SARASOTA, Fla. – A congressional candidate has apologized for berating and threatening a police officer’s job during a traffic stop. Republican Martin Hyde was charged for speeding, failure to produce a valid registration, and texting while driving.
During the incident, Hyde asked the officer, “Is it your Russian immigration status that makes you talk to people like this?”
Hyde released this statement:
Just over a week ago I was stopped in Sarasota for speeding. During the stop I was belligerent and rude to the officer who stopped me. Much interest has been shown in local media and many comments made as to my behavior. I’m not going to justify my poor temper on that day or attempt to mitigate it in any way. There will be some who will say it’s not the first time I’ve acted out and they’d be right. I have faults and one of them is to be overly aggressive on occasion when I’m challenged. In the political arena that is possibly a good thing but on a personal level it’s not. I’ve apologized to the officer in question, and now I’m apologizing to the community as a whole. I’m going to do my utmost to behave better going forward. I’m not running away though as that’s not in my nature. There is nothing more I can say, or will say on this subject other than I’m sorry for any offence caused to anyone. Martin Hyde
