• Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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Another irrepressible Alaska politician's brush with the law

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State Sen. Lesil McGuire created a disturbance on an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this month and, after landing in Anchorage, was escorted through the airport by police for questioning, according to an official report of the incident.

The Anchorage Republican was not charged with a crime and the law enforcement investigation into the incident is over. McGuire, who chairs the State Affairs Committee, is part of the Senate's ruling coalition.

On the Sept. 4 flight from Juneau to Anchorage, McGuire continued using her BlackBerry after being asked to turn it off, the report said. She kept texting, which resulted in the pilot having to stop the plane as it was taxiing, according to the report by police at Stevens International Airport. After flight attendants refused to serve her alcohol, she threw a glass of water onto the aisle floor, said passengers interviewed by police.

She was rude, used profanity, bad-mouthed the pilots, and caused further delay by getting out of her seat, according to statements to police by witnesses.

McGuire tells a different story. In a written statement to police, she said she was cooperative with the flight crew and the spilled water was an accident.

Read the full story at adn.com.

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