FUQUAY-VARINA,, N.C. (AP) — The in-house attorney for North Carolina’s lieutenant governor was arrested over the weekend and charged with resisting or obstructing state Alcohol Law Enforcement officers.
Brian LiVecchi, general counsel for Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s office, was arrested Friday at The BrickHouse Bar & Grill in Fuquay-Varina, news outlets report.
ALE agents conducted a surprise inspection Friday after complaints that “grossly intoxicated” people regularly left the restaurant and LiVecchi “interjected himself” into the inspection, agency spokeswoman Erin Bean told WRAL-TV. He was charged with resisting or obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor, when he wouldn’t stop interfering, she said.
Restaurant owner Mary Ciliberto said LiVecchi is her attorney and he interrupted the agent to advise her “not to answer questions.” Agents didn’t issue any citations, she said.
The restaurant was notified that it will receive a written warning for allowing intoxicated persons to consume alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises, Bean said. She declined to say whether LiVecchi identified himself as the owner’s attorney.
The matter was “in no way related to the lieutenant governor’s office or any state government function,” LeVecchi said, declining to comment further.
Chief of Staff Conrad Pogorzelski said in a statement that the office is “looking into the situation.”
