House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul was “briefly detained” by law enforcement officers after he was deemed intoxicated after mixing Ambien with alcohol before boarding a plane.
The Texas Republican said he took sleeping pills along with an alcoholic drink before boarding a flight to Texas, but missed his flight and was left “disoriented” at Dulles International Airport.
“Two weeks ago, I made a mistake, and I take responsibility for it. I missed my flight to Texas and found myself confused at the airport. “This was the result of a poor decision on my part to mix the Ambien I drank with alcohol,” McCall said in a statement.
McCall said he was “briefly detained” by law enforcement officers who appeared to be intoxicated.
“I have nothing but respect and gratitude to the officers who apprehended me that night,” he said in a statement.
His family arrived to pick him up at the airport and he was released soon after.
McCall, a nervous aviator, used Ambien to help him sleep on the plane. a spokesperson told The Texas Tribune.
The chairman also apologized for the incident, saying, “This incident does not reflect who I am or who I strive to be. As a human being, I am not perfect. However, I am determined to learn from this mistake and, God willing, make myself a better person.”
McCaul was re-elected this month to his 11th term in a district that stretches from Austin to the suburbs of Houston.
with post wire
