You know, I remember hearing about a Congressional staffer getting drunk and killing a pedestrian last year, but I honestly didn’t think very much of it at the time, except of course to feel sorry for the victim. But what I did not realize was that there was both a history of bad behavior, and a possible work-related element to the story:

The parents of a Santa Barbara woman who was fatally struck by a congresswoman’s aide filed a federal lawsuit against the driver, U.S. Rep.Lois Capps and the U.S. government.

The wrongful death suit filed by Matt and Raeona Dies’ attorney claims the Democratic congresswoman hired the aide despite being aware of his two DUI convictions and failed to monitor him, KEYT-TV reported Saturday. The suit said Raymond Morua‘s job as a field representative required driving.

Court records show he has two prior DUI arrests, a hit-and-run and an embezzlement conviction.

More at the Washington Free Beacon, which also notes that Morua claims to have been on the job for Lois Capps that night. More on the embezzlement charge here: Capps dropped Morua like a hot potato the second that news came out, which of course does nothing to explain why she hired the guy in the first place and gave him a job that involved driving anywhere.  And, based on the lawsuit: I don’t think that the victim’s family particularly believes the Congresswoman’s existing apologies/excuses.  I think that they think that Lois Capps was culpable in their daughter’s death, and I can see why.

Not that Lois Capps will resign, or that the state Democratic party will try to force her out.  CA-24 is only D+4, and it’s a bad year to have a scandal-tinged resignation in a low-single digit Democratic seat.

Moe Lane (crosspost)