A Portland mayoral candidate has come under fire after it emerged that her driver’s license had been suspended six times due to a litany of traffic violations and missed court dates.
Carmen Rubio was forced to further defend her atrocious driving record after it emerged she recently crashed a parked Tesla and drove off without leaving a note.
The incident is part of a long list of traffic violations over the past 20 years, including 150 fines and citations, Oregon Live information.
The progressive candidate has also had to pay fines to debt collectors on at least 100 occasions.
His record was exposed amid anger over an incident in a Portland parking lot last week in which Rubio rammed a 2022 Tesla before appearing to survey the damage and walk away.
Portland mayoral candidate Carmen Rubio has come under fire after it emerged that she had her driver’s license suspended six times due to a litany of traffic violations and missed court dates.
Tesla surveillance video obtained by Oregon Live shows Rubio’s 2017 Nissan Murano pulling up next to the other vehicle.
The owners say Rubio scraped their car, causing damage to the bumper and rim.
The clip shows the mayoral candidate getting out of her vehicle after parking and seemingly looking back at the Tesla before continuing on her way.
She told the outlet she did not believe she caused any damage after examining the car.
“I felt my car move or lift slightly. Concerned, I checked the neighboring car, a Tesla, for damage. Seeing none, I went to my appointment,” Rubio said.
But in a recorded conversation with Tesla owners, Rubio blamed his actions on stress due to the election.
“I can’t express how humiliated I feel and I’m so sorry,” she said. “I feel so ashamed that during one of the worst weeks of my career, I was careless enough to get nervous and not pay as much attention as I should have. Believe me, I feel useless right now.”
She was forced to defend her dubious record after it emerged she recently crashed a parked Tesla and drove off without leaving a note.
“Honestly, I would rather give up racing. Believe me, I won’t be driving again in the near future.”
He initially offered to cover the costs out of his own pocket before deciding that “as a public figure” it was better to go through official channels.
In a statement Wednesday, Rubio said she was concerned about “being exploited because of the public nature” of her role.
She has since publicly apologized, saying she is “human” and “makes mistakes too.”
Her conduct prompted a local green transport lobby group to withdraw its support for her.
The Street Trust Action Fund initially supported Rubio when his driving record became public.
But after the Tesla incident, the group wrote on Instagram that it had decided to withdraw its support because Rubio’s actions “contradicted” its values.
The incident is part of a long list of traffic violations over the past 20 years, including 150 fines and citations.
In a video posted on his campaign website, Rubio again acknowledged having made mistakes.
“There are two things I live by: taking responsibility and working very hard for our community,” Rubio said.
While other mayoral candidates also have multiple traffic tickets, Rubio’s far outnumbers anyone else’s, according to Oregon Live.