Republican Rep. Dan Lungren called in to Sacramento radio station KFBK this morning to talk about the House of Representatives' recent passage of International Megan's Law. But before the interview could commence, congressman found himself on the wrong side of a different law.
"Uh, uh, I have to get off the phone just a moment here. ... I'm sorry, I'm talking with a police officer here," Lungren told the hosts of KFBK Morning News just after being introduced on the air.
Lungren, who was on his way to his Washington office from his Alexandria, Va.-area home, quickly explained that he had just been pulled over for driving "probably just slightly over the speed limit" as he was chatting behind the wheel (he said his phone was in his lap).
The officer could be heard asking Lungren to get off the phone -- "Can you hang up the phone sir? ... You need to hang that up."
The congressman managed to squeeze in a few minutes of plugging the bill while he was waiting to see whether the officer would write him up. Lungren spokesman Brian Kaveney later told The Bee the congressman was only given a warning. He said he believed the congressman hung up the phone after the initial stop and called the station back for the second portion of the interview while he waited.
The cause of his lead foot syndrome?
"I guess I was getting excited about getting on the radio," he said.
By the way, the bill Lungren was touting would create a worldwide network tracking sex offenders.
Listen to the full interview here.
This post has been updated with additional information from Lungren's spokesman. Hat Tip: Roll Call newspaper's Heard on the Hill.
PHOTO CREDIT: Lungren participates in a candidates forum sponsored by The Jewish Community Council and the League of Women Voters, held at la Sierra Community Center, Thursday Oct. 23, 2008. Brian Baer, Sacramento Bee.
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