Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, arrested New Year’s Eve for drunken driving, has resigned his leadership post, saying he does not want his personal challenges to “distract from the goals” of the Republicans in the Assembly.
Kolb was driving his state-issued SUV Tuesday evening when he crashed into a ditch near his house outside Rochester. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and having a blood alcohol level of more than the legal limit of .08, according to the Ontario County Sheriff's Office.
Kolb said in a statement Wednesday that he deeply regretted his behavior, and said there was no excuse for it.
Kolb now says that he believes he his “own personal challenges” would distract from the goals and the message of the Assembly Minority conference, and he’s decided to resign his post that he’s held for ten years, though he will remain a member of the Assembly.
Republicans in the legislature have been highly critical of criminal justice reforms passed by Democrats that in 2020 eliminate most forms of cash bail.
Kolb, who briefly ran for governor in 2018, says he is “seeking professional help in order to heal, learn, and fully address the challenges that I, along with my family, currently face.”
