court and was fined $250 and had his driver's license suspended for a year, according to The Associated Press.
The Idaho senator said he will work toward forgiveness from his church and the public, as well as look for opportunities to further the message — "don't drink and drive."
"In summary, I am profoundly sorry for the pain and embarrassment that I have brought to my family, to Idahoans, to my church, to my colleagues in the United States Senate and my staff and to anyone else who has placed their trust in me," he said.
