LOWERING THE BAR

Misdemeanor crimes aren’t a disqualifier for Oakland County Circuit Court candidates, particularly when they’re running unopposed. That should come as some relief to candidate Julie McDonald of Bloomfield Township, who is running for a new court seat and was arrested on the morning of Saturday, September 8, for alleged drunk driving on Woodward in Royal Oak. McDonald, who was stopped about 10:45 a.m. for speeding in her 2015 Chevy Tahoe, told officers she had about four drinks the previous night, but she was unable to walk a straight line and blew a .102 on her breathalyzer test (the legal limit is .08). “I don’t drink and drive,” she can be heard telling the officers while handcuffed in the back of the patrol car. “I’m running for an office right now, and this will fuck me up really bad.” McDonald, who also allegedly dropped her cigarette out of the window and turned without signaling prior to the stop, was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated and littering, both misdemeanors, and no proof of insurance, a civil infraction. While a conviction or plea won’t disqualify McDonald from her likely election victory in November, she could face sanctions by the state’s Judicial Tenure Commission after taking office.