Mike Minogue Demands Running Mate Shawn Oliver Step Down

Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue has asked his running mate Shawn Oliver to step down, after the lieutenant governor candidate and New Bedford Ward 3 City Councilor was arrested on charges of operating under the influence.

Details of the New Bedford Crash and OUI Arrest

According to New Bedford Light, Oliver was arrested on charges of operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and a marked lanes violation. The Light reported that New Bedford Police responded to Dartmouth Street at about 11:40 p.m. on October 17 for a motor vehicle crash involving an overturned car that had struck multiple parked cars.

Oliver was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for treatment of injuries and then placed under arrest. He was booked and held at Ash Street Jail from around 6:45 a.m. this morning until just after 9 a.m., according to the Light.

Minogue first issued a statement saying “If it is true, Shawn will need to take responsibility for his actions.” He then put out another statement a short time later calling on Oliver to suspend his campaign.

Mike Minogue Demands Immediate Campaign Suspension

“I am extremely disappointed. Shawn is lucky to be alive and lucky that no one innocent was hurt. There is no excuse for driving under the influence,” Minogue posted. “After speaking with Shawn, I am asking him to suspend his campaign immediately, and when elected, I will formally ask for his resignation.”

“Shawn is a father and grandfather, and he needs to put his family first. He needs to do the work to ensure this never happens again. If he needs help with that, I will help him,” Minogue wrote.

Legal Ballot Deadlines and History of Ward 3 Council Seat

Even if Oliver suspends his campaign, he will still appear on the November 3 ballot. The window has passed for him to be removed from the ballot or for the Minogue campaign to attempt to replace him.

WBSM has reached out to Oliver for comment on Minogue’s call for him to suspend his campaign and will update this story if he provides comment.

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Oliver, 42, works as a corrections officer; it is unclear if that position is at risk due to his arrest. He is also the second consecutive Ward 3 councilor to be charged with an OUI; former Councilor Hugh Dunn was arrested and charged with the offense in May 2021 but was later found not guilty. In the interim, Dunn had resigned his seat in December 2022 because he was relocating to Boston for a new job, triggering the special election that led to Oliver winning the seat for the first time in 2023.

New Bedford Mayor on City Councilor's OUI Arrest

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell also issued a statement on Oliver’s arrest.

“This morning, I was made aware that City Councilor Shawn Oliver was involved in a car accident in the South End and taken into custody. I’m grateful to the New Bedford Police Department for their prompt response and relieved that no one was seriously injured,” Mitchell wrote. “The allegations against Councilor Oliver are deeply concerning, and the public deserves to hear his explanation of what happened.”