No discipline for AG's top aide until court resolves OWI charge

By James Q. Lynch

UPDATED: MARION – Attorney General Tom Miller will wait until the courts resolve an OWI charge against his top aide before considering disciplinary action

 “It's a very difficult situation,” Miller said April 30 in Marion, referring to the first-offense operating while intoxicated charge Des Moines police field against his chief of staff, Eric Tabor, in early April.

Tabor, 54, also faces charges of failure to use a turn signal and improper use of lanes, according to police. His arraignment is set for May 13, according to court records.

Police said Tabor blew a 0.249 on a preliminary blood-alcohol test, which is not admissible in court. That's more than three times the legal limit -- 0.08 blood-alcohol content. The former Iowa Democratic Party chairman from West Des Moines refused a second breath-alcohol test. Refusal to take the official test results in an automatic license suspension of one year.

Miller called Tabor a valued member of his staff.

“Eric has contributed enormously to our office. He's the No. 2 person. He's worked tirelessly and incredibly effectively,” Miller said.

“He's lived essentially a perfect life and now makes one, ah, the courts will decide whether he made a significant mistake,” Miller said. “We'll wait until the courts are done with this and take a look at it.”

Tabor joined the Attorney General's Office after losing a bid for Congress from the old 2

^nd

District. He and Republican Jim Nussle were locked in a very tight contest. The Sunday before the election news broke that a Tabor staffer had been caught ordering absentee ballots for out-of-district voters. Tabor became embroiled in the controversy. As a result, some votes were not counted. Nussle won with 50 percent of the vote to Tabor's 49.8 percent. Tabor did not concede to Nussle until the day after the election.