Sen. Joshua Miller (D-RI) has issued an apology for vandalizing a car adorned with a “Biden Sucks” sticker and will be paying more than $2,500 to the car’s owner as restitution for the damages, as well as an additional $250 to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank for the obstruction charge.
Sen. Joshua Miller apologized and admitted to obstruction of a police officer and keying a car that had a "Biden sucks" sticker last month. He was ordered to pay restitution.
My latest: https://t.co/eiWvUWEQol
— Kassy Dillon (@KassyDillon) July 20, 2023
The incident took place last month at the Garden City Shopping Center in Cranston. The car’s owner and passenger reported hearing a loud scratching sound and saw a man swiftly walking away, holding a keychain with a single key. This man turned out to be none other than Miller.
The victim, upon noticing a vehicle parked close to his with a “Re-elect Senator Josh Miller” bumper sticker, identified Miller as the suspect and promptly contacted the police.
When questioned by the officer at the scene, Miller initially denied the act, claiming the accuser was just “one of the gun nuts.” However, surveillance footage and further interviews with witnesses pointed toward the senator as the culprit.
As seen in the body cam footage, Miller referred to the victim as “the maniac who yelled at me in the car next to me,” going ahead to say, “he was blocking my way, saying I scratched his car, I didn’t scratch his car. I’m a state senator, I think he recognized me, I think he’s one of the gun nuts. He called out my name; I never told him my name.”
While he was later allowed to go, cops interviewed him at his home later that night after reviewing surveillance video of the incident.
“We got evidence, so you tell us how you want to handle this. You keyed his car?” an officer asked him, with him responding, “Yeah.”
When asked the reason why he keyed the car, he said, “He was threatening me already,” and “because he was daring me to, basically.”
He was taken to the police station and charged with misdemeanor vandalism/malicious injury to property.
During court proceedings, the Rhode Island lawmaker changed his plea from not guilty to no contest, admitting to the vandalism charges.
Magistrate Judge Joseph Ippolito accepted the plea and ruled that the charges will be dismissed if he manages to stay out of trouble for a year.
In a prepared statement following the court appearance, Miller expressed remorse for his actions and acknowledged the impact they had on his reputation. “In a blink of an eye, I exhibited a lack of self-control that has impacted my reputation. For that, I only have myself to blame as I am solely responsible for what led to today’s court proceedings,” he stated, apologizing to his constituents, supporters, and Senate colleagues for his lack of self-control and poor judgment.
Despite calls to resign from the General Assembly, Miller made it clear that he will not step down from his legislative roles at this point. However, he indicated that he wants to discuss the matter with his constituents and Senate colleagues before making any final decisions about his future in office.
