Colorado Lawmaker Who Battled DUI Accusation To Retire

DENVER (AP) -- A Western Slope Republican who battled accusations of driving drunk has announced she won't seek re-election.

Rep. Laura Bradford of Collbran was stopped Jan. 25 in Denver when police suspected her of driving drunk. She wasn't charged with a crime, raising questions about whether she received preferential treatment.

Bradford maintained that she told police to treat her like a regular citizen, but House leaders convened an ethics panel to review the incident. Bradford was cleared of ethical misconduct, but two other Republicans planned to challenge her in a district considered safe for the GOP.

In a statement released by House Republicans Thursday, Bradford said she would leave the Legislature to spend more time with her husband, who recently survived a heart attack.

Bradford was elected to the House in 2008.

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