CTA, BETHEL Monday night, a Democratic state representative who supported the 2019 ban on single-use plastic bags was taken into custody after reportedly neglecting to scan products at a Target self-checkout.
According to Bethel police, Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, D-Bethel, failed to pay for two products at the register and was charged with misdemeanor theft. Local cops said the incident happened at the Target store on Stony Hill Road.
Allie-Brennan accepted the arrest and described the incident as inadvertent in a statement released on Tuesday. He claimed that while in a hurry and utilizing the self-checkout lane, he neglected to scan two goods. He posted on social media, “I was in a hurry and didn’t realize two items didn’t scan.” I accept full responsibility.
Following the arrest, the lawmaker’s 2019 vote in favor of House Bill No. 7424—which contained a clause prohibiting merchants from supplying or selling single-use plastic checkout bags after July 1, 2021—resurfaced online. The majority of Connecticut’s Democratic lawmakers backed the bill, which sought to limit plastic waste.
The bill’s highlighted section reads: No store owner or operator may give or sell a single-use checkout bag to a consumer on or after July 1, 2021. The timeliness and irony of Allie-Brennan’s explanation have been criticized by others, who also point out how the rule affects in-store convenience.
A legislator will appear in court following a shopping incident.
The worth of the unscanned goods and if the security footage supports Allie-Brennan’s account have not been disclosed by the police. Whether the representative will challenge the charge in court has not been made clear.
The arrest has not prompted an official response from the Connecticut General Assembly. Since 2019, Allie-Brennan has represented portions of Bethel, Danbury, Redding, and Newtown in the state legislature.
There has been no announcement of a resignation or disciplinary action as of Wednesday. According to Allie-Brennan, he plans to fully comply with the legal system.
