The chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party was arrested last month for driving under the influence of alcohol last month. Steve Kerrigan’s license was suspended for 45 days.
According to court documents, just after midnight on June 13, 54-year-old Kerrigan was pulled over in Southborough. A local officer notice the gray BMW was driving in the middle of two lanes, according to the police report.
The police report describes Kerrigan’s eyes as “glassy and bloodshot red,” and when he spoke, Kerrigan’s speech was “slow, thick tongued, and slurred.”
The officer said they couldn’t smell alcohol, but instead an overwhelming amount of cologne.
Kerrigan told the officer he only had two beers around 6 p.m. before going out to dinner, according to the report. But when he took a breathalyzer test, per the report, it showed his blood alcohol content to be .089, above the legal limit of .08.
Kerrigan was arrested and went to Westborough District Court a few days later. He pled “no contest” to the charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and a marked lanes violation.
Kerrigan’s license was suspended for 45 days, and a judge order him to complete an impaired driving program.
In a statement about the incident, Kerrigan said he regretted what he’d done.
“In June I was pulled over for a marked lane violation and blew a .089 on the breathalyzer,” he wrote. “I regret and take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences and appreciate the Southborough PD and Westborough Court for their professionalism and service.”
Kerrigan was elected as the chair of the MassDems in 2023 and was the democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014.
Gov. Maura Healey condemned the party chair’s actions.
“Driving under the influence is never acceptable,” she said in a statement through her campaign. “I’m relieved that no one was hurt. I have spoken to Steve and told him how unacceptable this is. He has taken responsibility for his actions and committed to making sure this never happens again. I am grateful to law enforcement for their response and all they do to keep our communities safe.”
MassDems did not respond to a request for comment.
