A New Jersey congressional candidate known for his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns informed police that he was running for office during his arrest on a charge of driving while intoxicated, according to newly released body camera footage.
Ian Smith, co-owner of Atilis Gym and a candidate for New Jersey’s Third Congressional District, failed a sobriety test after being pulled over for swerving multiple times in his truck, video footage released by the Cinnaminson Township Police Department and published Thursday by NewJersey.com showed. After Smith’s arrest on March 27, he called on the police to release the body camera footage from the incident, which purportedly revealed him informing officers of his political aspirations.
“You know I’m a congressional candidate for this district, right?” Smith tells the police after he was placed in the back of the police car.
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Smith was pulled over after dinner at a taco restaurant in a neighboring town where he had one double margarita, he told the police. After being handcuffed, the gym owner faulted the wind for his inability to walk straight and claimed he passed the field sobriety test.
“Why are you taking me into custody?” Smith asked the police on camera.
“You’re taking me into custody, and I didn’t fail anything,” he continued, to which the police informed him he would be taken to the station for a breathalyzer test.
Smith refused the breathalyzer, which Steve Kush, his campaign spokesman, said was “understandable” in a statement.
“Ian has a distrust of government in New Jersey after being persecuted by the Governor and government agencies for two years. He’s certainly not the first public figure not to trust a breathalyzer,” he said.
“He wasn’t drunk for obvious reasons,” he continued, adding that Smith was upset and trying to point out that he wouldn’t “do something so stupid as to drive drunk.”
Smith was arrested in July 2020 on charges relating to fourth-degree contempt, obstruction, and violation of a disaster-control act after he refused to close his gym during a state COVID-19 lockdown.
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Smith is scheduled to appear at the Cinnaminson Municipal Court on April 14, according to the outlet.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Cinnaminson Police Department and Smith but did not receive responses.
