Hayden Haynes, Speaker Mike Johnson’s longtime chief of staff, hit an unoccupied police vehicle and was arrested for driving under the influence Tuesday night after President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress.
The speaker’s office and Capitol Police confirmed the incident on Wednesday.
“A driver backed into a parked vehicle last night around 11:40 p.m. We responded and arrested them for DUI,” a Capitol Police spokesperson said in a statement.
Haynes has been Johnson’s chief of staff since 2017, according to his LinkedIn profile. He maintained the title in the speaker’s office after Johnson claimed the gavel in October 2023.
Taylor Haulsee, Johnson’s communications director, said “the Speaker is aware of the encounter that occurred last night involving his Chief of Staff and the Capitol Police.”
“The Speaker has known and worked closely with Hayden for nearly a decade and trusted him to serve as his Chief of Staff for his entire tenure in Congress,” Haulsee said in a written statement. “Because of this and Hayden’s esteemed reputation among Members and staff alike, the Speaker has full faith and confidence in Hayden’s ability to lead the Speaker’s office.”
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