Democrats love to lecture Americans about equality and justice for all.
But their actions tell a very different story.
And one question from a Democrat official during a DUI stop left a police officer stunned.
Rhode Island Democrat chair demands special treatment during drunk driving arrest
Maria Bucci thought her political connections would get her out of trouble when East Greenwich police pulled her over just after midnight on December 18.
The 51-year-old chairwoman of Cranston's Democratic Committee was driving a white Lincoln Aviator that was swerving all over Division Street.
Officer Anthony St. Laurent immediately detected a strong odor of alcohol when he approached the vehicle and noticed Bucci's eyes were "severely bloodshot, glassy, and watery."¹
That's when Bucci decided to pull the "do you know who I am" card.
"You know who I am right?" Bucci asked the officer twice during the stop.²
The officer wasn't having any of it.
"I don't know who you are miss," St. Laurent responded. "You can start throwing out names and start doing out what you need to do, it's not going to work with me, I'm telling you right now, I'm not the guy for that."³
Bucci admitted she'd had a glass of wine at a Christmas party before getting behind the wheel.
But what happened next showed the true entitlement mindset of Democrat elites who think the rules don't apply to them.
Bodycam footage captures Democrat's profanity-laced meltdown
The bodycam video that went viral shows Bucci becoming increasingly belligerent as Officer St. Laurent attempted to conduct field sobriety tests.
She accused the officer of trying to embarrass her and claimed he was abusing his authority.
Then Bucci played the race card in a bizarre attempt to paint herself as the victim.
"Call my husband right now, and call the attorney general and everybody else in town, cause this is disgusting, God forbid I was a Black person, I'd be arrested," Bucci shouted.⁴
The irony was lost on Bucci that she was, in fact, being arrested.
During the sobriety tests, Bucci "continued to scream, bark orders, and act completely belligerent towards everyone on scene," according to the police report.⁵
"She was slurring and spitting when she was yelling and was extremely confrontational," St. Laurent wrote.⁶
When the officer finally placed her under arrest, Bucci stared directly at the bodycam and hurled insults.
"You're a d***," Bucci said while looking at the camera. "Like I am not drinking, you're a loser."⁷
But the verbal abuse didn't stop there.
Democrat official threatened police officer during booking
According to the police report, Bucci's tirade continued at headquarters with even more disturbing threats.
"I told my kids if they ever became a cop I'd kill them," Bucci allegedly told officers. "Only clowns become a cop."⁸
She then made direct threats against Officer St. Laurent.
"I'm going to get you mother f***er," Bucci said during booking. "This mother f***er, I'm going to kill 'em."⁹
Bucci's political resume shows she's been trying to climb the Democrat Party ladder for years.
She served on the Cranston City Council from 2004 to 2008, ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2020, and narrowly lost a bid for state representative in 2024.¹⁰
Despite her failed campaigns, Bucci currently serves as chairwoman of Cranston's Democratic Committee.
The Rhode Island Democratic Party declined to comment when contacted about Bucci's arrest.¹¹
Bucci was charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence and released on $1,000 personal recognizance.
She's scheduled to be arraigned on January 5.
Here's what makes this story a perfect example of Democrat hypocrisy.
These are the same people who spent years lecturing Americans about "systemic racism" and demanding police accountability through mandatory bodycams.
But when the cameras caught one of their own drunk behind the wheel, trying to use political connections to escape consequences, suddenly those bodycams became inconvenient.
Bucci expected Officer St. Laurent to give her special treatment because of her political position.
She threatened him with calls to the attorney general and invoked her family connections in law enforcement.
When that didn't work, she tried playing the race card despite being white.
The officer stood his ground and did his job exactly as he should have.
That's what equal justice under the law looks like – something Democrats claim to support but clearly don't believe applies to them.
This isn't an isolated incident either.
In November 2024, Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele, another Democrat, repeatedly told Chicago police "I'm an elected official" during her DUI arrest after crashing her car.¹²
In March 2025, Connecticut Democrat Representative Aundré Bumgardner was caught on bodycam failing multiple sobriety tests with his wife sleeping in the backseat.¹³
The pattern is clear – Democrats think their political positions put them above the law that applies to ordinary Americans.
They'll lecture regular citizens about following the rules while demanding special treatment when they get caught breaking those same rules.
Officer St. Laurent's response to Bucci should be the standard for every law enforcement officer dealing with entitled politicians trying to abuse their power.
No one is above the law – not even Democrat committee chairs who think dropping names and making threats will get them out of a DUI arrest.
¹ Steph Machado, "Former Cranston, R.I., mayoral candidate arrested, charged with DUI," Boston Globe, December 22, 2025.
² Fox News, "Rhode Island Democrat asks officer 'you know who I am?' before arrest at DUI stop," December 24, 2025.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Machado, "Former Cranston, R.I., mayoral candidate arrested, charged with DUI."
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ Fox News, "Rhode Island Democrat asks officer 'you know who I am?' before arrest at DUI stop."
⁸ Abby Patkin, "Video: Rhode Island politician taunts police during DUI arrest," Boston.com, December 23, 2025.
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ Fox News, "Rhode Island Democrat asks officer 'you know who I am?' before arrest at DUI stop."
¹¹ Machado, "Former Cranston, R.I., mayoral candidate arrested, charged with DUI."
¹² Police1, "Video: Ill. politician tells cops, 'I'm an elected official' during DUI arrest," November 26, 2024.
¹³ Fox News, "WATCH: Democratic lawmaker arrested for DUI after failing roadside sobriety test as wife slept in backseat," March 7, 2025.
