Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman on probation after OUI arrest
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The leader of the Massachusetts Democratic Party was arrested last month during a traffic stop for alleged drunk driving and days later admitted to prosecutors that there was sufficient evidence to support a conviction, state court records show.
On June 15 — two days after the traffic stop in the town of Southborough — a judge maintained the drinking under the influence (OUI) charge without a finding after Steve Kerrigan, the chairman of the state Democratic Party, entered into a “sufficient facts admission” process, a Massachusetts legal regulation in which the defendant agrees that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction, according to Westborough District Court records.
In addition to the OUI charge, Kerrigan, 54, also faced a negligent operation charge and a marked lane violation. The charge of negligent operation was dismissed and he was found not responsible for the marked lane violation.
The judge sentenced Kerrigan to one year of probation, suspended her driver’s license for 45 days, ordered her to pay a $600 fee, and required her to complete a impaired driving education program.
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Steve Kerrigan, chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, speaks at the party’s convention on May 30, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Kerrigan recently settled an operating under the influence case stemming from a June traffic stop, according to court records. (Boston Globe via John Tlumacki/Getty Images)
Kerrigan was elected chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party in 2023. He was the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014 and previously served as a director for the Democratic National Convention Committee. He also serves as president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Center for Community Health.
According to a Southborough Police Department report, an officer stopped Kerrigan shortly after midnight on June 13 after observing her BMW driving on or over the lane divider.
Kerrigan’s eyes appeared “glassy” and “bloodshot red” and her speech was slow and slurred, the officer wrote. The officer was unable to detect the odor of alcohol, described as an “overwhelming cologne odor,” the report states.
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Massachusetts State Capitol in Boston, Mass. Steve Kerrigan serves as chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party.
Kerrigan told the officer he was on his way home from a restaurant and drank two beers before dinner around 6 p.m., according to the report.
Police administered field sobriety tests before Kerrigan provided a breath sample, which recorded a blood alcohol content of 0.089%, according to the report. The legal blood alcohol limit in Massachusetts is 0.08%.
Kerrigan acknowledged the incident in a statement to Boston.com through her lawyer, Andrea Levy.
The Massachusetts delegation was recognized during roll call at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in 2016. (Alex Wong/Getty Images, File)
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“In June, I was pulled over for an apparent lane violation and gave a 0.089 on the breathalyzer,” Kerrigan said. “I regret and take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences, and I thank the Southborough Police Department and Westborough Court for their professionalism and service.”
The Massachusetts Democratic Party did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
