After being arrested Friday night for driving while intoxicated, Sen. Zeb Little (D-Cullman) sat down with The Cullman Times for his first interview since the arrest.

Below you'll find the audio from his conversation with publisher Bill Morgan, editor Derek Price, and reporters Patrick McCreless and Trent Moore.



Introduction



Sen. Zeb Little admits he made a serious mistake and pledges to "do anything that is necessary to keep this from happening again."








Are you an alcoholic?



He admits he has had alcohol problems at some points in his life, but he says he also has had "long periods of sobriety."








Are you going to plead guilty?



He doesn't say what his plea will be. He says that when his court date comes up, he will "go and do whatever is the right thing."








Do you dispute anything that was in the Troopers' report?



He hasn't seen the report. He says, "I was drinking after driving, and that's wrong."








What does this mean for your political future?



He says he hasn't thought about that yet.










Has anyone called asking you to step down?



One person asked him to step down Monday morning. He reiterates that he has not thought about politics since the arrest.








Will this distraction keep you from doing your job as a senator?



Little says if he can stop drinking alcohol, he can finish his term effectively. "I'm going to fix this problem ... and the way you do that is one day at a time."








Other than saying "I'm not going to drink," do you have any immediate plans for how you'll fix this problem?



Little says he will seek help from the state bar, which has an alcohol treatment program.








Some people think your lapse in judgement calls into question your ability to serve and make good decisions in the senate. How do you respond to people who feel that way?



"Any decision to drink in drive is a serious lapse in judgement and a serious mistake. ... The battle with alcohol is a lifelong one, and if you aren't vigilant, it can make you stumble."








Were you drinking before you started driving back?



"I drove after drinking. That was wrong." He repeats his desire to "never take another drink."








Other than the state bar's program, are there any other steps you'll take to solve your drinking problem?



He says he will rely on his support network of friends in Cullman who can help him.








How much will your arrest impact your respect in the state legislature?



He says he has already talked to many of his colleagues and is "not a quitter." He expressed his Christian faith and belief in forgiveness. "Jesus died so that we can be forgiven."








Do you feel like you've come to terms with your family?



"They don't deserve the embarrassment that I've brought them. I do, and I'm prepared to accept that."








Was this your second DUI arrest?



He says he "was charged and found not guilty" when he was 19. Asked if he had been arrested since then, he said any time someone gets a speeding ticket it is considered an arrest.








How many times did you drink and drive before you got caught this weekend?



He says he sometimes drank alcohol before driving but did not know if he was over the legal limit. "It may be legal, but there's no amount that is acceptable," he says.








Why did you refuse the blood alcohol test?



He says he would still be arrested for DUI whether or not he took the test. He mentions being "under stress."








Your driver's license is expired. Is that correct?



He says he knew his license was expired. "Since my office is right across the street, I said I'll come back and do it some later time."










When the person called asking you to resign, what did you say to them?



"I apologized, and that's basically all I can do."








You have no thought of resigning?



"No."








When you get back to the senate tomorrow, are you going to make some kind of statement on the floor?



"What I'll probably do is just talk to each individual senator."








Would you have sought treatment if you hadn't been caught this weekend?



"Maybe that was why God let this happen."








If you lose your driver's license as part of the sentence, would you need a driver to take you to Montgomery?



He says he will carpool or use some form of transportation that won't cost the taxpayers any money.








A lot of people in other lines of work lose their job if they get a DUI. What's your response to that?



"DUI is a very serious offense. If that's the punishment I face, I'll accept it."