U.S. House Hopeful Matt Shaner Drinking Before Car Crash

January 12th, 2008, posted by Greg Palmer

‘‘I was in a condition where I shouldn’t have been driving my car.” — Matt Shaner
Republican Matt Shaner, who announced this week that he will seek to replace the retiring U.S. Rep. John Peterson, said in an interview Thursday he made a big mistake when he left the accident site without speaking to police.

No one was injured in the single-vehicle accident Jan. 19, 2007, in Patton Township. But Shaner was fined more than $500 after pleading guilty to running a stop sign, failing to report an accident and accidents involving damage to an unattended vehicle or property.

Asked if he thought he was drunk at the time he ran off the road, Shaner told The Associated Press: ‘‘I had too much alcohol to be driving. I may have been.’‘

‘‘I was in a condition where I shouldn’t have been driving my car, and I handled the situation very poorly afterward,’‘ he said. ‘‘It was probably the biggest mistake of my life.’‘

Filed under:

GrassrootsPA

On January 13th, 2008 Greg Palmer said:

I’m really surprised that GPA hasn’t posted anything about this story; they’d normally be all over this sort of thing.

On a broader note, does this say anything about Shaner as a candidate? Or is it just the type of story that we in the news media love because it’s juicy?

Oh it is so juicy you idiot!

On January 24th, 2008 Anonymous said:

Oh it is so juicy you idiot!

Shaner is a Santorum-wannabe

On January 15th, 2008 Anonymous said:

He ran for the 77th House District seat in 2006 but lost in the primary.

As for the 5th District, both parties’ fields have filled in.

Shaner, Exarchos and Walker for the Republicans.

And Cahir and Vilello for the Dems.

See here:http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/story/332406.html

moving forward

On April 20th, 2008 Anonymous said:

The republican party is broken. lets fix it with a dem.

Shaner is a Drunk Republican

On January 18th, 2008 Anonymous said:

At 3 AM a desk clerk at a hotel gets a call from Matt Shaner asking what time the bar opens.

“It opens at noon” answers the clerk.

About an hour later he gets a call from Matt again, sounding even drunker.

“What time does the bar open?” he asks.

“Same time as before… Noon.” replies the clerk.

Another hour passes and Shaner calls again, plastered “Whatjoo shay the bar opins at?”

The clerk then answers, “It opens at noon, but if you can’t wait, I can have room service send something up to you.”

“No… I don’t wanna git in… Ah wanna git OUT!!!”

DUI

On February 22nd, 2008 Anonymous said:

On the up side….he didn’t leave a girl to die while he looked for a scapegoat.

Giving him the benefit of

On March 25th, 2008 Anonymous said:

Giving him the benefit of the doubt. He knows he was wrong.

I like his values.

You are right, he didn’t crash thru a rail, land in a river and allow his passenger to drown.

99% of blog comments will eventually end up with absurd Democrat / Republican ping-pong. Shaner is a politician that drank too much and ended up drunk. He is in the public spotlight and he will be attacked for it and he will have to listen to it all. But to get into the same old storyline that every blog sinks to that he is a drunk Republican followed by a Ted Kennedy reply illustrates the pathetic condition this state and country has gotten itself in to. There is not an ounce of difference between a Republican and a Democrat. Both want the best for their children, the best for their friends and the best for their country and both will criticize, embarrass, lie about, lie to and if elected to office…lie with… each other. At the risk of being labeled a Democrat by Republicans and a Republican by Democrats, I challenge you to look at the man for who he is, not what he is and judge him from there. It ain’t easy, but he is your brother.
JP

not my brother

On March 10th, 2008 Anonymous said:

He may be your brother, but we would have kicked him out of our family. Yes, I have done my research, and yes, I know Matt personally. He will not get my vote.

We are all brothers, for

On March 10th, 2008 Anonymous said:

We are all brothers, for better or for worse, and you have judged the man for who he is. Your judgement of him comes from person relationship and scrutiny, not because he is a Democrat or Republican. That’s the way it should be and I welcome the openminded assessment of his character. It was my intention to remove the partisan pitbull that undermines most comments and try to see people as people, not by party affiliation.
JP

all right a drunk politician

On February 22nd, 2008 Anonymous said:

now there’s a man who has his priorities straight. Im voting for him.

a drunk politician,

On February 22nd, 2008 Anonymous said:

a drunk politician, indeed.
JP

Shaner is spending money and spewing hate already.....

On February 25th, 2008 Anonymous said:

In a move that shows Shaner is planning to spend whatever it takes to buy the 5th district, he has already started mailing glossy campaign materials. The first issue he tackles to rile up the conservative base in the 5th District is immigration. In an obvious ode to his hero Slick Rick Santorum, he lumps illegal immigrants with terrorists and demands “The only way an immigrant should become a US Citizen is if they can read, write and speak English…”

This from a guy that breaks the law and drives while intoxicated!!!! Please Republicans in the 5th District, don’t be fooled by this guy.

Chances

On February 25th, 2008 Greg Palmer said:

It seems to me that he doesn’t really have a chance, but I’m not close enough to the district to say that’s an educated opinion… After the whole drunk driving incident and other random shadiness, I’d think the cream would rise to the top among Republican candidates. Then again, just look at President Bush…

I encourage all my fellow

On February 29th, 2008 Anonymous said:

I encourage all my fellow Democrats to switch party registration to vote for Matt Shaner. Any of the three Dems would beat Shaner, he is a VERY shady character. He has been given lifetime bans from several Centre County bars. Yes, he has that much of a problem. A classic example of what happens when a kid inherits too much money at an age where he is not responsible enough to handle it.

Let him spend

On March 9th, 2008 Anonymous said:

His Daddy must really want a politician for a son because it should be fairly evident he doesn’t have a prayer of being elected. His little DUI stunt will probably cost his buddy district attorney Madeira his job too. While the cops where knocking on his door he was on the phone with Madeira getting sound legal advice. Namely hide indoors till you sober up. Thus avoiding a DUI charge. They should both be ashamed of themselves. If he wants to spend his unearned millions on a campaign to not be elected again I couldn’t be happier. Theres nothing more entertaining than watching an entitled rich kid be awakened from delusions of grandeur.

BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN HIS MOUTH

On March 27th, 2008 Anonymous said:

The great thing about the usa is that no matter how much money you have or your parents the people still say who gets elected.This guy will never have to be concerned about money because of his dads wealth and he has never done anything but get into trouble with his drunk hit and run.His dad is very wealthy and probably would love to have a puppet in congress.He has about a snowballs chance in hell of getting elected.He by any wild chance he won the primary,the Dems. would have a field day with this clown in the fall.

The Shaners are just a DRUNK family

On April 5th, 2008 Anonymous said:

Lance Shaner has a DUI too. This stuff must run in the family. I think people would have been alright with his DUI, but calling his pal the District Attorney is over the edge.

DUI

On April 9th, 2008 Anonymous said:

Is this true about the DA? How can that story be confirmed?

Looking beyond

On April 16th, 2008 Anonymous said:

Before you make your choice of candidates, you should look at the changes the candidates are promising. I like Matt’s views on immigration, tolling I-80, pro-life, earmark reform and ‘a better tomorrow’. We all make mistakes and it takes an admirable person to admit his mistakes. Judge not lest ye be judged.

No, what deserves

On April 17th, 2008 Anonymous said:

No, what deserves admiration is not driving drunk, knowing that your daddy’s money and influence with the DA’s office will get you out of your screw ups. That would be deserving of admiration. Platitudes after a ****-up aren’t worth ****, and if he is really manning up, maybe he should turn himself in and accept the punishment for DUI.

This guy is a clown, and if his little trick against Walker (also a clown) works, and we end up electing him, we will get what we deserve. A clown. Pancake makeup and floppy shoes for everyone.

Are “Matt’s views” in

On April 19th, 2008 Anonymous said:

Are “Matt’s views” in any way reflective of personal thought? seems to me they are regurgitation of right wing platitudes. Not that that’s bad.

MATT SHANER such a WEENER!

On April 18th, 2008 Anonymous said:

IF SHANER CANT EVEN TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF WHAT THE HELL

MAKES YOU THINK HE CAN TAKE CARE OF YOU?????? WHAT IF HE HIT YOU OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBER IN HE’S LATE NIGHT DUI

DRIVE- HE DIDNT THINK MUCH ABOUT “HIS PEOPLE” THAT NIGHT

DID HE!!!!