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Prominent Rhode Island Democrat caught on video telling officer, 'You know who I am?' during DUI stop
By Greg Norman
Published December 24, 2025
A prominent Rhode Island Democrat was captured on police bodycam video asking an officer, "You know who I am?" before her arrest during a recent traffic stop.
Maria Bucci, 51, who is the chairwoman of the Democratic committee in Cranston – the second-largest city in the state – is now facing a misdemeanor DUI charge following a traffic stop on Dec. 18 in East Greenwich, according to media reports.
"You know who I am right?" Bucci is heard telling an East Greenwich police officer just moments after he said he smelled alcohol in her breath and described her driving as erratic.
"I don’t know who you are miss," the officer responds, before adding, "You can start throwing out names and start doing out what you need to do, it’s not going to work with me, I’m telling you right now, I’m not the guy for that."
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Rhode Island Democrat Maria Bucci was heard telling a police officer, "you know who I am?" during a Dec. 18, 2025 traffic stop in East Greenwich, R.I. (East Greenwich Police Department)
The bodycam footage shows the officer trying to lead Bucci through a series of sobriety tests.
Bucci, a former Cranston mayoral candidate, previously served on the City Council from 2004 to 2008 and also launched an unsuccessful bid for a Rhode Island House of Representatives seat last year, the Cranston Herald reported.
At one point during the traffic stop, Bucci is heard saying, "Call my husband right now, and call the attorney general and everybody else in town, cause this is disgusting, God forbid I was a Black person, I’d be arrested."
Bodycam footage released of Bucci's arrest shows an East Greenwich Police Department officer trying to lead her through a series of sobriety tests on Dec. 18, 2025. (East Greenwich Police Department)
The officer eventually takes Bucci into custody. As she is placed in handcuffs, she says "you’re a d---" and looks towards the body camera.
"Like I am not drinking, you’re a loser," she adds.
At the beginning of the video, Bucci told the officer she had a glass of wine and had attended a Christmas party.
Bucci, who is expected to be arraigned on Jan. 5, was released on a $1,000 personal recognizance, according to WPRI.
As Bucci was placed in handcuffs, she is heard telling the officer "you're a d---." She also stared into the body camera and said, "gimme the camera." (East Greenwich Police Department)
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Bucci and the Rhode Island Democratic Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/prominent-rhode-island-democrat-caught-video-telling-officer-you-know-who-i-am-during-dui-stop