WASHINGTON – House Speaker Mike Johnson’s chief of staff, Hayden Haynes, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after twice striking a Chevrolet SUV with his Tesla sedan, according to an arrest affidavit that provides new details on the incident.
The crash occurred about an hour after former President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress last week. The affidavit, obtained by Politico, describes Haynes as “unsteady” while walking, slurring his words, and unable to complete a field sobriety test.
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The responding officer noted that Haynes “needed assistance putting his glasses in his pocket,” had to end the sobriety test because of his “constant swaying left to right,” and accidentally dropped his urine sample into the toilet before failing to provide a second one.
The report further stated that Haynes “was slurring his words when voice activating his vehicle to open the glove compartment,” smelled strongly of alcohol, and admitted to consuming four drinks over four hours.
Capitol Police were contacted by the unidentified SUV owner whose vehicle Haynes allegedly struck “by communications,” which, according to Politico, suggests the vehicle may have been a police unit. The affidavit was released as part of the charging documents filed in D.C. Superior Court on Monday, marking another high-profile incident involving congressional staffers.
Despite the arrest, Speaker Johnson’s office reaffirmed his confidence in his longtime aide. “The Speaker has known and worked closely with Hayden for nearly a decade and trusted him to serve as his Chief of Staff for his entire tenure in Congress,” a spokesperson for Johnson stated.
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“Because of this and Hayden’s esteemed reputation among Members and staff alike, the Speaker has full faith and confidence in Hayden’s ability to lead the Speaker’s office.”
However, the incident has not gone without criticism. During a rally on Friday, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) took a jab at the situation, remarking, “They’re not that into DEI. But they love DUI. We gotta stop those DUI hires on Capitol Hill.”
As legal proceedings move forward, the arrest of a high-ranking congressional staffer raises further questions about accountability and conduct among top officials in Washington.
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