GOP state senator pleads no contest to DUI charge; incident prompted admission he is gay

GOP lawmaker pleads no contest to drunken driving

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — State Sen. Roy Ashburn has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor drunken driving after an episode that led the Bakersfield Republican to acknowledge he is gay.

Ashburn was sentenced to two days in jail and three years probation. He also was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and fees and had his driver’s license suspended for 30 days.

Ashburn entered his plea Wednesday. Sacramento County prosecutors said he had a blood alcohol level of .15, nearly double the legal limit, when his state-provided vehicle was stopped by the California Highway Patrol.

Reports that the conservative senator had been at a gay-friendly nightclub near the state Capitol prompted Ashburn to acknowledge his sexual orientation. Ashburn, who is 55, is not running for re-election.