Attorney General gets drunk at party, wins hearts with hilarious apology: 'Sometimes I screw up'

Editor's note: This article was originally published on November 16, 2021. It has since been updated.

Michigan's Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel was going through a lot when she attended a party and ended up getting drunk in public. For many, an incident like that can kill their public careers but not for Nessel, who turned it around with an honest and hilarious apology letter on Facebook. Nessel was also going through a lot personally, having lost a friend the day before, but she didn't hide and addressed the 'scandal' herself winning hearts with her honesty. Tailgate parties are a part of North American athletic culture, and she attended one on an empty stomach before passing out while watching a football game between Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. Being the character she is, Nessel even posted an image of herself wasted at the game, to the amusement of many. 

Michigan's Democratic Attorney General said her staff had initially pleaded with her to hire a crisis-management PR firm to get ahead of the story and limit the damage but she decided to address the incident herself. "Before the big game, I attended a tailgate on an empty stomach. Much to my surprise, MSU tailgates tend to have more alcohol than food, so I thought it seemed like a good idea to eat 2 Bloody Mary’s, since as long as you put enough vegetables in them, it’s practically a salad. As it turned out, this was not a brilliant idea. Also, I might be a terrible bartender," she wrote.  

She didn't feel so well at the game that followed the party. "My friends recommended that I leave so as to prevent me from vomiting on any of my constituents (polling consistently shows “Roman showers” to be unpopular among most demographics)," she wrote. "I had a few folks help me up the stairs and someone grabbed a wheelchair so as to prevent me from stumbling in the parking lot." Nessel said she had a designated driver and headed home safely where her wife "threw some blankets on me and provided me with some water and Tylenol for what she knew would be a skull-crushing hangover the next day. (Best wife ever!)"

"So there. That’s the scandalous tale of the events which transpired at Tailgate-Gate. (Also at some point it seemed like a good idea to make the governor take a picture with Ron Weiser. Sorry Governor!). Just so one doesn’t have to imagine what this scene might have looked like, I’ve attached this handy photo." She also spoke of her personal loss in the apology. "Normally, I would ask my trusted friend and communications savant Kelly Rossman-McKinney for advice on how to best handle this crisis, but she died last night, so I can’t," she said.  

"I am human. Sometimes I screw up. This was definitely one of those times," before addressing her constituents. "My apologies to the entire state of Michigan for this mishap, but especially that Michigan fan sitting behind me. Some things you can’t un-see. From now on, I pledge never to drink on an empty stomach, and definitely never to have another Bloody Mary. Cause it’s gonna take a while to get that taste out of my mouth. Sorry to all the people who have supported me for letting you down. I will try to do better," she concluded.

Nessel's relatable post went viral with many appreciating her honesty and speaking up about dealing with the loss of one of her friends. "It is refreshing to see a politician honest enough to share unfortunate stumbles in life — rather than to lie and try to cover up or bar access to info that may be incriminating. Not enough self-deprecation amongst politicians in this world," wrote Richardson. "You're human. And a great one at that. Most people wouldn't take the responsibility in just a simple apology & you explained & apologized! Thank you! We have all been there! We understand!" wrote Buxton. There were still a few people who criticized Nessel but many people stood up for her. "Some of you act like you've never been to a tailgate party. She's a human being who made a mistake [that] so many of us have made before. At least she had the sense to apologize," wrote La Rue.