The decision not to elevate state Sen. Suzanne Williams to chairwoman of the Senate’s Transportation Committee is wise, given the complications she’ll have to deal with as a result of a devastating auto crash.
Williams will need time in the coming months to focus on the recovery of her family members, and perhaps even criminal charges that could come as a result of the accident.
Despite indications that Williams wanted to keep the position, we don’t think it would be fair to her or the state.
The car crash in question took place in Texas on Dec. 26 as Williams, her son and two grandsons were driving to Colorado.
The car the Aurora Democrat was driving veered into oncoming traffic and collided with an SUV. The results were devastating. Killed in the crash was 30-year-old Brianna Michelle Gomez, who was seven months pregnant. Her baby was delivered via emergency cesarean section and survived. Williams’ son was seriously injured in the accident. One grandson was ejected from the car.
There are many questions about Williams’ conduct during and after the accident, questions we hope will be answered in due time.
And while it’s appropriate to ask those questions, it also is important to clearly separate the questions and suppositions about the answers.
It’s legitimate to ask the senator why her son and the grandchildren apparently were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, which happened at 6:30 p.m.
Was it a momentary transition or were they planning to let the children sleep in the back of her car without safety restraints?
She reportedly told her friend, Rep. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, that her son had climbed into the back to get the children ready to go to sleep. Yet, Williams now says she has no recollection of the crash.
Why the discrepancy?
Furthermore, a preliminary police report says that after the collision, Williams picked up the 3-year-old grandson who had been ejected from her car and strapped him into a child safety seat. Was this an effort to cover up the fact he had been riding without being belted in, or is there another explanation?
These are all legitimate questions to pose, and not just because Williams has spoken out on behalf of tougher seat belt laws. The answers will reflect on the senator’s character and fitness for public office.
A Fox 31 report on Wednesday said that Williams was asked by Senate President Brandon Shaffer to resign from the legislature entirely but the senator declined. Her resignation might be premature, given what’s publicly known at this point, but Democratic leaders made the right call in declining to name her to head the transportation panel.
She has enough to grapple with now, including many serious, unresolved questions that must be addressed.
