A Democrat lawmaker recently turned himself in after being caught shoplifting for a second time at a Target store in Bethel, Connecticut.
The New York Post reported that Connecticut state Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, a Democrat, is currently facing charges after turning himself in to police officials on July 28. The outlet noted that an arrest warrant for the 33-year-old Democrat lawmaker had been issued following the second shoplifting incident.
In an arrest affidavit obtained by The New York Post, a Target security guard said they observed Allie-Brennan “concealing items into the Goodfellow bag that he had selected.” The affidavit accused the Democrat lawmaker of attempting to steal $54.55 in unpaid goods.
Allie-Brennan was previously arrested in June after police officials reviewed security footage that showed the Connecticut lawmaker trying to leave the Bethel Target location with $26.69 in unpaid items. The Democrat lawmaker admitted to the June incident; however, he blamed the shoplifting incident on being in a “rush” to bring items to his hospitalized grandmother.
In a July statement on Facebook, Allie-Brennan said, “This week, I appeared in court and applied for Accelerated Rehabilitation, a program for first-time offenders that, if granted, can lead to dismissal of the charge after meeting court conditions.
“I am taking responsibility for all of my actions and participating in a program to address my behavior seriously and constructively,” the Democrat lawmaker added. “I know I’ve let people down, and I’m not proud of that. But I also believe in owning mistakes and doing the work to make them right. I remain committed to accountability, growth, and continuing to serve my community with integrity.”
According to The New York Post, Allie-Brennan told the outlet that both shoplifting charges are being addressed under the Accelerated Rehabilitation program.
READ MORE: Pic: Democrat lawmaker arrested for shoplifting
“Recently, State Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan (D-2nd District – Bethel) was arrested for shoplifting at a local Target store,” Connecticut Republican State Chairman Ben Proto said in a recent press release. “While we fully support Representative Allie-Brennan’s due process and the presumption of innocence that all of us enjoy under our Constitutions, it is regrettable that, once again, a Democrat member of the Connecticut General Assembly has found themselves in handcuffs and subject to criminal prosecution.”
Proto added, “In light of these allegations, Representative Allie-Brennan should step down from his position.”
Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter, a Democrat, also issued a statement regarding the Connecticut lawmaker’s legal issues. Ritter explained that he had talked with Allie-Brennan about the shoplifting charges and expressed his concerns to the Democrat lawmaker.
“Raghib will take some personal time away from the legislature over the next month to deal with the legal, political and personal ramifications,” Ritter stated.
